Season 2010/11
As we build up to the 2011/12 season the Veterans are looking forward to the annual challenge to get our ever ageing bodies around a rugby pitch every Saturday, against what appears to be ever younger opposition. The season commences in early September for the Veterans with what has become a welcome and established event on their rugby calendar, in Ashford’s Beer & Rugby Festival. The fixture list sees a mix of what are now traditional opponents in Cranbrook and Sheppey as well as against some Veterans XVs who we welcome onto the annual fixture list in Crawley and Hastings & Bexhill.
Mid –season will see the traditional fixture against the 5th XV and although we look forward to the possibility of another Over-45 fixture with local rivals Sevenoaks, one Over-45 fixture against tonbridge-Juddians is already on the calendar.
With the mention of age, this is no barrier to playing rugby for the Veterans and whilst we do endeavour to follow the over 35 years qualification even we, on occasion, have provided experience for younger members of the Club of the free flowing, fast paced Barbarian style of rugby we like to play (in our dreams perhaps), plus on occasions we like to accomodate 'Father & Son' combinations. However; the Veterans are an inclusive group welcoming players of all ages and abilities and the social activities of the team are maybe as important as the playing. The Veterans occasionally revisit their youth by representing the Club in league fixtures that cannot be fulfilled by the 4ths and 5ths, putting up good showings against more youthful opposition, as well as supplying players to teams higher up the Club.
The highlight of the social calendar should be the annual tour and has been the way of the last couple of seasons this year’s skipper will be exercising his captain’s perogative, with the proposed tour destination for 2012 being Dorset; and if last years visit to Derbyshire is anything to go by, it should be a trip to look forward to!!
In summary the Veterans XV play competitive, social, rugby in the true Corinthian spirit of the game and look forward to welcoming old and new members alike.
Richard Weston
