Friday, November 30, 2007

Rugby Notes III

There’s an excellent column by the legendary REL on the new and improved, best ever Ebbw Vale RFC website, reproduced here. All I can say is here, here!

Things I don’t want for Christmas – books by Dallaglio, Catt and Thomas. Things I was once happy to have for Christmas – books by Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett and Bleddyn Williams.

Another thing I would like for Christmas is a local derby on Boxing Day. You will remember we had to travel to Llandovery last year, and they will have to travel to us this time. What a coincidence!

The Boxing Day fixtures for 26 December 2006 were:- Aberavon v Neath; Bedwas v Cardiff; Bridgend v Maesteg; Cross Keys v Newport, Swansea v Llanelli (all local derbies) and Llandovery v Ebbw Vale (anything but).

The Boxing Day fixtures for 26 December 2007 will be:- Neath v Aberavon; Cardiff v Bedwas; Maesteg v Bridgend; Newport v Cross Keys, Llanelli v Swansea (where have we heard that before?) and Ebbw Vale v Llandovery (Oh! No, not again).

We have had some close games with our friends The Drovers, but isn’t it time someone else had to travel more than a few miles the day after Christmas? Isn’t it obvious that every year the same neighbours play each other EXCEPT US?

I am not suggesting someone Down There (they would say UP there), has it in for Ebbw and Llandovery, but travelling a few miles for a Boxing Day game is good for players and supporters and it’s a benefit that should be shared. But don’t hold your frosty breath, the Spirit of Christmas does not permeate the fixture making department. It must be run by a Scrooge before he saw the light.

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