Reliving rugbys golden era

The most successful side in Newark Rugby Club’s history will come together for a reunion, 20 years after winning the Three Counties Cup.

The players who beat Matlock to clinch the cup in April 1988 had already won the Midlands Two East league and the Notts Cup in the same season.

The reunion is due to take place at the clubhouse a week tomorrow, and nearly all the team will be there to mark the 20th anniversary of their achievement.

Newark’s 20-12 win against Matlock in the final was sweet revenge after their opponents had beaten them with a lastminute drop goal in the league to stop them securing a 100% unbeaten record in Midlands Two East.

The coach, Charlie Fehrs of Cullen Close, Newark, a life member and former president of the rugby club, said winning the Three Counties Cup was a great achievement after such a successful season.

He said: “This was the icing on the cake.”

Despite going 8-0 down in the final, a penalty goal from captain Alan King took Newark back into the game before half-time.

Constant pressure after the break turned the game in Newark’s favour with tries from Alan King, Jock McKinnon and John King. Matlock scored a consolation try but it was not enough to stop Newark taking the trophy.

The other players in the final were Ted Hine, David Batterham, Glyn Britten, Martin Applewhite, John Illot, Jim Peters, Richard Bijster, David Saxelby John Lees, Stan Hutchinson, brothers Jim and David Townsend, with Nick Scott and Trevor Waude on the bench.

Under Fehrs’ reign as coach between 1985-92, his side won the league, the Three Counties Cup twice and the Notts Cup five times.

But he insisted it was the team who brought success to club. They were even only a couple of points from getting into the national leagues.

He said: “I was probably the worst coach they ever had, but funnily enough the most successful.”

Fehrs said the 1988 team were particularly strong in the scrum and the line-out.

Fehrs said the inspiration of the side was captain King and they also had a great back row.

He said: “We identified our strengths very early, we played to these strengths and practised these strengths.”

“We made sure the standards were good for what we did.”

At the reunion, the former team-mates will have lunch before watching the rugby club’s 1st XV play their last home game of the season against Bambury.

Fehrs said they were also hoping to provide the former players with a memento.