Apart from the general buzz at what will be a very busy day at the Woodlands on Saturday, including 200 or so guests at the pre-match lunch, there’s an extraordinary re-union taking place.
41 years ago, in October 1981, the Arnold School 1st XV achieved the notable feat of beating Cowley School’s 1st XV. Now renamed as Cowley International College based in St Helens, their team had been unbeaten for 18 months. Their line-up included several English U’18s and previously U’16 international caps and were a very formidable outfit.
So notable was Arnold’s victory that it earned the team The Rugby World‘s first ever ‘School of the Month’ award.
The reunion will see 15 members of that side, 3 former teachers and another 20 or so friends and acquaintances meet up again to talk of those long ago days and catching up with developments in their lives since. The organisers worked hard to track down as many as possible of the squad. Sadly, two members have died and a couple of others have proved untraceable.
These young lads in 1981 moved on to successful careers including becoming business people, a gynaecologist, other doctors, dentists, a senior civil servant and a notable arboriculturist.
Fylde RFC sends their very best wishes to the party and hope they have a great afternoon.
[Thanks for this story to Fylde’s President, Anthony Hoskisson, one of the members of the squad.]