1958 - Inter-District Rugby

GRANDSTAND – INTER-DISTRICT RUBGY

An indication of the growth in popularity of staff sporting events is the decision in 1958 to commence inter-district tournaments. The level of participation, the seriousness of the competing players and the support from spectators shows that sport is enjoyed by many in Martins. For the next ten years or so, sports men and women from every part of the Bank come together to compete in a variety of sporting activity…

Inter District Rugby

1958 01 MBM.jpg The first-ever inter-District Rugby Football match was played on Monday, February 17th, between the Liverpool and London Districts of the Bank on the ground of the Waterloo Football Club, Blundellsands. It was also the first Rugby football match which the Editor had ever attended in the whole course of his misspent life. However, fortunately for the readers of this Magazine Mr. G. O. Papworth and Mr. F. A. Goodman were among the spectators, so, by appealing to the former to tell him in a few succinct sentences what it was all about and with the help of the latter over the finer points of the game he was able to form some idea of the general procedure by the time the match ended. Some of the instruction was contradictory and Mr. Price rather confused the issue by avowing that in actual practice it isn't a ball game at all, as players are often said to be anxious to get on with the game without bothering about the ball. Anyway, even a beginner could see that the Liverpool side was the heavier side and the better co-ordinated side, though at half-time the debacle which was to follow was not anticipated, as the score was only 8 – 5, and London were actually the first to score.

The London District Team – Names not provided.

By the end of the match, however, the score had risen to 38 – 5, and the London team appeared to have been run almost to a standstill and to have lost heart. W. J. Bass scored one try; G. Hesketh (Captain), who played a very fine game, converted one try and scored two others; M. E. Bowman scored two tries, D. D. Evans one, F. Laycock two, B. G. Pearce one, T. M. Carradus one, and S. N. Joynson converted three. In the London team E. D. G. Eva converted one try and R. S. Cooper scored one. Everyone was loud in praise of the work of the referee, D. D. Millar (Castle Street). The London team included men from Cambridge, Oxford, Reading and Sidcup: Liverpool had combed an even wider field, recruiting its players from Keswick, Bowness, Barnolds-wick, Llandudno, Windermere and Carlisle to supplement those from the locality. After the match, and a suitable interval (two hours) for refreshment, the teams repaired to the Northern Cricket Club for dinner.

The Liverpool District Team – Names not provided

Mr. G. E. Clarkson presided and welcomed the visitors. He also welcomed the Head Office guests and Mr. Day, Secretary of the Waterloo Football Club, whom he thanked for the hospitality so cordially provided, and expressed thanks to the General Management for their encouragement and to the organisers, Norman Parry for Liverpool and A. W. Sheldrick for London, for the great amount of work they had put in to make the function a success. Mr. Clarkson also made special mention of the referee and thanked him for his services. An interesting idea he put forward in the course of his speech was that we might have an inexpensive trophy, such as a wooden shield, for formal presentation and subsequent inscription, in connection with this trial of strength. We think the idea is a good one. Mr. W. F. England replied for the Londoners and expressed thanks for the hospitality received and then each of the captains spoke, P. M. Jones (Hanover Square) for London and G. Hesketh (District Office) for Liverpool. The party went on until it was time for the visitors to leave for the midnight train back to Town.