HULL RUFC

Action from the previous match against Harrogate

Welcome to the Ferens Ground for today’s league fixture against Harrogate RUFC. This will be the very first time that Hull RUFC have entertained Harrogate in a league match and it is a pleasure to have them here. Harrogate FC were formed in 1871 and were to become one of the leading clubs in Yorkshire and the north of England. The club played their first-ever game on the famous Harrogate Stray on December 16 of that year against a side from Leeds. In 1875 they acquired a ground in Dragon Fields and on December 19 1896 they moved to a ground on Claro Road. In 1914 Harrogate FC became a soccer club, who are still in existence, while the rugby club carried on as Harrogate Old Boys, becoming Harrogate RUFC in 1923 and playing at the Harrogate Showground. Three years later they purchased the Claro Road ground and in 1936 merged with Harrogate Old Boys. The club has won the Yorkshire Cup on nine occasions. Harrogate won promotion to the National leagues and have played at various levels in the National system since then, mainly in National One and National Two. In the corresponding game at Claro Road on October 10 a much-depleted Hull side were beaten 57-11. At this moment our visitors are fourth in the league table with a playing record of P16 W9 D2 L5 F352 A272 Pts 50 (including ten bonus points). We welcome the players, officials and supporters of Harrogate RUFC to our ground today.

Hull RUFC Update

Following our convincing 20-5 home win against Rugby Lions on Jan 16 we travelled to old rivals Westoe last week hoping to avenge the 26-19 home defeat of October 3. Our side gave a very good performance to post a 23-19 win with Westoe’s final try coming in the fourth minute of added time. After leading 18-11 at the break we scored in the 43rd minute and although playing up Westoe’s notorious slope we almost became one of the few clubs to prevent them scoring whilst facing the slope. Games between our two clubs often have the intensity of a local derby and this game was no exception. Tries came from Neil Spence, Rob Kitching and James Cameron who also added two penalties and a conversion, but once again the foundations were laid by magnificent forward display. This was our seventh consecutive league win and the run has seen us rise from third from bottom to fifth in the table on 42 points, but a look at the table will see that the four sides below us all have two games in hand, whilst only one or two points behind us. With four very difficult away games in our next five this position will be very hard to retain.

Elsewhere in the division Caldy had a close 20-17 home win over leaders Loughborough; Huddersfield fell to the tenth consecutive defeat by 24-14 at Fylde; today’s visitors had a very close 12-9 home win over Preston and Hull Ionians improved their position with a 50-14 home win over bottom side Waterloo. Leicester Lions had a high-scoring 41-23 home win over Bradford & Bingley; Macclesfield thumped Broadstreet 58-6 at Macclesfield and Rugby Lions will have been glad to have ended a seven match run of defeats with a 25-11 home win over Kendal. A look at the league table elsewhere in this programme will show that once again there is no change in the top and bottom three. The amazing thing is that Huddersfield still have a plus six scoring difference. Danny Smith played his first game since re-joining Hull for Hull Ionians when he came on as a 38th minute substitute at Westoe.

The two games we lost during the recent freeze-up have been rearranged. The away game at Leicester Lions will be next week on February 6 and the away game at Macclesfield will now be played on May 1 as the season has been extended for one week.

Match Officials

The referee for today’s game is Mr. Matt Carley of Deal, Kent. His touch-judges are Mr. Dave Miller of Alveston, Derbyshire and Mr. Richard Massey of Spalding, Lincolnshire. Mr. David Hudson of Guisley, West Yorkshire, is the referee’s coach while Mr. Mark Wells of Surbiton, Surrey, is the touch-judges coach. It is very good to have these gentlemen with us today, especially when you consider the distances that Mr. Carley and Mr. Wells in particular have had to travel. We welcome them all to the Ferens Ground and hope that they enjoy their visit.

Match Sponsors

Our match sponsors today are Piercy Design Ltd (Architects), of The Coach House, 3-5 Union Street, Hull. We thank the company for their much-valued and continual support of Hull RUFC and hope that Mr. David Piercy and his guests enjoy what promises to be a good game of rugby football.

Next Home Game

2nd XV v Old Brodleians Saturday February 6 2010 Kick-off 2-15 pm.

Hull v Preston Grasshoppers Saturday February 20 2010 Kick-off 2-15 pm.