OKEHAMPTON Rugby Football club will begin it's 125th year with an attractive fixture for it's Colts XV versus Devon U18s.
The match takes place this Saturday, August 29, with a scheduled kick off time of 3pm. This is the first of several matches arranged with cooperation from Devon RFU including a visit from a Devon senior side who will play Okehampton towards the end of the coming season. This has been brought about as a result of the successful staging of last season's prestigious Tamar Cup fixture between the full Devon and Cornwall sides.
Voted a huge success it enhanced the position of the club, receiving favourable comment from within and beyond the county. Since that time a large sum of money, together with considerable voluntary effort, has improved the playing surfaces meaning they are now in their best ever condition.
The sheer volume of rugby being played by the club with it's massive junior section as part of it; inevitably means that improvements had to be made to the existing two pitches if we are to ensure they remain in good condition.
Serious league rugby commences on Saturday, September 5 where the newly promoted first XV start their season with an away fixture at Somerset's newly promoted North Petherton. Not to be outdone the also promoted second XV are at home to their Crediton counterparts, kick off 3pm.
Adam Holliday, a club spokesman, said: 'This is certain to be a challenging season for all teams, as indeed it will be off the field where a wide range of social activities have been arranged. One of the highlights will be a special celebration dinner, scheduled for Thursday, January 14, where the guest speaker will be the ex-England and Bath prop forward Gareth Chilcott. Space at this event is obviously limited and many places are already booked.
We hope that the people of Okehampton and District will join us at the club over the coming season to make our 125th anniversary "a year of all years."'