Tynedale v Wharfedale RUFC
Saturday 1st February 2025
(KO 2pm)
WELCOME
This Saturday we extend a warm welcome to the players, officials and supporters of Wharfedale RUFC for our rescheduled encounter after the original fixture scheduled for January 11th fell foul of a sub-Arctic week
We also, of course, extend a warm welcome to this week’s match officials Dave Charlton, Paul Fincken and Jock Gill.
To EVERYBODY - Enjoy your day!.

TYNEDALE v WHARFEDALE

Since 1987 there have been 30 League matches between the two 1st XV teams. Wharfedale have won 12 times (654points); Tynedale have won 17 times (700 points), with one match drawn.
There have also been almost as many Raiders v Foresters competitive matches in that time.
The two clubs also continued to play friendly pre-season matches when the 1st XV’s were in different leagues.

RECENT 1st XV RESULTS
19th March 2018 Wharfedale 14 Tynedale 33
21st April 2018 Tynedale 22 Wharfedale 24
8th December 2018 Wharfedale 18 Tynedale 3
6th April 2019 Tynedale 27 Wharfedale 21
26th October 2019 Wharfedale 27 Tynedale 27
8th February 2020 Tynedale 26 Wharfedale 34
27th November 2021 Tynedale 24 Wharfedale 13
2nd April 2022 Wharfedale 37 Tynedale 42
15th October 2022 Wharfedale 22 Tynedale 29
28th January 2023 Tynedale 21 Wharfedale 20
16th September 2023 Tynedale 22 Wharfedale 24
2nd March 2024 Wharfedale 18 Tynedale 17
21st September 2024 Wharfedale 34 Tynedale 28

HOME ADVANTAGE - DOES IT MATTER ?
Of those thirteen matches six have resulted in away wins; one draw, six home wins (and two of those by only one point)!

HISTORY OF WHARFEDALE RUFC

The Wharfedale club has been based at Wharfeside Avenue, Threshfield, since 1958. The club had been founded in 1932. The first ground had been at Wood Lane and in its formative years the club headquarters included the Wilson Arms and the Black Horse.

The club quickly became a real force in Yorkshire rugby. Through the 1970’s the standard of rugby and the playing record of the club was impressive, and numerous players were rewarded with selections for the County, District and England International teams.

There was a meteoric rise through the leagues in the run from 1987 to 1996 which saw the club reach the heady heights of level 3 rugby, after starting at level 7.

Wharfedale then stayed longer in that league, (now National One), than any other club, completing twenty seasons at that level. However survival was not always easy (especially 2011 & 2013 and eventually they were relegated in April 2016.

Last season, 2023-24 was an important season in the history of Wharfedale Rugby Union Football Club, formerly Upper Wharfedale RUFC, as their first fixture had been played in the autumn of
1923. No precise date is known, but the club celebrated last season as its Centenary year and Tynedale were honoured in being able to play Wharfedale twice in such an historic season.

EARLY DAYS
For a match on 27th March 1993 the Wharfedale programme said [i[“The clubs have not met for at least 12 years and Jim Quick is still rooting around in his files to give me details of our last encounter.”[/i]
The teams that day in the North One (level 5) match were:-
Wharfedale - R. Buckroyd; C. Bullough, G. Harrison, M. Harrison, R. Stratton; C. Davies, J. McGuinn; J. Metcalfe, J. Lawn, G. Rogers; S. Hird, D. Wood; J. Stockton, J. Caygill, C. Vyvyan. Rep. C. Walker and J. Fitton.

Tynedale – J. Fletcher; C. Johnston, G. Fleming, C. Leslie, S. Ferguson; J. Paton, S. Clayton-Hibbott; R. Parker, E. Parker, M. White; C. Hewitson, A. Oglethorpe; P. Leonard, M. Lee, G. Yates. Rep. I. Donkin and S. Turnbull.

Wharfedale won the match 21 – 18.
The following season, in 1994, Wharfedale won promotion to the National Leagues. Tynedale didn’t follow until 2000.

N.B. Two of those 1993 Tyne players, Chris Leslie and Martin White, have sons playing for Tynedale 1st XV now, and three others, John Fletcher, Scott Ferguson and Richard Parker also have had sons playing for the 1st XV in the last three seasons.

Graham Yates is a Tynedale Vice-President, Steve Turnbull coaches the Colts, whilst John Fletcher, ex-Director of Rugby at Newcastle Falcons is now in charge of Player Pathway and Elite Coach Development at Scottish Rugby. Craig Johnston is involved even more, being Fixtures Secretary, Groundsman as well as running the bar at Tynedale Park!
Eight ex-players still very much connected with the club after more than 30 years.

WHARFEDALE THIS SEASON
Wharfedale have had a decent first half of the season and sit one place above Tynedale in 5th position with 6 more league points - their home form being particularly impressive having won 8 out of their 9 home matches,
We are certain, as ever, to have a close, keenly fought “Battle of the Dales”.

WHARFEDALE’S LEAGUE RESULTS TO DATE:-
Wharfedale 22 Sheffield Tigers 8
Harrogate 29 Wharfedale 35
Wharfedale 34 Tynedale 28
Otley 44 Wharfedale 31
Wharfedale 24 Hull 34
Leeds Tykes 33 Wharfedale 12
Wharfedale 40 Billingham 17
Wharfedale 30 Hull Ionians 24
Sheffield 43 Wharfedale 20
Wharfedale 40 Preston Grasshoppers 14
Lymm 26 Wharfedale 0
Wharfedale 22 Chester 19
Fylde 31 Wharfedale 30
Wharfedale 18 Harrogate 15
Wharfedale 42 Otley 28
Hull 32 Wharfedale 19

WHARFEDALE’S WEBSITE
https://www.wharfedalerufc.co.uk/

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: David Charlton
AR1: Paul Fincken
AR2: Fraser Gill

BALL BOYS/GIRLS
Tynedale Under 10’s

WEATHER FORECAST
Dry, sunny intervals, light south easterly wind, 7 degrees

OTHER TYNEDALE (Senior Section) MATCHES THIS WEEKEND
SATURDAY
Tynedale Raiders v Wharfedale Foresters (1.30pm) – Yorks & NE Premiership
Alnwick Lions v Tynedale Hadrians (2pm) – CaNDY League 2N
Tynedale Centurions v Peterlee & Horden - Postponed
Gala Wanderers v Tynedale Colts (12.30pm) – Border League
SUNDAY
Tynedale Colts – No Fixture

SELECTED SQUADS