Back at Level-9 where the matches are more local and the distance to away games is much less than of recent seasons, the challenge is always going to be to try and cope with the rivalries almost every week. Allan Shields came in as Captain determined to reproduce the ethos and traditions of previous years, with an insistence on club clothing for League games, more regular attendance at training and club nights out together and largely succeeded with all those aims despite the difference in ages between many members of the squad.

It subsequently proved to be an enjoyable season in what was a thoroughly competitive, challenging and absorbing Midlands 4 West (North) division, just managing to avoid promotion!!! We invariably did well at home but suffered on our travels, eventually finishing in 4th place. Of the two promoted teams, Harborne RFC and Clee Hill RFC, it was just such a shame that we beat one home and away yet lost to the other both times – but the wrong way round for local rivalries!

The style of play was excellent with attacking quick backs on the hard grounds in early autumn, to the all-round forwards and backs combining well in the softer winter grounds. Point scoring was generally good with the season’s total almost double that of last year, 576-points (compared to 313-points in 2012/13). The major kicking duties went to Allan Shields finishing as Top Points Scorer (197-points with 8-tries, 35-conversions & 29-penalties). This magnificent effort has left him just 144-points behind Club 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 with Sam Sutton (11) emerging on top, but just ahead of both Ben Howman (9) and David Shorter (9) which left other contributions from Alex Howman (6), Josh Phillips (5-tries + 1-conversion) and Tom Leach (5) not far behind.

Dan Shotton remained as 2nd XV Captain and despite some difficulties ended up playing a total of 4-matches before Christmas and another three afterwards, to fulfil the promise made at the end of last season to play more than 3-times! Unfortunately, we always seem to find 6 – 10 players per match but never the same people and certainly not sufficient to develop anything tangible. With loan players and some ‘rested’ first teamers we managed to get through the season, but one a single victory and 6-defeats doesn’t tell the complete story because three of the defeats were by a single score. Next season Kevin Shields has agreed to take over as 2nd XV Captain and will seek to include the junior players he has coached for the past 6-seasons as they become eligible from their 17th birthday.

Without ‘owning’ our own Club House we are very pleased to be part of the Cleobury Mortimer Sports & Social Club, but a realisation that the building is need of modernisation and development has brought three of the major clubs together in a joint venture. This much-loved facility is the home base for the Cricket, Rugby and Volleyball Clubs so have developed a joint group called CRUVO to raise awareness for improving facilities and ensuring its sustainability, vital to the future development of all three local clubs. Bids for grant funding have been submitted and joint events organized, such as the Winter festival and the Calypso Cricket Day. Many of the Rugby Club players and followers were ardent supporters of these Community Events and for that they are to be applauded

Our one and only Junior team were in their final season with us in seeking matches at Under-16 level, which was to prove harder than imagined. They started off with separate training sessions as the adults but using the same floodlit facilities at the same time, so inevitably many of the skills and non-contact practices were shared. This inclusion of Junior players with some parts of adult training really encouraged the youngsters and gave them more confidence in their matches against bigger clubs. A full fixture list was organised and of the planned 9-matches before Christmas seven were completed, with growing confidence if not that much success in results. However, afterwards a combination of weather, pitch-hire issues and the opposition cancelling when we were ready to play left the lads without a single game in the second half of the season! In those 7-games George Warrington again emerged as Top Points Scorer (26-points with 1-try, 6-conversions & 3-penalties). Try scoring was shared between Tom Cowell (3) and Charlie Woodhouse (3) with Lorimer Clark (2) just behind.