May 13th, 2008
GLOUCESTERSHIRE face their biggest game of the season in the Bill Beaumont Cup on Saturday when they clash against County Championship Cup rivals Devon at Plymouth Albion RFC, kick-off 230pm.
After one win and one defeat Gloucestershire know they must beat Devon and see them off with several points in the bag if they are to qualify for the Bill Beaumont Cup final at Twickenham on June 1st.
At the other end of the scale, if they lose and Middlesex win against Somerset in the other South pool game Gloucestershire could be facing relegation from the premier tier county championship competition.
“This is going to be a huge game,” said Coach Mike Rafter. “There is a lot to win and a lot to lose depending on the results at the weekend, so it is a crucial game for us.
“Certainly, we were disappointed with our result at the weekend against Somerset and that has put us in this position. It was a close game and in the end there was only six points in it. But at the end of the day, they were very consistent with their kicks at goal where as we missed quite a few and that cost us dear. We also made basic errors and that let Somerset get back in the game and eventually they ate away at us.”
Gloucestershire’s clash against Devon is made all the more challenging as they are taking up the reigning cup champions. In fact Devon, who have Plymouth Albion Head Coach and former England international Graham Dawe at the helm, have won the Bill Beaumont Cup two times in the last three years.
Rafter, however, is adamant that Gloucestershire have what it takes to challenge the holders, even on Devon soil.
He added: “Talking to Somerset after the game on Saturday, who have already taken on Devon, they said we were the stronger side to play against. Even if that is the case, or not, I am expecting a very close game, as it was last year. We must approach this game with an open frame of mind. We have got to win well, probably by 22 points plus to get into the final.
“It’s the second year running that we will be playing Devon in Devon and travelling away certainly makes the challenge a lot harder especially as the game is at Plymouth Albion, where most of their side play league rugby. We will have to rise to the challenge though; we know what we have got to do.”
Gloucestershire could however be struggling to field their first choice XV for the clash after a handful of injuries at the weekend. The South West side lost captain Paul Knight, Lydney’s Dean Jenkins and fullback Tom Jarvis to injury. Rafter will not know until Wednesday if they’ll be fit.
SOMERSET are predicting a thrilling weekend of rugby in the final round of pool games in the Bill Beaumont Cup.
Somerset, just like their South pool rivals Devon and Gloucestershire, could all still qualify for the final so each team has something to play for. Middlesex, Somerset’s opponents at Taunton RFC, kick-off 230pm, meanwhile will be fighting to retain their place in the premier county competition next season.
Head Coach Clive Book said: “Every team now has something to play for. Middlesex will be looking to survive in the cup so need a win, while Gloucestershire, Devon and ourselves need to win to keep alive our chances of getting to the final. It is going to be a big weekend of rugby.
“For us, we know we have got to win and hope Devon slip up, but it’s going to be a tough game. Middlesex have been involved in two close games and although they have lost both they have pushed Gloucestershire and Devon. They’ll certainly be coming here to have a go at us. We can’t be complacent; we have got to be up for the challenge.
“We have got a few more players available to us, so we will pretty much be at full strength. We are reasonably confident in our form, so now we are looking for a consistent 80 minute performance.”
Somerset picked up their first win in the Bill Beaumont Cup on Saturday following an impressive 23-29 win over former cup greats Gloucestershire. The win gives them two vital points on the league table.
Book added: “It was good to get our first win under our belts after the disappointment of losing so narrowly to Devon a week earlier. At half-time, we didn’t look like we were going to win it, but we turned it around and took our chances.”
OXFORDSHIRE are fighting for survival in the County Championship Shield this weekend, when they take on Hertfordshire at Old Albanians RFC, kick-off 3pm, in the final round of the pool stages.
Oxfordshire know they must win the clash and win well if they are to stay in the County Championship Shield next season after losing their two opening championship matches 66-8 to Cornwall and 18-14 to Eastern Counties.
Hertfordshire, meanwhile, picked up their first win of the County Championship Shield at the weekend against Cornwall which puts the South East County just one step above Oxfordshire on the league ladder and that’s why a victory is crucial for Oxon this weekend.
“We were disappointed with our loss to Eastern Counties and Cornwall,” said Head Coach John Brodley. “We were surprised how strong the Cornwall team was, but against Eastern Counties it was a much closer game and we did think we could win it.
“Now, we know we have got a mountain to climb and we have got to get a win, and a very good win to stay up. At the end of the day, you can only do your best and I know come Saturday against Hertfordshire the team will do that. We are not lacking any passion or commitment and the team certainly don’t want to end this campaign without a win.
“We have got to concentrate on improving our scrummaging as that is where we suffered at the weekend and we need to make the most of our chances.
“There’s no doubt this game is going to be very tough. Hertfordshire have beaten Cornwall but they also lost against Eastern Counties a couple of weeks ago, so they are blowing hot and cold. Hopefully we will catch them on a cold day.”
A win for CORNWALL on Saturday against Eastern Counties should ensure promotion back into the Bill Beaumont Cup by virtue of far superior points’ difference, as long as Hertfordshire do not record a cricket score win over Oxfordshire.
Cornwall go into the game on the back of a frustrating 31-26 defeat to Hertfordshire last weekend.
Head Coach Dave Thomas said: “It was a very disappointing defeat. We made silly errors and paid the price. We have got to improve on that for this weekend’s match because we can’t afford to make mistakes like that again at this level.”
Eastern Counties too have something to play for after winning two games out of two. At stake is a place in the Shield final at Twickenham on June 1 and with it promotion to the top-tier Bill Beaumont Cup for next season.
“Cornwall will be favourites but we will travel with an overnight stop on Friday determined to enjoy ourselves come what may,” said Nick Greenhall, Eastern Counties’ head coach.
“About two thirds of our squad have been down to Cornwall before with their club sides so they know what to expect from what is bound to be a noisy home crowd.
“People tend to underestimate Eastern Counties in lots of ways, but it must have one of the largest volunteer bases in the country and has been doing very well at Under 15 level, with players coming through from there in recent years.”
Cornwall kick-off against Eastern Counties at Camborne RFC on 3pm.
Note: The County Championship
The County Championship is a three-tier competition entered by 27 of the RFU's Constituent Bodies (CBs).
Eight teams are split into two pools in the Bill Beaumont Cup and County Championship Shield, while two pools of four and one of three produce the semi-finalists in the County Championship Plate.
Devon beat Lancashire 27-6 in last year’s Bill Beaumont Cup final, Warwickshire defeated Somerset 22-8 in the Shield final, and Durham beat Sussex 30-20 in the Plate.
Each year the Shield and Plate finalists are promoted to the next tier of the competition and the two sides with the worst records relegated from Cup and Shield respectively.
The competition continues to develop stars of the future, too. England's Shaun Perry (North Midlands) and David Strettle (Cheshire), have both appeared in the championship and for the England Counties side in the last five years.
County Championship fixtures & Results
April 26
County Championship Plate Pool 2:
Buckinghamshire v Sussex 24-39,
Dorset & Wilts v Hampshire 0-55
Pool 3: Berkshire v East Midlands 0-66
May 3
Bill Beaumont Cup,
South: Devon 19 Somerset 13, Middlesex 18 Gloucestershire 22
County Championship Shield. South: Cornwall 66 Oxfordshire 8
(Redruth)
County Championship Plate. pool 2: Hampshire 54 Buckinghamshire 0 (Basingstoke), Sussex WO Dorset & Wilts . Pool 3: Kent 45 Berkshire 14 (Westcombe Park).
May 10
Bill Beaumont Cup, South: Gloucestershire 23 Somerset 29
(Lydney), Middlesex 20 Devon 34
County Championship Shield, South: Hertfordshire 31
Cornwall 26, Oxfordshire 14 Eastern Counties 18.
County Championship Plate, Pool 2: Buckinghamshire WO Dorset & Wilts
May 17
Bill Beaumont Cup, North: Warwickshire v Cheshire (Coventry), Yorkshire
v Lancashire (Harrogate). South: Devon v Gloucestershire (Plymouth
Albion), Somerset v Middlesex (Taunton).
County Championship Shield, North: Durham v Cumbria (Darlington),
Northumberland v North Midlands (Tynedale). South: Cornwall v Eastern
Counties (Camborne), Hertfordshire v Oxfordshire (Old Albanian).
County Championship Plate: Semi-finals.
May 24
County Championship Plate final (venue TBC).
June 1
Bill Beaumont Cup final and County Championship Shield final
(Twickenham).
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