365 Sporting Days

40 years ago Phillip Oppenheim, MP for Amber Valley in Derbyshire set up the Commons & Lords rugby team, 3 or 4 of the original players are still involved and play alongside their sons. The aim of team/club is to play other parliaments and charitable organisations to raise funds and to raise the profile of the game amongst politicians.

I’d watched a game in Dublin in 2015 – here’s a link to the article https://debsknigsport.com/2015/03/03/the-irish-dail-v-the-commons-lords-rugby-club-event-24/.

Mark Pawsey MP for rugby was playing his last match as Chairman, his first game had been at the Metropolitan Police Ground, when he’d had to borrow a pair of his son’s boots! This match was at the Home of Rugby in England, Twickenham Stadium. Players of each team paid subs to cover the costs of the day.

The match in Dublin was played in teeming rain, this was a lovely day! And the seating for the match was in the Royal Box, which I have to say was very nice! The centre seats have a slightly restricted view for people who might be vertically challenged like me! But was a delight to be able to sit there.

We saw some pretty good rugby, a couple of players got carried away and forgot to pass once they’s run 15 metres, which saw penalties awarded. I think the referee didn’t realise on a couple of occasions, and I’d say the words “I didn’t see, sh*t happens’ were probably uttered on one such! The joys of friendly rugby.

The game was played in quarters The Commons & Lords scored 4 tries, The Wooden Spoon 1 leaving the score on C&L 22 WS 7 after the first quarter. Another 2 tries for the Commons & Lords to just one of the Wooden Spoon left the score on C&L 34 WS 14. Things turned around in the third with 4 tries for Wooden Spoon and no luck for Commons & Lords, the score moved to C&L 34 WS 38, we had a premature tunnel at that point, suggesting more than a few players hoped the match was over!

The Commons & Lords pulled back in the final quarter scoring 4 tries to Wooden SPoon’s 2 and the whistle went with the final score on C&L 53 WS 48.

The score of the match really wasn’t;t the main thing on this day, the opportunity to play on the pitch at Twickenha, must have been amazing! There was a small auction which raised around £1000 but the most important aspect was the presentation of a cheque for £125,00 to the RFU Injured Players Charity.

The charity is in place to provide immediate and lifelong support rugby players who sustain a catastrophic spinal cord or traumatic brain injury, and help prevent future injuries through research and education. Here’s a link to their site where the work carried out is explained in more detail https://www.rfuipf.org.uk/about/what-we-do/support

It was a great way to spend the day and to learn more about all 3 organisations – here’s a link to my photos from the day https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBkjSJ