Coventry RUFC 21 Richmond RUFC 21
Admission £11 and programme: £2.50
Refreshments: a large helping of faggots, mushy peas and chips (frites) for £3, cuppa tea £1
Attendance: 1,229
Overnight frost and waterlogged pitches again led to the cancellation of many soccer games in the area, which is going to lead to a hectic April and May for some clubs when all these postponements get rescheduled. So I’m continuing my “mini-season” of rugby union matches and I’d already ear-marked a trip to the rather prosaically-named Butts Arena to see 9th place Coventry take on the league leaders. No doubts over the pitch, although it did look as if someone had recently driven a combine harvester backwards and forwards across it, judging by the tyre marks in the sodden turf.
The Butts Arena is an easy venue to visit, located a mere 15 minute stroll from Coventry railway station through a retail park, then back-streets of student housing and residential care homes. It costs me nothing to get to Coventry thanks to my senior concession pass, and trains from Birmingham are frequent – today, the 13:04 Cross Country service to Bournemouth was miraculously on time, although the on-board announcement from the catering staff were totally unintelligible unless you believe they were selling plestrolios, brandons and flyseel, whatever they might be!
In a quiet corner of Coventry station, there’s a plaque commemorating the poet and novelist Philip Larkin, who was a native of the city, quoting the first stanza of his work “I Remember, I Remember”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5C3wth2v_w
Richmond RUFC (that’s Richmond in London, not the Yorkshire one) were founded in 1861, and are one of the oldest clubs in existence. They’ve traditionally been one of the top-flight names, but it all went pear-shaped in 1999 when a backer pulled the plug on them, resulting in financial administration. Under the RFU’s regulations, that meant suspension from league rugby for a season, followed by having to start again at the bottom of the pile; basically an eight division relegation. A bit like Leeds United being placed in the Northern Counties East league …
Anyway, Richmond resumed with no less than 83 straight wins in league matches, a modern-day record, which got them back up to Level 5 in short order, but have in recent years found it more difficult to climb up the next two steps of the pyramid. They’re in pole position for another promotion this season, but have to outpace Blackheath and Hartpury College, the two clubs hard on their heels.It was “Ladies Day” today and the WAGs were having a merry meal in the clubhouse when I arrived. I managed to snaffle one of the menus – the main couse was roast bacon loin, cider mustard and brie sauce, crushed new potatoes, cabbage leeks and peas; followed by a cheese selection with biscuits and chutneys. Pinot Grigio, a Merlot or a Zinfandel were £12.60 a bottle with Prosecco £20 and Champagne £40. I was more than happy with my faggots and tea!
To the match, and a pulsating game from the start, with Richmond playing the ball close amongst the forwards, and employing the rolling maul to good effect, whilst Coventry tried a more expansive game, although their passing sometimes wasn’t the best. Richmond opened the scoring with a 17m try after sustained pressure and sleight of handling which eventually eluded the Coventry defence. Coventry made it 7-7 on 14m when hooker Price juggled with the ball on the touchline, somehow kept it in play, and rumbled the 10 yards to the line. On 33m, Richmond were all but over the home side’s try line but Coventry’s Lespierre somehow managed a last-ditch interception of the ball. Right on the stroke of half-time, Coventry took the lead when full-back Mieres jinked through the Richmond rear-guard.
On 50m, Richmond’s Allcock became their second player to be yellow carded and Coventry took advantage almost immediately as Richmond’s defence collapsed the resulting scrum 5 yards out and the referee awarded a penalty try. At 21-7, it was looking good for the home team, but Richmond again applied pressure and Coventry eventually conceded a try scored by Davies in the far corner (57m) before replacement scrum half Gibbs worked the ball through on 74m for the away side’s third try which brought the score to 21-21. So, a tense final period in which Coventry were awarded a kickable penalty (the first one attempted in the game) but hooked it well wide, before Richmond ground inexorably forward with a long period of possession and got within 15 yards of the Coventry goal line before the home side were awarded a penalty and gratefully hoisted the ball into touch to end the game.
There aren’t many draws in rugby union, but this was an absolutely fair result at the end of an absorbing game!
They were my dad's favourites too 
)