Party laid on for the Aussies

CINDERFORD Rugby Club put on an impromptu Christmas party on Saturday afternoon for the touring Australian Schools’ rugby team.

For the second year running, Cinderford Rugby Club’s money-spinning Christmas plans were dashed by bad weather.

The Saturday before Christmas is usually one of the busiest on the club’s calendar and this year looked even more lucrative – with the club set to stage the prestigious England Academies v Australia Schools test match, the final game of the Australian team’s tour.

The severe frost meant the match was called off, like all others in the district, but that didn’t stop the club from making the best of a bad situation.

Commercial manager Matt Bayliss said: “We invited the Australians and all their parents along for a farewell meal in the afternoon.

“I think the Australian lads enjoyed themselves.

“One or two said ‘this is a proper rugby club’, having played a lot of their games on tour at colleges and schools.”

Cinderford expect the RFU to reimburse them for money laid out on Saturday’s game.

John Owen has agreed to speak at the club’s dinner next year, and has promised to do all he can to get the club another international match.

Mr Bayliss added: “At noon on Friday everything was OK, but by 2pm that day we knew we might be in trouble.

“We called the game off at 11am on Saturday. We had arranged to use Hartpury College as a back-up but there was no chance of playing at either venue.”

Source:thisisgloucestershire