At Preston Avenue last Thursday Rockcliff and Percy Park maintained a Boxing Day fixture that dates back to the nineteenth century, keeping alive one of the last remaining traditional rugby fixtures in the North East. As well as bragging rights for the next year, two Cups were also up for grabs, with the Colts facing each other for the Albi Duhrin Cup, and the Senior Men's XV's competing for the Moore Cup.
The Albi Duhrin Cup is played for in honour of a player, coach and administrator who served both clubs and who ultimately became President at Percy Park and of Northumberland Rugby Union. The Moore Cup was established by Thomas Moore in the 1930's, to be played for annually by both clubs with the gate receipts from the games being used to help raise funds for the old Tynemouth Jubilee Hospital.
At the end of the day it was honours even, with Rockcliff's Colts winning their game, and Percy Park's Men's XV holding on the the Moore Cup for another year.
Percy Park Colts 15 Whitley Bay Rockcliff Colts 24
It was a game of two halves for Rockcliff, as, despite their powerful pack, they struggled to contain the dominant Park backs in the first half. Unconverted tries from Matty Dunn and Ewen Charlton opened up a 10 0 lead for the home team, and it could have been more but for some stubborn defence from Rockcliff.
In the second half, Rockcliff played to their strengths and the pack increased dominance. Two driving mauls, the first from a catch and drive at a line out and the second from tapped penalty, ended with two close range tries from Idris Pritchard and when Reuben Webster converted the second it edged the Cardinal and Golds in front and and swung the balance of the match in Rockcliff's favour.
They had Park under pressure for good spells, but the home defence stood firm. The ever alert Park backs remained a threat, however, and so it proved when George Bogg intercepted a wayward pass and raced through from twenty five metres out to restore his side's advantage.
Rockcliff would not be denied though, and two further tries from the irrepressible Pritchard, the final one converted by Webster, sealed the win for the Cardinal and Golds. For the first, he was on hand to finish off another catch and drive move, then from the re-start, he broke through the home defence and raced through to score from fifty metres out. With the conversion, the game ended with Rockcliff winning 24 15 and taking the Albi Duhrin Cup.
Percy Park 31 Whitley Bay Rockcliff 18
Percy Park ran out deserved winners in this match, when, after a tight first half, they hit a purple patch in the second stanza, running in three converted tries to establish an unassailable lead.
Park were first on the score sheet, when Jonny Dubois scored an unconverted try. Jack Rendles, guesting for Rockcliff from North Shields, slotted home a penalty to reduce the deficit. Mack Bridges then scored his first try of the match to take the score to 10 3, but Rendles was on target again with his second penalty of the day, and the sides changed ends with the score 10 6 in Park's favour.
Three tries from Park in the first twenty minutes of the second half put the game beyond Rockcliff's reach. Harry Paul finished off a sweeping move involving forwards and backs, scoring in the left corner. Park then broke with pace from their own half , and, with the Rockcliff rear guard back pedalling, Mack Bridges was on hand to score in the right hand corner. The third try came when Eddie Saint finished off a catch and drive move from a line out, burrowing under the driving maul to touch down. Paul Spowart converted all three for 31 6 with twenty minutes left.
A late fight back from Rockcliff, who never gave up, made the final score more respectable. An unconverted try from Ciaran Bounds after a good spell of pressure in the home twenty two was added to when Sam Train finished off a good Rockcliff move, and Rendles added the extras for 31 18 at the final whistle.
Jacob German took the man of the match honours for Percy Park, and Jack Rendles took the accolade for Rockcliff.
The Albi Duhrin Cup is played for in honour of a player, coach and administrator who served both clubs and who ultimately became President at Percy Park and of Northumberland Rugby Union. The Moore Cup was established by Thomas Moore in the 1930's, to be played for annually by both clubs with the gate receipts from the games being used to help raise funds for the old Tynemouth Jubilee Hospital.
At the end of the day it was honours even, with Rockcliff's Colts winning their game, and Percy Park's Men's XV holding on the the Moore Cup for another year.
Percy Park Colts 15 Whitley Bay Rockcliff Colts 24
It was a game of two halves for Rockcliff, as, despite their powerful pack, they struggled to contain the dominant Park backs in the first half. Unconverted tries from Matty Dunn and Ewen Charlton opened up a 10 0 lead for the home team, and it could have been more but for some stubborn defence from Rockcliff.
In the second half, Rockcliff played to their strengths and the pack increased dominance. Two driving mauls, the first from a catch and drive at a line out and the second from tapped penalty, ended with two close range tries from Idris Pritchard and when Reuben Webster converted the second it edged the Cardinal and Golds in front and and swung the balance of the match in Rockcliff's favour.
They had Park under pressure for good spells, but the home defence stood firm. The ever alert Park backs remained a threat, however, and so it proved when George Bogg intercepted a wayward pass and raced through from twenty five metres out to restore his side's advantage.
Rockcliff would not be denied though, and two further tries from the irrepressible Pritchard, the final one converted by Webster, sealed the win for the Cardinal and Golds. For the first, he was on hand to finish off another catch and drive move, then from the re-start, he broke through the home defence and raced through to score from fifty metres out. With the conversion, the game ended with Rockcliff winning 24 15 and taking the Albi Duhrin Cup.
Percy Park 31 Whitley Bay Rockcliff 18
Percy Park ran out deserved winners in this match, when, after a tight first half, they hit a purple patch in the second stanza, running in three converted tries to establish an unassailable lead.
Park were first on the score sheet, when Jonny Dubois scored an unconverted try. Jack Rendles, guesting for Rockcliff from North Shields, slotted home a penalty to reduce the deficit. Mack Bridges then scored his first try of the match to take the score to 10 3, but Rendles was on target again with his second penalty of the day, and the sides changed ends with the score 10 6 in Park's favour.
Three tries from Park in the first twenty minutes of the second half put the game beyond Rockcliff's reach. Harry Paul finished off a sweeping move involving forwards and backs, scoring in the left corner. Park then broke with pace from their own half , and, with the Rockcliff rear guard back pedalling, Mack Bridges was on hand to score in the right hand corner. The third try came when Eddie Saint finished off a catch and drive move from a line out, burrowing under the driving maul to touch down. Paul Spowart converted all three for 31 6 with twenty minutes left.
A late fight back from Rockcliff, who never gave up, made the final score more respectable. An unconverted try from Ciaran Bounds after a good spell of pressure in the home twenty two was added to when Sam Train finished off a good Rockcliff move, and Rendles added the extras for 31 18 at the final whistle.
Jacob German took the man of the match honours for Percy Park, and Jack Rendles took the accolade for Rockcliff.
