A WARM WELCOME TO TRING RFC
For just the second time we welcome to Knole Paddock everyone involved with Tring RFC. The first occasion was just before Christmas 2019 so, with everything that has happened in between, this will be a first time visit for some. It’s a bit of a stretch navigating the M25 all the way from Hertfordshire, but we hope that all players, officials, supporters and alickadoos travel safely and at the end take back good memories from our area of the Garden of England.
As observed in previous programmes, leagues rugby denies clubs various chances to indulge in some local derbies, but it certainly allows the opportunity to meet and fraternise with others who we would not have considered playing in the old days.
Tring won’t mind being called a comparatively young club, having been formed just 58 years ago in 1964, the brainchild of two London commuter residents who wanted to spread the rugby gospel in their home town. Their first pitch was a piece of pasture land and their changing rooms an open ended cowshed. For those of us who remember pre 1978 this brings to mind our own basic facilities before our present Clubhouse was erected.
Tring’s ground was compulsorily purchased in the early 70s to alleviate the housing problem in this expanding community. However the unlikely figure of Dorian Williams, the then well known show jumper and BBC commentator came to the rescue with a philanthropic gesture by including rugby in his community sports centre which included football, athletics, squash, hockey and bowls. The grand opening in April ’75, at Cow Lane which is an appropriate name considering the description of their original home, was embellished with a match against an International XV full of leading names of the time.
There were further clubhouse facilities expansions in 1985 and 1989 which allowed for the increase in playing numbers especially in the junior age groups.
When the Club was still in its infancy the enlightened thinking of Mark Ottway, an All Black triallist, international tennis player and local resident, encouraged a regular junior team to be introduced. Taking its players from state schools, they played against local rugby schools week in week out. This was unique to the area, also possibly the UK, and helped in no small way to gel the whole club.
With regard to the RFU leagues, Tring made a stratospheric ascent from the Herts/Middlesex leagues in the early noughties by gaining four consecutive promotions and just missing out a on a fifth with a playoff loss to Thanet Wanderers. However they remedied that blip the next season, gaining promotion to Level 5 in 2007/08 where they have resided ever since.
As with our set up, their mini and junior sections are integral to the Club’s success and wellbeing. The “One Club” mantra is alive and well at both Tring and Sevenoaks rugby clubs.
The match here before Christmas 2019 was a tense 7-6 win for the home side. The first Covid lockdown stopped the return leg that season, but we did pay our first visit to Cow Lane last December where we were treated most hospitably. The home side won the first half but Oaks eased away in the second to record a hard but well earned win.
As we have noted before there are no easy matches in London & South East Premier and our fixture today will be a skillful sporting contest played between two strong sides. During our match there will also be some Oaks supporting spectators keeping a watchful Twitter eye on events unfolding not a million miles from Norwich…..
Howard Pearl
Other London & South East Premier Division matches being played today:
Brighton v Hertford Havant v CS Stags
North Walsham v Dorking Sidcup v Westcombe Park
Sutton & Epsom v Maidenhead Wimbledon v Tunbridge Wells