Oh and another thing…
Calm down dear.
I sometimes go on a nostalgia trip and get ‘YouTubing’. Tracking back to when I first became interested in rugby. This would be in the late 60s and I had got into rugby at Sandbach School. To be fair, there wasn’t much option in those days but hey ho, I went along and somehow found I quite enjoyed it.
This was black and white TV days when you had to watch sport live. As I watched the likes of Richard Sharp and Pierre Villepreux do their thing one thing struck me. After someone scored a try they modestly picked the ball up and walked back to hand it to Bob Hiller or whoever was the nominated kicker. The nearest thing they got to a congratulation might be a gentlemanly handshake from a teammate as they made their way back to halfway.
I pondered and contrasted on where we have got to these days. Score a try today and you are immediately jumped on by all and sundry, punching the air and gesturing in triumph to the crowd. All a bit ‘footballish’. So when did this change?
In the early 70s it was still not done to show too much emotion. Watch what some consider the greatest try ever, the classic Barbarians versus All Blacks game and that try. Gareth Edwards is on the end of that thrilling passage of play and touches down. Did all his teammates rush to congratulate him? Well, he got a little tap on the arm from the supporting Fergus Slattery and that was it. Edwards nonchalantly jogged back.
Later in that Barbarians game, Grant Batty (who sadly left us last week) a feisty little New Zealand wing scores a wonderful individual try and then nonchalantly tucks the ball under his arm and walks back with not an All Black mate in sight.
Another Edwards try was in 1972, a wonderful individual effort against Scotland. A break, hands-off Roger Arniel and then chips ahead and hacks on. From then it’s a chase against Dick and Renwick. Gareth gets there first and slides into a mud heap. 60,000 Welshmen on their feet and to be fair a good number of Scots also. The camera follows him walking back and not a teammate comes near him. Two of the greatest moments in rugby history and the guys on the pitch don’t even go over to congratulate him.
It just wasn’t done. No histrionics. No hugging. Just get back in position and get on with the game.
Compare to today, a scrum goes down and the referee awards a penalty. Often nobody will know why, a prop slips or loses his bind…penalty. What happens? Teammates jump all over their prop and engage in all sorts of joyous ecstasy, their prop is a hero and he feigns modesty (but actually basks in his five seconds of glory). Just because a scrum goes down, the team acts like it’s VE Day because the decision went their way!
The thing is, you have to ask yourself what does this actually indicate about the game and maybe the mentality of the modern player. Andy Farrell was interviewed after the defeat against France last week and one of his comments focused upon execution and completion in the red zone. Getting there is just what you’re expected to do.
In today’s game any piece of good play is applauded by teammates. This is mostly a positive thing, a recognition of a skill well executed, an encouragement. But sometimes you wonder if all this applause may be counter-productive. A fine kick into the opposition 22 and we are all going ‘well done’. But it’s only really a means to an end, a chance to manufacture a score. It’s like a salesman who gets a good lead. Unless he closes the sale, the bottom line stays the same.
The point is, if you go all excited and hysterical every time something good happens, maybe that good something becomes an end in itself. The game can be full of bits of good stuff, but if you don’t score then it’s worth nothing. Meaningless.
Some might say if you’ve got the energy to jump up and down to celebrate a scrum penalty then you’re not working hard enough.
If Henry Pollock had been around when Edwards and Batty were playing and did all his strutting and playing to the crowd he would have had a few hard stares from the likes of McBride and Kirkpatrick. Enjoy the moment lad, but know your place. You haven’t done anything yet. Yes you’ve got the glory, but only because others have done their job.
Edwards and Batty knew that.

Last week’s games and this week’s fixtures
There was only one game last week but it provided quite a shock. Birkenhead Park travelled over to Douglas probably more in hope than expectation. However, they came away with a memorable away win beating the Manxmen 3-17. Douglas are notoriously hard to beat at home and prior to last Saturday only Sandbach have managed to beat them on their own turf.
The week before Park had recorded another very useful win by beating Burnage 23-17 and subsequently have moved away from the lower reaches to sit comfortably in mid table. Another notable scalp went to Firwood Waterloo who dented Sandbach’s title hopes by beating the Cheshire side 24-23. Northwich unfortunately were unable to follow suit and were comfortably beaten 10-30 by Douglas.
Vale of Lune took advantage of Sandbach’s slip-up, moving into second place via a 50-nil thrashing of bottom club Altrincham Kersal. Second from bottom West Park managed a valuable win by beating Winnington Park 29-20. Leaders North Ribblesdale were made to battle hard away against Widnes eventually coming out on top 14-22 to stay top.
This week it’s derby day down the road as Northwich jump over the fence to take on Winnington Park. No predictions here as the most fierce of rivalries will be fought out. Form will count for nothing. A revitalised Waterloo will be confident travelling to AK who look doomed for the drop.
Equally, North Ribblesdale will be expecting five points as they entertain West Park. Vale of Lune travel to Burnage for what might be a tricky fixture on their artificial surface whilst here at Bradwall Road Widnes are welcome visitors. The earlier encounter at Widnes saw ‘Bach scrape home after a tight game 24-28, so expect a mighty battle. Let’s hope the weather stays clement.
P.S.

D.O.R. Notes
Welcome to Bradwall Road, home of Sandbach RUFC, and thank you for joining us for what promises to be a full and competitive afternoon of rugby. We hope that, regardless of which team you are supporting or how the results fall, your time with us is a positive one and that the game’s core values are clear to see throughout the day. A warm welcome is extended to Widnes RUFC, who make the 30 mile trip south from Heath Road for today’s double header, with both 1st and 2nd XVs facing each other. These shared fixture days are always well received by players and supporters alike and they certainly make preparation, selection, and logistics more straightforward. More importantly, they guarantee two strong contests, with all four teams pushing for improvements and aiming to finish as high as possible in their respective leagues.
Widnes arrive under the guidance of Liam McGovern, whose influence at fly half has helped shape a side that plays attractive, organised rugby. Their results this season reflect that quality, and our earlier meetings showed clearly how dangerous they can be when given momentum. They are a team that challenges you in every area of the pitch, and we expect nothing less again today.

For our 1st XV, last weekend’s disappointment at Waterloo still stings. A last minute penalty turned the game against us, leaving the squad frustrated after a performance that fell short of the standards we set for ourselves. In the build up to that fixture, we spoke openly about the run of games ahead, the threats each opponent poses, and the need to stay consistent. We identified the hurdles that would test us and, unfortunately, we fell at the first one. Automatic promotion is now out of reach, but the response from the group this week has been focused and determined. The aim is simple: put recent losses behind us, rediscover the intensity and desire shown in the Vale of Lune performance in mid January, and get firmly back on track.

There is plenty of evidence that this squad is capable of doing exactly that. We are averaging 29 points per game, playing with ambition, and developing a young group that produces some excellent rugby. The challenge now is to manage games more effectively, play in the right areas of the field, and build consistency across 80 minutes. These are the details the coaching group is working hard to refine and today provides another opportunity to take a step forward.

Across the club, there has been plenty to celebrate. The 3rd XV recorded an excellent win away at Kirkby Lonsdale last weekend, a result that sees both the 2nd and 3rd XVs progress to the semi finals of their respective cup competitions. Both ties will be played at home, with the 2nd XV facing Eagle 1 and the 3rd XV taking on Kendal 2. These fixtures will be important occasions for the squads and for the club as a whole.

Two significant personal milestones also deserve recognition. First XV captain Laurie Essenhigh made his 100th appearance for the side last week, an achievement made even more impressive by the 37 tries he has scored along the way. Club captain Max Beadle reaches his own 100 game milestone today. Both players have been influential figures on and off the field in recent seasons, contributing to the club’s growth, culture, and ambition. If you see them around the ground today, make sure to congratulate them.

As a club, we continue to look forward and invest in our future. Facility development remains a priority, whether through regeneration of existing areas or the addition of new ones. In the coming weeks we are proud to be hosting the Cheshire U10s Festival, a major showcase of mini rugby and a highlight of the junior calendar. Next week we welcome Sedbergh School Rugby on Monday and Tuesday, including a free coaching CPD session on Monday evening delivered by Russell Earnshaw. All coaches are encouraged to attend if they can.

None of what we do as a club would be possible without the volunteers and staff who give their time across every department. Their work underpins everything that happens on and off the field, and we offer sincere thanks to all who contribute.

Now it’s over to the players. They are working hard, striving to improve, and committed to representing Sandbach RUFC with pride. Your support makes a difference, so get behind them today and enjoy the rugby.