25/02 Presidents Message v Cornish Pirates
February 25, 2009
A very warm welcome to Cornish Pirates on their return visit to Monks Lane for Newbury’s first home game in 2009. Let us hope for a bright, sunny and DRY spring day, in contrast to when Pirates last visited Newbury for what was our postponed pre-Christmas game. It was not festive weather on that day - it was just very wet! Many Pirates’ Supporters travelled to the game, and we welcome them back to Newbury today for what is an important game for both teams.
When we were due to play in December, the Autumn Internationals had just finished and now we are in the middle of the Six Nations, and a big game in Dublin follows our own match on Saturday. Back in December, Cornish Pirates were lying 7th which, as I said in the previous programme notes (now to be seen at the front of this programme!), was probably a disappointment. They had experienced some indifferent results and particularly, losing 28-32 at home to Rotherham Titans. On the credit side however, they had run both Exeter Chiefs and Leeds Carnegie very close indeed, especially Leeds Carnegie only losing 23-25. Away from home both Manchester and Otley, the teams still in the bottom two, managed to secure a losing bonus point and The Blues will be hoping to achieve better than that today. The week before Pirates were due to come to us in December, they had achieved a very good win at London Welsh but since then it has been a disappointing run of form and two weeks ago they were easily beaten by Nottingham in the EDF Energy Cup, which is why we are playing the rearranged fixture today when eight other teams compete in the Quarter Finals of the Cup competition. The tie between London Welsh and Moseley has a ring of a fixture of 30 years ago. Can Birmingham Solihull provide another great Cup “upset” and beat Leeds as they once did Wasps, and can Doncaster upset the very strong Exeter team? Mounts Bay have already “lost” at home in the Cup, and although they have home advantage again will surely find Nottingham too powerful.
The consequence of the Pirates’ Cup defeat and other poor results in the League have led to the Pirates sacking their Coach, which is becoming an annual occurrence. It is understood the Players have been told that their salaries will be cut, which to many of us in the circles of National League Rugby, is a very familiar story, yet the RFU still want to proceed with The Championship and make it a fully professional league… There must remain serious questions about the thinking behind this decision.
Despite the disappointing results, Cornish Pirates are now 6th in the League and Newbury remain 14th without a league victory since the 8th of November 2008. This year has, however, produced two disappointing away games, namely those at Esher and London Welsh, but two heartening performances (both drawn games) away to Plymouth and last week at Otley when Newbury really should have achieved their first away win of the season. I am sure that today’s game will be an entertaining encounter and although Newbury have not achieved a victory against Cornish Pirates, many of the games at Newbury have been very close.
The Match Sponsors are Highcross and other Sponsors include Cry, Comology, Quintons, Black Bear and TKP Surfacing. I would also like to thank all the Clubs’ Sponsors, especially Vodafone, and our shirt sponsors, Jokers’ Masquerade. I would also like to thank the designers and printers of our excellent Match Programme. Thanks also to the “Man of the Match” Sponsors, the Furze Bush Inn.
I would like to reiterate a very warm welcome to all the supporters from Cornish Pirates and also to the Match Officials forthe game, referee Michael Tutty and his assistants Richard Parker-Sedgemore and Lloyd Jackson. I hope everybody enjoys the “Newbury experience”. The “aperitif” will be Minis and Junior fixtures against Bournemouth: the “main course” Newbury -v- Cornish Pirates and the “afters” Ireland -v- England. Sounds to me like a very good afternoon of Rugby Football Union!
Enjoy!
David Smith President
Comments
Got something to say?