WELCOME…and best wishes to Isaac, new-born bouncing baby for Dave Hinchley and his missus, and to Richard Ward, who had ‘a funny turn’ in London last weekend and had to stay overnight in hospital; he was fined for missing the coach home!

What a fantastic turnout for our reunion! Let me welcome you all to this worthy gathering of past and present members and players, and let me thank our Chairman Mike Wright for his efforts in ensuring today is such a success. It’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces, and we thank you all for joining us. I know that some of you have travelled considerable distances – Mark Taylor has come over from America! With fond memories of days gone by and with you all in mind the programme does include an appropriate poem! All we have to do now is enjoy the afternoon.

After the excitement of last week’s cup tie against Otley we return to the nitty-gritty of league rugby as we offer a warm welcome to our old friends from Sheffield. Our visitors are experiencing a topsy-turvy season; their remarkable home form is worthy of promotion, winning 10 of their 11 matches, with their only blip losing 6-20 to Billingham. I expect them to make it 12 from 13 with Team Northumbria and Gateshead their only outstanding home fixtures. Their last home game was a 19-10 win against Percy Park, a team I fully expected to make a late charge for second spot. However Sheffield have struggled away from home. They’ve won only three of their 11 games, at Gateshead, Team Northumbria and Morpeth, although they did draw 15-all at second-placed Wheatley Hills. In a rearranged game at Northern last week, a side they beat by 13 points in October, they lost 29-8. They are currently sitting in sixth place 11 points behind us.

Until the advent of leagues Sheffield were one of those teams we met on an annual basis, and we did so until the mid nineties. There was then a blank period before battle was rejoined in 2000/01, when we met in North 1, each of us winning at home. We then met in four of the next five seasons, when, very oddly, in each of those four seasons one or both of us were either promoted or relegated. Five years ago we won both games and were promoted and Sheffield were relegated from N2E, two years earlier we again won twice as Sheffield were relegated from N1 having been promoted into that league two years before, beating us twice en route. In 2001/02 we each won the away game as we went down from N1. I wonder, just wonder, if promotion is in the air again this season…

YORKSHIRE CUP Last Saturday we beat Otley 36-21 in our opening Cup match. Battling against a second successive relegation Otley sent a young side to Acklam Park, containing only five regular first-teamers, and although they had plenty of talent in the backs they were denied the ball in the first half by our pack. We led 24-0 at half-time through tries by Peter Wright, Matty John, Richie H and Jack B, who added two conversions, but at 12-0 Otley could have crept up to 12-10; they missed a very kickable penalty and then the granddaddy of scoring opportunities when their winger entertained us with one of those comedy classics in fluffing a try that was easier to score than miss. We then lost Jack B and Craig to injury but Peter scored again straight after the break, with Simon adding the conversion, before we rang the changes and then lost two men to the sin bin for technical offences. Otley scored three converted tries to get back into the game at 31-21…and so we sent on the heavy artillery, replacement prop Robbie Small. He trotted onto the field, quietly smiling; he called for the ball and majestically burst through the Otley defence to score our sixth try. Job done! Our reward is a tough trip to Wharfedale, which will be played on Easter Saturday, 7 April. Incidentally Matty John was so hyper excited about scoring his maiden 1st XV try that he played in the final minutes of the Lions match against Seaton Carew – and scored a try!

In the Yorkshire Plate our Colts travelled to Scunthorpe last Sunday and returned with a 20-17 victory – see Terry Fitzpatrick’s match report. In the QF they play at Huddersfield YMCA tomorrow, a team they’ve beaten home and away in the league. Incidentally, as the Yorkshire North Conference champions the Colts will return to Scunthorpe, winners of the South Conference, on 6 May, to play a championship decider.

LEAGUE NEWS In a truncated fixture list of four rearranged matches last week two games produced 100 points yet finished in draws. At Morpeth Malton & Norton were leading 30-20 with four minutes on the clock but the game finished all square at 30-all, similarly Cleckheaton, chasing a fourth successive victory, were 20-15 ahead at Durham City with only seconds on the clock but had to settle for a share of the spoils at 20-all. Elsewhere O Crossleyans beat Team Northumbria by 51-20.

OUR OTHER TEAMS The results during the past fortnight have been very encouraging; the Wasps, ‘A’ XV, the Lions and the Colts have won all six games, scoring a most impressive 200 points in the process. Today the Lions are at Malton & Norton in the North Yorkshire Trophy, whilst tomorrow the Colts are at Huddersfield YMCA in the quarter finals of the Yorkshire Plate.

TEAM OF THE MONTH - U16s With apologies to the regular readers of this august tome, I hope you’ll bear with me while I repeat for the benefit of those of our members at this reunion who don’t get down to Acklam Park so frequently the wonderful information about our U16s. First let the spotlight fall on three of the players - Lewis Boyce, Tom Burridge and Jack McPhillips. Following the inter-district festival and England trials all three were selected by England - Lewis as loose head prop, Tom as openside in the full England squad and Jack as an outside centre in one of the two reserve squads. Lewis and Tom were due to make their debuts away to Italy U17s in Parma on the 7 April and then play Wales U16s on 11 April at Wellington College. However Tom suffered the most gut-wrenching heartbreak when a broken collarbone brought his international journey to a premature end. They both played last weekend in a terrific 52-5 win against Wasps Academy U17s but with 20 minutes to go Tom fell awkwardly while offloading in the tackle and the damage was done. After the game the England boys were given their bag containing their stash. Tom's bag had his laminated name tag on it…which, sadly (and I find such pettiness hard to believe) was removed as it will now go to his replacement. He is disappointed but in remarkably good spirits having thoroughly enjoyed his exciting journey.

This weekend sees Lewis playing for the U17s v Scotland at Selkirk, whilst Jack is in action for England (North) v Worcester U17 Academy. Jack will then play in the Festival at Wellington College (6-13 April) and in matches against the U17 national sides from the Netherlands, USA and Belgium. It was a great effort from Jack who made the trial by the finest of margins after a four month lay-off with a knee ligament injury. We are proud of all of our youngsters but for three Boro players to get so far is a truly exceptional achievement. Congratulations to all three.

Following on from this fantastic news the U16s continue to make headlines – they are now in the final of the Yorkshire Cup for the fourth consecutive year. Having won the Cup in each of their previous three appearances they will be going flat out for a remarkable four from four. Three weeks ago they won their semi final at Otley, and despite missing four regular backs and in appalling conditions won a thoroughly enthralling and exciting game of rugby by 24-5. The final will be held at West Park Leeds on 1 April when our opponents will be York – a repeat of the past two finals. Good luck to the boys in their record-breaking quest. Last Sunday they continued their good form by beating Ripon 53-13. And who is the head honcho of this super squad? None other than John ‘Budgie’ Burridge.

REFEREE’S CORNER I am also delighted to welcome to Acklam Park today’s referee Oliver Mantle, a school teacher from the North Yorkshire Society who spent many happy years playing fly-half at Harrogate and who has been a referee for six years. He has been to Acklam Park before and I hope he enjoys his return visit this afternoon.