CLUB AND COUNTY RUGBY, THE PERFECT MATCH. A CRI DE CŒUR FROM MARK NELSON
Today’s match up of the top two in National Two North is also a Lancashire Derby between the two most successful sides in the County, certainly over the last 15 plus years. The Lancashire Senior Men’s XV side has been heavily reliant on players from both Clubs and indeed both clubs have hosted the majority of home games in the County Championship over the couple of decades. There have been manoeuvrings within certain factions to further diminish the status and resources given to The County Championships, Senior Men’s, Women’s and U20s. We have fought a rear guard action and despite persistent cuts in funding , very poor communication and marketing, and a restriction on eligibility in the 20s competition, there remains three tournaments this season. If you look at Lancashire teams since the time I have been Head Coach , 2002 to be exact, Sedgley and Fylde players have made massive contributions to the success we have achieved as a County. All those players had long tough seasons with their clubs, but come April when we begin our training programme, I give the speech “ Leave your Club Kit Bags at the door, put on your Red Rose Stash you are now Lancashire Players “. The players all give 100% passion and commitment to their Clubs from pre-season to the last game of the campaign. Many are battered and bruised after 30 tough league games ,but the honour and pride they feel at being selected to represent Lancashire and have the chance to play at Twickenham and raise the Bill Beaumont Cup is a prize worth going the extra month for. When they receive their Tie (one game), Badge (four games), Cap (ten games) at the post match dinner, the pride is palpable and if they reach the final and get presented with their playing shirt by the County President at the pre-match meeting , it is one of the most memorable highlights in their rugby experience. The County Championship is the only opportunity for representative rugby available to players outside the Premiership (the Championship doesn’t have any opportunity) and the England Counties XV has now been “mothballed“. County Rugby must be preserved not only for the players’ development and experience, but coaches, referees, medicos, management and committee people and rugby
fans who love watching representative rugby. Peoples’ experiences are enriched by performing in differing environments outside their usual surroundings. This is another angle that county rugby provides for everyone involved. The Fylde and Sedgley Park players will be going hell for leather at each other this afternoon. Both sets of Coaches will be passionately trying to lay the foundations for their teams to perform the best they can and get the win. This is of course how it should be and everyone gives everything they can for their clubs. Then come the first County Game against Cheshire on May 6th at Birkenhead Park many of the same players who will be giving their all for their clubs this afternoon will be a become a band of Lancastrian Brothers in a short and intense quest to get to a Twickenham Final. RFU, listen to me and listen to me good ….. the game needs a strong and well supported Club competition like we have in the National Leagues; it also needs a strong and meaningful representative tournament that we have in the County Championship. Look where your support structure is. Don’t pander to the fat cats in the Premiership, look after “The Game“. Everyone at Fylde this afternoon, on and off the pitch, are part of that “Game“, as are those involved at whatever level in County Rugby . Let’s have a strong Club and Representative system running side by side. It has served the game well since the nineteenth century and we need it now more than ever.
Mark Nelson March 2023
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