FYLDE RFC PREVIEW

Founded in 1919, the club takes its name from ‘The Fylde’, a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the North, the Ribble estuary to the South, the Irish Sea to the West, and the Bowland Hills to the east, with Blackpool to the West and Preston to the South-East.

Former England internationals that have represented the club include Malcolm Phillips, Steve Bainbridge, Wade Dooley, Roger Uttley, Tony Swift, Jason Robinson and a certain William Blackledge Beaumont OBE, CBE, Vice Chairman of the International Rugby Board and Chairman of the Rugby Football Union.

Fylde RFC were promoted into National League One in the 2010/11 season, as champions of National League Two (North) and have remained stalwarts of the league since then, with a commendable bronze medal position as their highest achievement last season.

DMPRFC last faced Fylde RFC in league competition during the 2008/09 campaign in the old National League Three (North), which saw us relegated, along with Halifax RFC.

Currently, Fylde RFC are in silver medal position in the league, having accumulated 31 points (including 6 try bonus points and a losing bonus point), having lost only one game to date (Esher, away, 29 – 28).

On average they are score over 4 tries per game, with ex Durham University/ Durham County player and winger Ollie Brennand weighing in with a personal tally of 9 tries, making him top try scorer in the league. Their marksman with the boot is fly half Chris Johnson with 74 points (Tries – 2, Conversions – 26, Penalties – 12).

Last weekend at home, Fylde RFC edged out winless Old Albanians RFC (33 – 25).

Another close game for DMPRFC at the Arena last weekend, where a brace of tries from full back Henry ROBINSON and one from lock Rob CONQUEST, added to the six points from fly half Garry LAW were just not enough, as Hartpury College RFC scored a converted try in the last minute of normal time to take the spoils.

The losing bonus point was welcome, but more are needed to move away from the wrong end of the table.

Saturday is ‘Ladies Day’ and we hope that all the ‘Ladies’ attending have a particularly ‘fab’ time and enjoy the various fashion, home, beauty and health products, kindly on display from exhibitors ‘Novo (London)’, ‘Scentsy’ and ‘Arbonne’, in their function room.