The Club remained at playing Level-9 in the RFU pyramid, for this season, in Midlands 4-West (North), but with a new Captain. Willie Bache has declared a wish to Captain the 1st XV again, having first done the job in 2000/01 and again in 2001/02. In addition, Kevin Shields did agree to help us to try and put out a 2nd XV as often as possible but shortly after the start of the season had to step down and asked Ollie Price to skipper the 2nd XV.

This inauspicious start was to mask the ultimate destination of the season as it proved to be a great season! At one stage, there were ‘shades of Twickenham’!

Captain Willie Bache developed the game plan, so the excellent style of play from the previous season was continued further! The quick hands and long pass of Sam Bills enabled the Centre partnership of Josh Phillips & Ed Lewis to dominate and keep the defence in close quarters, as a result the outside trio of Ben Howman, Dave Leach & Alex Howman had so much space to operate in that many tries were scored in each game in the early part of the season. The Backs move that proved a favourite was when the Centres had taken the ball up a couple of times to ‘soften’ the opposition, the next time they were both used as ‘dummies’ in different directions, to reveal Alex Howman bursting through in space with just his opposite Full Back to beat – so the ‘double shoe shuffle’ saw him sidestep either way to score!

In the League, we thought big early wins over Rugeley RFC and Telford Hornets RFC were great, but then we played Tenbury away and blitzed them to 76-3 to record the biggest victory margin and highest points score the Cleobury RFC history! Then came further big wins over Yardley & District RFC, Barton-under-Needwood RFC and Bromyard RFC before the quality of the pitches changed for the winter! The ‘free flowing’ passing back play of the hard pitches was no longer possible in the mud, rain and cold! So, the games got very much tighter a narrow home win over Cannock RFC and away to Telford Hornets RFC were earned on difficult playing surfaces, but then came another 60-point margin against Greyhounds RFC before the return leg over our deflated local rivals! On this day, a firm pitch and a determined side worked hard against a dispirited opponent meant that but for a couple of dropped chances close the line the first century score would have been recorded! In the end the 97-0 victory over Tenbury RFC now takes the Club record!

As a result of all the high scoring matches top position was attained with ease and a certain sense of aura surround the team whenever we faced an opponent that meant they all knew who was going to be Champions! There was no real arrogance amongst the players, just determination and enjoyment, but a realisation that every match still required significant concentration to maintain that level. Each opponent still had to be treated with respect, so the squad stayed loyal, together and focussed. In the squad of 30-players there were no less than 7-sets of brothers! All had attended Lacon Childe school, and most were taught and coached by former Head of PE Matt Simms, a good player in south Wales and who played for Ludlow RFC while teaching up here for 5-years before returning to his homeland as a Deputy Head. His legacy was to the benefit of Cleobury Mortimer RFC.

Interspersed in the League matches were the two cup competitions, the RFU National Junior Vase, colloquially called the ‘Twickers Cup’, and the North Mids Vase. First match of the season was an away match in the North Mids Vase, against one of the sides we struggled to beat last season, but with a scratch squad they were no match for this new brand of rugby on hard fast pitches the backs ran in several scores for an easy win! Then the National Vase took precedence! With a couple of early rounds dealt with in a similar fashion, it was not until the first match of the New Year that serious opposition was entertained. A long trip to Belper RFC in Derbyshire produced a stunning game on a quagmire of a pitch. What a game, what an opposition and what a club. They were on a good run and Cleobury played very well indeed to edge the contest by 15-7! This meant a home Midlands Semi-Final against Malvern RFC. A club with a young squad on the ‘up’ and eager for a win, but this time home advantage won the day and a hard fought 25-9 win saw the Cleobury RFC into the Midlands Final and only 2-matches from a Twickenham Final. The spectre of Rugby Lions RFC hung over the occasion! Although both teams play at the same level the runaway leaders of Midlands 4 West (South) were once at a very high level in the RFU pyramid system! Unfortunately, following financial difficulties and having to reform the company, they were expelled from the National Leagues 2½-years ago, and had to re-apply at the bottom of the structure. Last season at Level-10 Rugby’s only defeat last season came against Longlevens RFC in the RFU Junior Vase final at Twickenham. During this current campaign, they had reeled off 15 consecutive league wins with a point’s difference of 608! The Midlands Final was going to be a real challenge! A ‘huge’ occasion and a determined opposition on their ‘home turf’, eventually ‘got’ to the Cleobury youngsters, who performed poorly in the early stages, but when the result appeared against them late in the contest, responded massively and nearly won, against the odds! So, a Cup Final defeat again! Never mind there was still the North Midlands Cup to aim for and Rugby Lions RFC were not in that section! However, the remainder of the season did seem to have a bit of a ‘hang over’ effect from that crucial final. Many opponents appeared ‘beaten’ before kick-off – except Cannock RFC! Determined to gain promotion themselves, to fend off the challenge of Barton-under-Needwood RFC for second spot. The Cannock players knew that their tight small ground on a slight slope, would counter the flowing Back Division and allied with a HUGE set of forwards set out to bully Cleobury in the return to ensure they won and claimed that 2nd place. In the end a 3-12 defeat was to prove the only league reverse of the season and a salutary lesson to the Cleobury youngsters that they could not have everything their own way! Back to flowing ways in the home match against Greyhound RFC with an 89-3 victory and a 76-19 win over Rugeley RFC completed the league campaign with 19-victories and 960-points scored with only 110-points conceded.

During the closing stages of the season news came through of the date for the knee operation for Captain Willie Bache that ultimately dictated he was to miss the end of the season. A sad loss as his leadership and tactical nous would prove to be seriously missed. The final competition of a busy season was the conclusion of the north Mids Vase. The league encounter at Bishop’s Castle RFC doubled up as the cup match and with victory a Semi Final at home against Kings Norton RFC, won with ease by 57-0 and so the North Mids Finals Day at Dudley Kingswinford RFC was to be the culmination of the season. Waiting in the Final was Malvern RFC, determined to avenge their earlier defeat in the national Cup. A re-jigged Back Division meant Cleobury made a slow start to the game! A high kick in the opening exchanges was not dealt with correctly and the loose ball was picked up by the Malvern speedy winger to score under the posts. A penalty shortly afterwards put the opposition 10-0 up inside the first 10-mins and gave them something to hold on to, but the usual Cleobury confidence and swagger appeared to desert them on the big occasion, huffing a puffing to claw 3-penalties back over the next 70-mins, but not sufficient, to lose by a single point 10-9.

The two defeats in finals should not detract from the excellent season with a total of just 3-defeats from 28-matches, 1,240-points scored and just 165-points conceded. The major point scoring contributions came from the boot of David Leach who was given the kicking tee in the opening match and rarely put a foot wrong, finishing as Top Points Scorer (284-points with 13-tries, 87-conversions & 15-penalties). Allan Shields did help with the kicking duties (96-points with 3-tries, 30-conversions & 7-penalties) leaving him just 49-points short of all-time top scorer Colin Smith, and a determination to overhaul his total of 1,367-points, sometime next season. Among the top Try Scorers there was keen competition, but clear winner was Full Back Alex Howman (260-points) with a magnificent 38-tries including at least 5-hat tricks! Some way behind but still displaying tremendous form throughout was Paul Hulland (140-points with 28-tries), Dave Shorter (100-points with 20-tries), Josh Phillips (95-points with 19-tries) and Tom Leach (15-tries) not far behind.

With such a successful season for the 1st XV it proved even more difficult to persuade the support and novice players to put down their beers, off the touchline and play for the 2nd XV. However, they did manage to play 5-matches with 2-victories but there was little enthusiasm when there was such rich entertainment on view!

At the start of the season, we had an aspiration to set up a new Junior Section for the 6 to 8 years as a new coach stepped forward to volunteer and embarked on a process of putting that person through all the relevant training qualifications. In the end the new Junior Section failed to materialise, because unfortunately the person that the Club invested in to achieve these qualifications, suddenly had a domestic crisis and left the town quite abruptly! It is worth considering that the length of time taken to achieve these qualifications took a year! In the meantime, NO youngsters could at least start training in Rugby and so any initial enthusiasm and momentum was lost to the game! Those keen, will of course have gone to another local club, probably Kidderminster Carolians RFC, but those who needed a bit more persuasion will now be playing another sport! We need to at least get something moving and ‘cash in’ on all that initial burst of energy and enthusiasm!

As we all settle down for a summer rest a recuperation, we can reflect on an excellent season with pride, our first ever League Championship plus two Cup Final appearances.