25 November pre-match notes

Chinnor host Richmond on Saturday which is certain to be another blockbuster at Kingsey Road. Richmond have had a topsy turvy season following their very unfortunate relegation from the Championship last season. A record of won five, lost five doesn’t really tell the tale of their performances so far as several of their losses have been by less than a score, if they had managed to win a couple of those games they would be sitting quite comfortably in the top 3. They come off the back of a very impressive 36-22 win against erstwhile league leaders Plymouth Albion, who the week before strangled Chinnor to go top. Yet another example of how National 1 is such a wonderful league. With 7 teams within a win of challenging for top spot and the bottom 2 teams both beating the league leaders in recent weeks this is a league of the highest quality and hugely competitive. There are no bankers and every match, every week can go either way. It beggars belief that the RFU want to tinker with such a wonderful institution- if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

Chinnor have never beaten Richmond and in our most recent meeting they eased to a win at Kinsey Road on their way to promotion to the second tier. In recent weeks they have been boosted with several returnees from their stay in the Championship and have hugely influential half backs Jones and Landry. Up front the powerful ex Leinster prop Mpiko is always a handful in the tight and his running game, We’ll need to be on our mettle to combat a very capable and resurgent team.

We also welcome old friends from the Richmond committee, especially ex Chinnor player and now President of Richmond James Foster. James played his junior and first steps into senior rugby with us and is very fondly remembered by those of a certain vintage. He was a key member of the extremely formidable front row of the all conquering Chinnor colts in the mid 1980s packing down with Gary Pudwell and Nick Mantell. Nick Mantell was the New Zealand u18s Captain at the time and went on to have a superb playing career for Auckland alongside the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick and Zinzan Brooke, James left Chinnor and went on to multiple Cambridge Blues and a career at Richmond alongside the Quinnells and Gus Pinchot, Puddy went on to terrorise the loose head props of clubs up and down the Home Counties and become an icon of National League rugby clubs. It’s very poignant that he passed away this weekend last year. He would have liked nothing more than standing in the corner of the bar with Fozzy and chewing the fat over multiple pints- he did after all say he taught James to scrummage and to drink. James made his 1st team debut as an 18 year old in a team captained by our President Simon Vickers, that has to be a a one off for 2 Presidents.

For those of you that want an extra fix of rugby ? Chinnor Falcons play Richmond Saxons at 2.30 pm. Greg Handre Goodfellow continues to do a fantastic job with the Falcons as he blends a dozen of last years Colts into the team. They have had some remarkable highs and the odd low but for such a young team to be playing rugby at that standard is exceptional and the boys are loving their experience. Maybe the RFU should be looking to replicate this model and ask Greg for advice on how to keep youngsters in the game rather than tinker with the finest league in the pyramid.