A WARM WELCOME TO OLD ALBANIAN RFC
Our promotion to the National Leagues brings many challenges and opportunities. One of these opportunities is to play against new clubs, so today we are delighted to be the hosts for this first ever match against Old Albanian.
St Albans School was founded in 948, but it took another 976 years before a rugby club founded by Old Albanians was created; what kept them so long I wonder?! Their first changing rooms were a converted Great War barrack hut which they managed to survive in for quite some time.
A new ground north of St Albans was acquired in the late 50s together with a self-built accommodation, similar to our story in the late 70s. At that time, while retaining their name, the Club went “open” and increased its playing strength to accommodate six teams weekly.
OAs have a proud playing history, especially since the turn of this century, which coincided with the sale of their ground for housing development. After playing nomadically in 2000, they joined up with the school and moved to Cheapside Farm, since renamed Woollams in honour of a major school benefactor.
That move was celebrated in style by promotion to London 1. Solid improvement was maintained for the next decade and in 2010/11 National Leagues status was achieved. Since then OAs have oscillated between Levels 3 and 4, always turning out strong and competitive sides. Congratulations are due to them in lowering Blackheath’s colours three weeks ago.
Saracens use their facilities for training which has resulted in a strong connection with the Premiership outfit. Current international and well-known players including Maro Itoje, Nathan Earle, Nick Iswieke, and Max Malins have all pulled on the Old Albanians shirt, while in former times Jeff Probyn played on a regular basis.
Today will be a stern test for the Oaks, but one we relish and, with a following wind though not belittling either side’s promotion ambitions, one that we look forward to continuing for future seasons.
Howard Pearl
Other National League 2 East Division matches being played today:
Barnes v Canterbury Blackheath v North Walsham
Dorking v Guernsey Rochford Hundred v Bury St Edmunds
Westcliff v Tonbridge Juddian Worthing v Henley