Edwardians vs HAC at Twickenham 2011
experiencing the Twickenham dream!
As the morning sun rose over the Memorial ground on the Friday 13th May there was certainly no feeling of superstition stating this was going to be an unlucky day! The scene was set for a squad of 22 players to go and achieve something that had never been done in the clubs 129 year history, by playing at the headquarters of world rugby and bringing the National Junior Vase to the Streetsbrook Road club house.
A coach was laid on for the players, coaches, physios and dedicated Edwardian faithful for the short journey to Twickenham (in comparison to North Shields!).
For the second time in a month the atmosphere was a strange one, the players opting to show their desire to grass roots professionalism by not being lured into the temptation of having a beer, (thanks Steve Johnson) instead a team bonding exercise was executed with a crossword in the Telegraph keeping everybody busy!
We arrived at the fancy Twickenham Marriott hotel in good spirits, a few of the players (mentioning no names) looking a bit out of place and getting rather sinister looks off the usual clientele of this fine establishment, while a few of the players sat in reception trying to look like they fitted in and look sophisticated by pretending they actually learnt to read by looking at the pictures in the Independent. The rest of us dropped our bags off in the luxurious rooms and got ready for a tour of the Twickenham ground and changing rooms. Our male tour guide (Dave ‘Ting Tong’ Lim being very upset and angry it wasn’t Nicola) did a great job of showing us around and telling us what to expect from the following day. Butterflies in the stomach were in abundance walking on the hallowed turf and I think the players were mesmerised by the vastness of being pitch side at the world’s largest rugby venue.
There was an overwhelming sense of pride knowing they would be joining a long list of rugby legends that have had the chance to run out onto that pitch and participate in the best sport in the world! Opportunities for photos were given, some using them more than others (Brian Chappelhow), a few of the players getting snaps of themselves in the England dressing room baths and toilets! After a look around the post match banquet room, the tour commenced and the Eds players got a chance to size up their HAC counterparts all suited and booted straight from their corporate London jobs, ready for their own tour of the ground. Our very own John ‘yar yar’ Ferdinand (getting caught up in the London ‘toff’ executive world) was overheard saying ‘I wish I had worn my chinos so that they don’t associate me with these Edwardian ‘riff raff’, clearly forgetting the fact that he is indeed from Coventry! So after a healthy Tesco’s lunch it was back to the hotel to take full advantage of the gym, which everyone staying at the Marriott was entitled to use, or so we thought!
Much to the annoyance of president John Forster (and his wife) who had to be dragged from the pub in a taxi back to the hotel to tell our tour correspondent Nicola in no uncertain terms that the service given was ‘deplorable!’ So it turned out the gym had a problem with ‘large groups’ of rugby players using their facilities, (I can only hazard a guess as to why) so while a selected few of us enjoyed the use of the Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, a few of the bright sparks in the backs came back in disguise (without their Edwardian attire on) and not being beefy enough to look like real rugby players anyway, were let straight through.
Evening was soon upon us and a team meal was organised by tour ‘Sinbad’ Bourkey who unsurprisingly settled on the first pub he found on route to Twickenham! After being told there were too many of us the players were in disarray, hungry and argumentative. People starting splitting up looking for fine pre match cuisine like KFC, Indian restaurants and even a kebab shop (Gareth ‘fat boy’ Symes, Sean ‘even fatter’ Bakewell’). The situation was saved by vice captain Coventry who found a nice beer garden which conveniently overlooked a sailing club by the river. If the HAC boys had seen the opposition with beers and fags in hand, and dishes being consumed with names like ‘the big Ben burger’ and ‘the codfather’ I’m sure they would have been worried at what a finely tuned bunch of athletes they were due to face the following day!
So it was a slow walk back to the hotel (NB: the Gill brothers were spotted heading to Wetherspoons) to have hot chocolate and cocoa in front of the rugby on an 82 inch TV. Captain Sinbad kept up the tradition of his motivational Friday night text, much to the enjoyment of people at the bar. The players sensibly all had an early night and apart from some prank phone calls to room 333 and 321 most players seemed to have a reasonable night’s sleep (thanks skip for putting me in with a fat, snoring prop who received numerous text messages of luck throughout the night from his ‘friends’ back home in oz!).
It was a 9AM meet time the following day which meant early rises for most to ensure a decent breakfast (some opting for Tesco’s finest pasta, others spending £16 for a full English at the Marriott bar!) and adequate preparation time for the 11AM kick off. There was a definite mix of nerves and excitement at the prospect of the task before us, the 5 minute coach journey to the ground giving John ‘silver fox’ Corr just enough time to say ‘nothing needs to be said, let’s just go out and enjoy it’.
Arriving at the ground and walking through the big brown gates and past the golden lion to the player’s entrance, a few Edwardians were caught off guard when security asked to search their bags, leaving a few having to walk back to the coach and leave their alcoholic contraband behind! Getting into the changing rooms there were some laughs looking through the match day programme at some of the honours and professions of our London opposition. So it would be a bunch of investment bankers, solicitors, underwriters and British army officers (a few of which having previously played at a decent level for respected clubs, county and country) against security guards, teachers, students, a motorway surveillance officer and indeed an entertainer! JC had his usual mix of contemporary tunes blasting trying his best to associate himself with the younger Edwardian contingency, whilst physios Adam and Karl rushed to get everybody strapped up and massaged in time for a team photograph! A short walk to the warm up pitch opposite the ground ensued allowing the players to go through their usual pre match routine.
The Memorial Ground, Streetsbrook Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 3PE
0121 744 6831
