Fylde travel to Stourbridge RFC‘s Stourton Park on Saturday (ko 15.00) in a meeting of the 4th and 5th placed teams in National Two (North). This is a notable contest as it brings together the two top points scoring teams in the division, both committed to attacking rugby throughout the season. Each team averages 36 points per game so far this season so, on Stour’s excellent 4G pitch, there could be a try fest on Saturday afternoon.
When the teams met in December at the Woodlands the weather was quite dreadful and Fylde edged it by 15-10 in a heroic performance against very able opponents in heavy rain and a driving gale. Fylde’s 2nd half display battling into the worst of the conditions was remarked on by knowledgeable observers as one of the best performances they had witnessed by the 1st XV in many years.
Stourbridge RFC was founded in 1876 but, like a number of rugby clubs in the North Midlands at that time, didn’t last long. The club was re-formed after the 1st World War so it has a similar lineage to Fylde’s. But the two clubs’ fates didn’t bring them together until the 2001-2 season in National Two (level 3) and there have been just eleven matches between them since then. Fylde have the whip hand with ten victories, including a double in the abbreviated 2019-20 campaign, 41-19 at the Woodlands and a rather extraordinary 12-64 at Stourton Park.
One very tangible link between the two clubs is that both have community rugby departments under the overarching Community Group. There are eight National League clubs involved in this initiative, all united by the vision of spreading rugby more generally in the community, especially through top quality coaching in schools.
Stour is one of the big fish in N2(N), having a professional set-up in the North Midlands and they should never be underestimated. Over the last few seasons they have rather flattered to deceive, not quite delivering what they’ve promised.
Stour opened this season with three close wins, including a notable 19-17 victory over current league leaders and promotion favourites Hull RUFC. Another outstanding performance in this opening sequence of 10 wins was to edge past fellow promotion candidates Sedgley Park by the narrowest margin of 32-31 thanks to a last minute penalty by scrum-half Michael Heaney. Former Fylde hooker (& KGS teacher) Jonny Roddam, coach at Sedgley, said after that game: “Stour brought to the game what we thought they would as their scrum is a real weapon.”
The Fylde defeat at the Woodlands led to a mini slump of three losses in four games but they regained their composure in mid-winter and continued to perform consistently and successfully. 142 points in their last three games against Blaydon, Bournville and Blaydon once more, emphasised this.
Twenty one years ago Stourbridge were outstanding champions of N2(N) and then had an excellent eleven seasons in National One (level 3). They mainly occupied a mid-table position during this period but were rarely embarrassed. This run came to an end in 2011-12 when they were relegated back to level 4. In the nine seasons since then they have generally been promotion contenders including making one promotion play-off game.
Under long standing Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell they built strong squads season after season, mixing experienced players from around the Midlands and beyond with local players who have come through their youth system. The current 1st XV Coach is Andy Verlander.
The current squad reflects this pattern and is based on a very strong pack, which is likely to ask serious questions of the Fylde forwards. Avoiding scrum penalties, indeed avoiding penalties through whatever offences, will be critical given the kicking ability of skipper and scrum-half Michael Heaney or his sometimes replacement Freddie Morgan.
The Stour pack includes a very powerful front row featuring the highly experienced and destructive tighthead prop Mark George, who recently made his 250th appearance for the Club, and hooker Jack Lea. The back five include a roster of strong players including Nick Murphy, Matt Perks, Ben Meakin and the evergreen and durable Nigel Mukarati, always a handful for any opponents, and another player with more than 200 1st XV caps.
The back line offers a range of threats, especially long serving winger Dan Rundle, always in the top echelon of N2(N) try scorers in recent seasons. He’s notched 23 this season and scored four at Blaydon on Saturday including his 100th for the Club. He’s in 3rd place in the N2(N) ranking behind Sedgley Park’s Matt Gallagher on 30 and Tom Carleton on 29. The clash of speedsters Rundle and TC is likely to be worth the entrance money alone. Other acute dangers for Fylde include winger or centre Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, a product of the Wasps Academy, and a recipient of a succession of recent MoM awards, and Worcester Warriors Academy utility back Afeafe Haisila.
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Fylde make two changes in their starting line-up for the trip. Ben Turner is named on the right wing in place of Henry Hadfield who is suspended for one game following his two yellow cards and a consequential red last week against Luctonians. Ben O’Ryan joins the backrow alongside Harlan Corrie and David Fairbrother.
Former Lancashire & Fylde skipper (and England Counties cap) Adam Lewis makes one of his occasional appearances amongst the replacements covering the prop positions and utility back Alex Clayton also returns to the squad.
A few of Chris Farrow’s photos from the rain soaked game on the 4th December 2021 follow:
