PRE-MATCH LUNCH
This season lunches need to be booked in advance (by 23:59 on the Thursday) using a simple on-line reservation & payment system. Due to a maximum capacity this will be on a first-come-first-served basis.
The lunch prior to the Sheffield match will be served from 1.30pm with BAR1876 opening from 12noon.
For further details: https://www.tynedalerfc.co.uk/a/prematch-lunches-66490.html
To Book:-

Tynedale v Sheffield RUFC
Saturday 28th September 2024 (KO 3pm)

WELCOME
This Saturday we welcome the players, officials and supporters of Sheffield RUFC.
We also, of course, extend a warm welcome to this week’s match officials Gavin Jones, Simon Williams and Simon O’Neil.

The tough start for Tynedale’s season continues. With away fixtures against, firstly Leeds Tykes, who are now 2nd in the current table, then Wharfedale who lie 3rd, and a home match against Billingham, who are 5th, we now have Sheffield, who are in 4th position, having won all three matches this season. (Our next home match is against Lymm on October 12th who are the surprise package this season and currently top the league)

Last season Sheffield finished third in the league behind Rotherham and Leeds Tykes, with 92 points. Tynedale were 6th with 77 points. So, another tough day at the office for the Corbridge club.

PAST MATCHES - TYNEDALE v SHEFFIELD
Tynedale1st.XV have now played five times against Sheffield 1st XV in league matches. The first was on the 4th November 2017 when Tynedale won 47-11. The return that season at Sheffield was postponed and then not played as the result would not have affected the final table.
The two clubs have, however, met each other several times in “friendlies” before the advent of leagues. Also, on the 7th November 1992, we met in a Pilkington Cup second round match at Tynedale Park. Tynedale won that match 21-14, having beaten Hartlepool Rovers 39-16 at home in the first round – but we then lost to Morley (who played in National League Div.2 at that time) on the 28th November 1992.

Otherwise the five league matches between the clubs have finished as follows:-
4th November 2017 - Tynedale 47 Sheffield 11
Sheffield had been promoted in season 2022/23 into National Two North as runners- up to Newport (Salop) in Midland Premier on league reorganisation.
Without finishing top of any league Sheffield have somehow managed to gain five promotions with second place successes, in 2003, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2022.

3rd September 2022 - Tynedale 36 Sheffield 14
22nd April 2023 - Sheffield 36 Tynedale 33 (5 tries each).
4th November 2023 - Tynedale 19 Sheffield 19
Draws in rugby are fairly rare. In the last twenty-five years before this season Tynedale played 671 league matches; only 20 (2.98%) have ended as draws.
Yet, on 14th September 2024, a fortnight ago, we had another 19-19 draw against Billingham here at Tynedale Park. The figures are now 21 draws from 674 matches – a less than staggering rise to a mere 3.2% !

24th February 2024 - Sheffield 27 Tynedale 19
Tries were scored by Ryan Burrows and Dom Parsons for Sheffield in the first-half, but with Tynedale’s James Telford and Will Nankivell also scoring tries, both converted by Josh Leslie, this meant that Tynedale led 12-14 at half-time.
Thereafter Sheffield dominated, scoring three unconverted tries from Ryan Burrows again, Archie Crapper and Reece Bartlett with Tynedale’s only response an unconverted try from Joe Tully.

“TO ERR IS HUMAN, TO FORGIVE DIVINE”
When Sheffield RUFC started last season well, and beat Sheffield Tigers, their closest rivals and foes 28 - 32 at the Tigers home ground on 9th September 2023, Sheffield RUFC must have imagined that thereafter they were going to have a peaceful and pleasant season.
However, their players, committee and supporters arrived at Tynedale Park on the 4th. November 2023, a few weeks later, to find to their horror that their team that day was described in the Tynedale programme as “SHEFFIELD TIGERS”.

Most of the visitors took this insult quite well, although one member of their committee did threaten to title their programme at Tynedale’s return match at Abbeydale Park in February as “Sheffield v Blaydon”.

Sheffield may have accepted it as a human error; less divine was their wag who posted the result on the Sheffield web-site as “TYNEMOUTH 19 SHEFFIELD 19”. Alexander Pope would not have approved.

We guess Sheffield feelings were further mollified when, six weeks later, on the 16th December 2023, they beat the Tigers 33-24 at home. This season a 13-22 win against the Tigers means they arrive at Tynedale Park in a very good mood indeed.

A.G.B OLD
Alan Old, the 16 times capped English International fly-half was Captain of Sheffield RUFC from 1977 to 1979.
Alan had made his debut for England against Wales in 1972 and he made a further 15 appearances with his final one being against France in 1978. He also played in the famous victory of the North of England over the touring All Blacks at Otley in 1979 with the English regional side running out 21-9 winners.
After retiring from playing Alan coached the Northumberland County team, containing many Tynedale players, and for many years he was Chairman of the Northumberland branch of the Wooden Spoon charity. Two years ago he moved south from Longframlington to Harrogate.

Alan has always been a great friend of Tynedale. His son Michael played fly-half and centre for our 1st XV from 1992 to 1995, and for the County.

THIS SEASON
Sheffied, with three wins from three and two try bonus points sit in 4th place.
SHEFFIELD’S LEAGUE RESULTS TO DATE:-
Sheffield 38 Fylde 19
Sheffield Tigers 13 Sheffield 22
Sheffield 57 Harrogate 19

SHEFFIELD WEBSITE
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/sheffield/

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Gavin Jones
AR1: Simon Williams
AR2: Simon O’Neil

BALL BOYS
Tynedale Under 11’s

WEATHER FORECAST
Light cloud, gentle westerly breeze, 12 degrees

OTHER TYNEDALE (Senior Section) MATCHES THIS WEEKEND
SATURDAY
Tynedale Raiders v Sheffield II (3pm) – Yorks & NE Premiership
South Shields v Tynedale Centurions (3pm) – CaNDY League 3N
Tynedale Colts v Duns Colts – Border League – CANCELLED (Home walkover)
SUNDAY
West Hartlepool Colts v Tynedale Colts (1pm) – HALBRO NE & Cumbria League

SELECTED SQUAD