HOW FAR DO CLUBS TRAVEL FOR MEANINGFUL MATCHES?

In England rugby clubs travel great distances to honour league fixtures. At present those undertaking the longest away trips are:-

• Premiership. Newcastle Falcons/Exeter - 369 miles
• Championship Doncaster/Jersey - 381 miles
• National 1 Darlington MP/ Plymouth - 375 miles
• National 2 (South) Bury St. Edmonds/Redruth - 355 miles
• National 2 (North) Tynedale/Luctonians - 259 miles

So, at a mere 259 miles Tynedale‘s longest away match, at level 4, is currently shorter than everyone else’s?

It wasn’t always so. What about Tynedale/Mounts Bay (Penzance), 493 miles in 2009, or Tynedale/Redruth, 476 miles in 2010 ?

Over the decades Tynedale RFC’s longest 1stXV journeys, excluding tours, increased from 30 miles to 508:-

• 1881 Sunderland - 36 miles
• 1891 Carlisle - 39 miles
• 1901 Percy Park - 30 miles
• 1911 Hartlepool Rovers - 53 miles
• 1921 Carlisle - 39 mile
• 1931 Cockermouth - 64 miles
• 1951 Keswick - 58 miles
• 1961 Galashiels - 66 miles
• 1971 Bingley - 123 miles
• 1981 Hull & ER - 158 miles
• 1991 Winnington Park - 168 miles
• 2001 Bedford Athletic - 248 miles
• 2011 Jersey - 508 miles

The modes of transport changed too, to cope with these huge distances, from horseback to local trains and buses, motor cars, coaches, inter-city trains and plane flights. And all for competitive away matches!

D.F.Hamilton
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