BIG MATCH
including v Sheffield Tigers (14-35), Otley (20-18), ‘Hoppers (38-
FYLDE v SHEFFIELD RUFC Sheffield RUFC return to the
Woodlands on Saturday (ko 15.00) after a gap of 29 years. There were regular fixtures between the clubs from the 1974-75 season up until 1995, most often at level three in the RFU league system, then called National League Three. Fylde’s return to Sheffield’s well established multi-sport base in Abbeydale Park in November 2022 restored the friendly rivalry. Recent seasons have seen Sheffield competing in Northern regional leagues, most frequently at level five, in the North and Midlands Premier Divisions. Their promotion from Midlands Premier after finishing in 2nd place last season came via a play-off and brought the clubs facing each other once again. The 2022-23 season has been rather a struggle for Sheffield and they currently sit in 11th place in N2(N) though well clear of any relegation fears. They have won seven and lost fourteen games so far in this campaign, sitting three paces lower in the division than local city rivals Sheffield Tigers. Both are located in the beautiful south west of the city, a few miles apart. They have won four of their 10 home games and three away matches. Four victories in their first six fixtures,
17) and Harrogate (22-47), was an excellent start. They then hit a bad spell with eight successive defeats (including a 5-24 loss to Fylde) before completing a double v ‘Hoppers at
Lightfoot Green (18-24) and beating Harrogate at home (21-10). Their biggest win of the campaign was a 64-5 hammering of Blaydon in late February. Fylde struggled to break down a dogged Sheffield defence in November and the Yorkshire club frustrated the visitors’ normally potent attack. Matches between Fylde and Sheffield began in 1974 and there were 17 in all up to 1995. Together with the match in November 2022, Fylde shade the bragging rights by 11-7. Two Fylde players moved to Sheffield in the 1980s/90s, flanker Rob Parr (who describes with great affection his long spell at Abbeydale Park elsewhere in this programme) and team mate,
18
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker