Seniors End of Season Awards

The annual Pinner RFC End of Season Awards took place on Friday 26th May at the clubhouse in Shaftesbury Playing Fields. Many new and past members of the club enjoyed an evening of frivolity, friendship and fun.

In a short time the list of winners will be published on this page, until then here are some of the images from the evening……….

Pinner RFC win Pinner Wheelbarrow Race

On a fantastic sunny day on Pinner High Street saw one of the two teams entered for the Annual Pinner Wheelbarrow come away victorious. Team ‘pinkybarro’  -  Samuel ‘Umfufu’ Heath and Ray ‘Iron Man’ Conboy out witted and eventually drank more to come out overall winners. Team II Richard Ward and Dave Logan* did not disgrace themselves coming in in the middle of the entered teams

*All of the running about might have upset the ‘floating tonsils’ of Dave causing the liquid to force itself outwards after the race – photographic evidence; especially as he had requested before the race to put more photos of him on the website!!

The annual St George’s Day celebrations and wheelbarrow race and great weather meant that Pinner was packed with people from across the borough on Sunday, gathering to join the fun-packed celebrations.

There was live entertainment, fancy dress, food, stalls, games – not forgetting the traditional wheelbarrow race, now in its 50th year, in which teams of two competitors race through the streets, making pit stops at pubs.

The Razzell Dazzel can’t stop the Cosmos Stars!

Saturday 20th April saw top of the division leaders Kilburn Cosmos take on Pinner RFC in what was Mark Razzells last game before he takes off to the big city of Sydney in Oz. At some stage there will be a match report, hopefully written by the man himself, in the meantime, here’s some photos. Thanks to Jo Talbot for standing on the sidelines in the sunshine, unlike her husband who has got drenched photographing the last couple of games.

The countdown begins……. who will FB first!!!

Pelicans give Uxbridge a fright

A scratch P&G’s 2^nd XV took on the successful Merit table Uxbridge 2^nd’s at Roger Bannister Playing Fields. Losing players at the last minute to their 1^st XV the home side were lent a couple players by the visitors and the Club’s 74 year old President David Hiles  in the 2^nd row ensured a full team. It was soon evident that the Uxbridge side were used to playing together on a regular basis and within half an hour they had run in four tries. However Pelicans were beginning to settle and show some organisation. Several attacks developed with captain Les Chaffe making good ground from full back. This renewed pressure told and Pinner drove hard to the left corner for prop Nick de Jong to force his way over.  Uxbridge hit back when a Pinner kick deep in the visitors half was fielded by their right winger who out-paced the defence to run in a fifth try from 50 metres.  From the kick-off Pelicans again attacked, worked the ball to the right and then inside for centre Burns to break through and score under the posts. Sadly it was not a day for make-shift kickers.  With half-time approaching Pelicans  once more forced the ball towards the Uxbridge line. A poor attempt to kick for touch was charged down to give de Jong his second try. Once more the simple kick failed  but from being 22 – 0 down after 30 minutes the home side went in at the interval only a credible 15 – 27 behind.

Pelicans started the second half as they had finished the first.  Only five minutes in they gained possession in mid-field. Scrum –half Andy Wright got the ball to fly-half Dan Muckley who cut through the defence to score Pinner’s fourth try.  This time Clyde Gordon was successful with the conversion and a possible turn-round was in sight at 22 -27.  Now tiredness and lack of fitness began to tell on both sides.  Fierce tackling and solid defence ensured no further scores until the Uxbridge full-back sold an outrageous dummy on the Pelican’s 22 to score under the posts.  With five minutes left Uxbridge kept up the pressure and touched down in the right corner.  Pelicans were not finished yet and with the final play of the match centre Burns powered through to get his second try bringing the final score of this very enjoyable match to 39 – 27 to the visitors.

P&G’s 1^st XV await the effects of relegation decisions several leagues above.

Back at Shaftesbury Playing Fields on the only serviceable pitch P&G’s played the postponed league match against promotion contenders Kilburn Cosmos.  Kilburn, needing a win to clinch the title, were in no mood to compromise.  They put in a clinical display to defeat P&G’s by 52 – 5 the home sides only try being scored by Richard Southam.  Pinner, although well clear at third from bottom of Herts- Middx 2 and who in normal circumstances would be safe for another season, now must await decisions about transfers of clubs between regions in leagues higher up the pyramid to know their fate.

Pinner RFC U13s v Harrow… a great game of rugby

Sunday saw local rugby Club Harrow visit Pinner RFC for a friendly match. With the end of the Easter holidays and the imminent return to school, Pinner were missing some key players to alternative commitments; UK Banjo competitions, skiing, Cadet camp to name just a few!

However, Pinner were able to field a full team with subs. Both the Head Coach and senior coaches were also unavailable so the match against a team four divisions above them looked on paper to be a fore gone conclusion.

A valiant performance by all the players did not let that happen on the pitch, every player worked their socks off and only through some outstanding backs play did Harrow score, both tries in the first half were break away tries from their winger. Pinner controlled the scrums with terrific power winning both their own and Harrows put in to a point where they became uncontested!

Throughout the game Pinner defended excellently and managed themselves to spend most of the second half in the oppositions 22. After being awarded a penalty 5m from the try line Pinner, through poor communication did not get over the line and through a strong ruck, Harrow came away with the ball and as in the first half scored a break away try in the corner despite some desperate chasing back.

Pinner did not let that get to them, instead, using this as a platform to really dominate the game especially when some of the opposition began to rile Pinner players, this seemed to urge them on and take control of every break down and tackle with determination resulting in a massive drive towards the opposition posts where Joseph scored a tremendous try. Freddie very calmly converted to end the game.

Pinner players after the match could hold their heads high, they may have lost 3 tries to 1 but they showed they have the  mentality to rise to the next challenge of moving up  a division next season.

Well done to all the boys, a terrific game of rugby.

Pinner versus Hillingdon Abbots

On a wet Saturday afternoon, Pinner played their league fixture against 3rd in the league Hillingdon Abbots, there will of course be a match report to follow, in the meantime below are some images from the game, enjoy ………

P&G’s spirited performance not enough.

On a wet and waterlogged pitch Pinner, needing points to move from the relegation zone encountered a well organised and determined third placed Hillingdon Abbotts at Hatch End on Saturday. The first ten minutes or so were fairly even with both sides getting used to the conditions. P&G’s were then adjudged to go off-side on their own 22 to give visiting fly-half Elliot Wake the chance to put Abbotts ahead.  This seemed to inspire H A’s to a more fluid game and to increase the pressure on the home team. Their big centres were having an effect and soon  Neil George burst through to score. Pinner were defending desperately conceding further penalties. Abbotts varied their tactics trying both kicks to touch and charges through the middle but the home side kept them out until five minutes before half-time when first no. 8 Simon Colville and then the other centre Dave Francis drove through for tries. Both were converted by Wake to give a half-time score of 22 – 0 to Hillingdon Abbotts.

Pinner came out fighting in the second half and most of the play was in the visitors half. Forwards Aaron Nicholas, Simon Whitcombe and no. 8 Andrew Alexander were prominent. With play in the Hillingdon 22 P&G’s miss-handled and Abbots gathered and broke out at speed eventually moving the ball to right winger Brad Buckingham who scored in the corner. Pinner replied with more determination taking the play back to Abbotts. From a ruck in the visitors 22 Pinner moved the ball quickly to the left for centre Richard Southam to cut through to score.  The kick failed leaving the score at 27 – 5 to Abbotts.  Once again the last ten minutes were to prove costly with Pinner running out of steam against.  Two further tries, first and his second, for centre Neil George and then flanker Carl Buckingham.  Wake managed to convert the first of these to give a final score of 29 – 5 to Hillingdon Abbotts.

Next week P&G’s host Kilburn Cosmos at Shaftesbury Playing Fields, KO 3pm, in the final match of the season postpone because of earlier bad weather. The Pelicans will be playing Uxbridge 2^nd’s at Bannister Playing Fields as if has not yet been possible to replace the goal-posts on the main Shaftesbury pitch, which blew down in the wind a few weeks ago. Pinner still do not know their fate for next season as, although comfortably third from bottom in Herts – Middx Div 2, the number of teams to be relegated depends on a domino effect from regional leagues several levels up the scale.

Pinner secure victory over local rivals

Pinner RFC travelled to Ruislip to play their league fixture against local rivals Ickenham RFC. The change of venue was due to the refurbishment work that’s on going to Ickenham’s changing rooms.  Pinner fielded a very strong squad, with many players returning after injury and work commitments. The game started off at a furious pace with Pinner dominating open play with charging runs deep into the opposition half. At the time of writing this, I haven’t received a match report so apart from mentioning tries from Jon Kirby, Alex Goring x2 and Richard Southam,  plus a few others, hopefully, in time they will be added.

Final score 29-19 to Pinner

In the meantime, here are some images from the game

Skelleys 50th Mud Bath!

As you may of been aware, Skelley celebrated his 50th birthday with a friendly match against Ruislip, having boots in both teams he played for Pinner in the first half and Ruislip in the second along with his son. Apart from the rain, waterlogged pitch, mud and more mud, half time drinking and verbal abuse towards the man himself from both the sidelines and on the pitch! a great spectacle of rugby was witnessed mainly from behind the bar!! some very old and inactive bodies were seen on the Shaftesbury playing Fields pitch, apart from Pinner President; David Hiles (74) the average Pinner side was 57 with a total number of years edging towards 700 collectively!

The game did not have a match report, many of those on the sideline only had enough skills to scrawl something in a wax crayon on the side of pint glasses and, in fact, stringing a sentence together became hard work for many, especially after the game when, as you might imagine, things got ‘messy’

Below are a number of images from the game enjoy……