Good evening, folks and welcome to another Mighty Barum Blog post as we enter the final straight of this mammoth season with just four furlongs left until the race ends and what a massive day for Barum Rugby have we got for you this Saturday. First up is a huge game for the Chief as they fight for survival in National 2 West, taking on our friends from across the border, Redruth, at Pottington road this afternoon and kick off is at the slightly later time of 2.30pm. Equally massive is the double header winner takes all for the Colts who are at home against Okehampton, with double points up for grabs and a bonus point win will get them to the Devon Colts Sheid cup final to be played here at Pottington Road Sunday 16th April. Athletic having completed their league competition, more on that later, travel to Devonport for their first of two games on the road to win a place in the 2nd XV team cup competition. Below is the kick off tmmes for Saturday
Barnstaple Colts v Okehampton Colts 1pm
Barnstaple Chiefs v Redruth 2.30pm
BUCC’S win the Devon Merit table 1 NE
Before all that a huge congratulations to the Barnstaple Buccaneers who secured first place in the Devon Merit table 1 NE after beating Crediton 3rd XV 27-45. A fantastic achievement in their first year after reforming having absolutely smashed it all season with some big wins. Their season reads 16 wins and 1 loss with 1 game that was cancelled determined as a draw. Included in those results are also eight, yes read that number again, eight clean sheets of which no points were conceded by the Bucc’s in their last three matches, that’s 240 minutes without conceding a single point, wonder if that is a Barnstaple first, any historians out there let me know. A huge achievement and one that also qualifies them for the Dave Butt Cup with the semi-finals to be played on the 15th April and the final the following week on the 23rd. No Match Venues for the cup have yet been announced but given their ranking the Bucc’s must be in with a good shout of a home tie.
UKRAINE APPEAL
Last year the lads in the U15s organised for bags to be sent out and established a link with Ana who drives regularly out to the Polish border. Ana has links with families, a school and an orphanage who are living in bunkers in Ukraine.
The Junior Section have raised funds for fuel for three trips out so far. It is £200 per trip. Ana is driving out again on the 2nd April, but this time she has a list from her Ukrainian contacts about what they need.
We would like to organise a whole club collection. I will collect anything and take it to Ana on 31st March.
They need….
- Tinned food,
- Nappies,
- Torches and batteries,
- Wind-up torches,
- Blankets,
- Sleeping bags,
- Bedding- duvets/pillows/covers.
Donations do not need to be new but in good condition. We will put out a collection point in the club.
Thank you for support.
Yours Harriet Lawrence Barnstaple RFC Junior Section Team
So, what up and coming events can we treat you with over the coming weeks and months to come.
Next weekend there is no game as the proposed Athletic v Exmouth match is now off with the Tic’s travelling to Brixham that day instead. I’ll let you know if there are any changes nearer the time but it looks likely it will be a free weekend for all.
- 15th April – Massive final home game of the season for the Chiefs as they welcome first time visitors and fellow strugglers Stourbridge to Pottington Road.
- Depending which cup Athletic are playing in their Semi-Final will be held at Pottington Road that day as well and if the venue draw favours the Bucc’s for the Dave Butt Cup then they might also be at home that day, so please keep an eye on social media and this website for updates.
- 16th April – Devon Colts competition finals which hopefully, depending on today’s result, will see our very own Colts playing for the Sheild.
- 23rd April – Final game of the season as Barnstaple Chiefs travel to Exeter Uni, kick off will be 3pm as all games in the league this weekend kicks off at the same time.
- 20th May – Women of North Devon, we are overjoyed to let you know that Nightwalk is back for 2023. After two postponements due to unavoidable national events, Nightwalk is back on the track, returning to the Tarka Trail on Saturday 20th May. For further information click this poster below.
Players Reunion Lunch – September 2023
The Commercial Committee of Barnstaple Rugby Club are organising a players reunion lunch in September 2023. It will be open to all ex-players who have played for Barnstaple at any level and in any era.
The event will coincide with the second Chiefs home fixture of the season. The fixtures will not be announced until late July, but the Reunion Lunch will be on either 16 th or 23 rd September.
The lunch will comprise a one course buffet with casual table/seating arrangements. The expected cost of the event, including match day entrance to the game, will be £25.
We will be limited to about 130 for this event and there is already a lot of interest. This email is to invite you to register an interest with Dave Burford who has kindly agreed to help with the organisation. Could you also let Burf have the email addresses of anyone else you know who may be interested.
If you have not been to the club for many years, you will be impressed with the extended clubhouse and refurbished facilities. We also have an in-house caterer, so refreshments are no longer a lukewarm Raymond’s pasty!
We look forward to catching up with you again in September. If successful, it is hoped to make this an annual fund-raising event.
Dave Burford & David Northridge
BRFC Commercial Committee
Please reply to – daveburf@btinternet.com
Barnstaple Chiefs v Redruth
Now when I say this is a massive game for the Chiefs, I really mean massive, a huge game against a very good opponent as the Chiefs play host to Redruth for what can only be described as a last chance saloon for the Barnstaple lads as they cling on the league by their fingertips. With just four games left as we head into the final chapter of this season, Barnstaple could not have a more critical game against a very tough opponent in Redruth who have enjoyed good success this season with 13 wins and 9 loses which currently see’s them sitting in 6th place.
However, despite such success including a five-game winning streak since December it seems that Redruth have hit the preverbal brick wall recently, which has seen them lose their last five games including big defeats to fellow strugglers Bournville and Newport (Salop) 52-40 and 43-24 respectfully. Not as damaging to Redruth as it happens as it was to Barnstaple as it now means that the Chiefs trail third from bottom Bournville by 5 points with the later having a game in hand over the Chiefs, so a win today is a must for the Chiefs.
February has not been kind to the Chiefs either who were starting to feel good about their season with excellent performances, in particular against Loughborough Students, giving them three wins from five games throughout December and January, bolstering their chances of being clear of relegation before the final month. This wasn’t to be as four loses stumped their progress which included loses at home to both Hornets and Bournville, two teams we had beaten on the road, which really smashed those hopes and put the Chiefs back into a dog fight and one where they are handicapped by so few games left to play.
Now these games against Redruth at Pottington Road have, over the years, even decades, always been thrilling affairs and of course we all remember that great game in which we beat Redruth here in 2017 winning 29-24 with I believe current head coach Winston James scoring the Chiefs final try. It would be great to repeat that performance and as we have seen this season, when this team clicks it is capable of doing just that. So here is a great chance for the Chiefs to get back on track against a seemingly wounded Redruth and if not at least worry those above us, the Chiefs can make sure they remind everyone what a cracking side of young talent we do have at this club. and whatever the result it is sure to be an exciting game of rugby today.
The team has only a couple of changes with Tom Clark filling in at Scrum Half, Nat Bayet moves to the back row and Ben Hilton returns to the team for this one, here then is your team to face Redruth.
Barnstaple Athletic
Congratulations to Barnstaple Athletic who confirmed their third place in the Counties 2 Tribute Devon league by beating Withycombe 15-7 in torrid conditions that could only be described as a fight in the trenches as both teams battled adverse conditions, each other and the mud, it was an absolutely cracking game of rugby which the Tic’s took full control of in the second half, pounding Withycombe’s line and a visiting defence that would not give an inch if they didn’t have to, a totally enthralling match to watch.
This has been a fantastic first season for Athletic, playing their first competitive league rugby season and it has been the progression of the Tic’s throughout that season which has seen them undefeated in 2023 and fuelled their rise through the league to their final position. But that isn’t the end of it as they now entry the cup competitions playing for the 2nd XV team cup, and like the beginning of the season they play these qualifying games on the road, today to Devonport and next weekend to Brixham, win both a they will be in the semi-finals on the 15th April with the final to be played on the 23rd.
Here then is the Athletic squad to travel to Devonport
barnstaple Colts v okehampton
As I have said earlier not only is it a massive day for the Chiefs but also for the Colts who have it in their own hands to win a place in the Devon Colts Shield final, but as per Barnstaple, they are going to have to do it the hard and very unconventional route as they play a double header against visiting Okehampton. Yes, folks it’s double your money as the winner of this game will claim all the points from the two games that these two teams should have played, basically it looks like we just run out of weekends, and this was, I suppose, considered the best way to resolve this situation, who knows but that’s the way it is.
The Colts have though put themselves into a great position for this game following some brilliant wins, in particular beating Brixham on their turf 15-22 and then a 33-5 home win against Exeter Athletic put them right on the coattails of Brixham just 4 points behind that second place with a final against Tavistock here at Pottington Road on Sunday 16th April, the prize. To do that though they will need to win this one with four tries or more to claim all 10 points and as such jump above Brixham no matter what the later teams result is, to make sure they progress and that does mean it should be a fast and furiously entertaining game of rugby to watch and one with such big rewards.
The Colts game does kick off at the earlier time of 1pm so why not make a full day of it today and get yourselves down to the club early and enjoy not one but two fantastic games of rugby. Good luck to all our teams playing today and lets make it a triple crown, just to ice the cake. See you on Saturday folks.
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