Match Preview

Tynedale v Fylde
Saturday 17th February 2024 (KO 2pm)
This Saturday we extend the warmest of welcomes to the players, officials and supporters of Fylde RFC along with today’s three match officials.

WHERE DOES FYLDE’s NAME COME FROM?

The Fylde is a 13-mile (20-kilometre) square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east. Blackpool is to the north and Preston to the east.

THE FIRST MATCH BETWEEN THE CLUBS - 1990

Tynedale’s first visit to Fylde’s Woodlands Memorial Ground was a friendly, played on the 10th February 1990.
Tynedale’s team that day included Mark Richard, recent President of the Northumberland Rugby Union plus Gary Taylor and Graham Yates, both Vice-Presidents of this club.
Also playing that day in the forwards were Steven Dunn, Richard Parker (the Captain that season), and Martin White, all of whom could have sons, Graeme, Robert and Angus playing for Tynedale today.

TYNEDALE/FYLDE LEAGUE RESULTS
A total of 26 league matches have been played between the clubs.
Fylde hold the edge having won 13 of the matches, Tynedale winning 12, with one match drawn (see below).
Fylde have scored a total of 602 points whilst Tynedale have notched 569 points – all very close!
With 4 away wins each and both sides averaging more than 20 points per game there have been many exciting, (and some surprising) results.

THAT DRAWN MATCH - 16th September 2006
Draws in rugby are fairly rare. In the last twenty-four years before this season Tynedale played 645 league matches; only 19 (2.9%) have ended as draws. The ending of this one at Fylde was not just unusual, but bizarre.

The match was tied at 14-14 right on full time when Tynedale were awarded a penalty under the Fylde posts. The referee indicated that this would be the last play of the match.
Will Massey, Tynedale’s full-back and kicker, mistakenly thinking his side were leading 13-14 proceeded to kick the ball out of play to stop Fylde running the ball back if there was to be a rebound, and safeguard Tyne’s “victory”, much to the consternation of bemused players and spectators of both teams.

KICKING STRIKE RATES
In Will Massey’s defence we should report on happier times for him. Two seasons earlier, in 2004/05. of the five top goal kickers in National 3 (North), apart from Tom Rhodes of Bradford & Bingley four Fylde and Tynedale players headed the league’s kicking strike-rate table, Mike Scott (Fylde) 73.47%, Phil Belgian (Tynedale) 73.33%, Paul Green (Fylde) (69.23%) and the aforesaid Will Massey (68.25%)

SIR WILLIAM BEAUMONT
The name of Sir William Beaumont is synonymous with the Fylde club. He was a one -club man, who joined Fylde as a 17-year-old in 1969 and stayed until injury forced him to retire in 1982.
He played for England 34 times, 21 times as Captain, captained the British Lions in South Africa. and was Manager of the Lions in New Zealand in 2004. He was Chairman of the Rugby Football Union from 2012 to 2016 and has been Chairman of World Rugby since 2016. Bill was knighted in 2019.

THIS SEASON'S EARLIER MATCH - 14th October 2023
( Six-try Tyne stun Fylde)
Fylde had lost three times recently, to Wharfedale (away) 27-26, Lymm (home) 14-15 and Rotherham Titans (away) 34-19 having been unbeaten in earlier matches. Tynedale on the other hand had lost the first five matches of the season, but were now recovering and they gained the full five points in a 34-28 victory, condemning Fylde to a fourth successive loss.

The visitors had raced into a 12-0 lead at the Woodlands with scores from Rob Parker and Oscar Caudle in the opening seven minutes,
After a successful Greg Smith penalty for Fylde, Tynedale then extended their lead with a rolling maul try by Joe Hanning. The visitors wrapped up the bonus point five minutes later, when Ben Riley ran in unopposed on the wing.
Fylde responded before the interval with Tom Carleton crashing over, before Ben Gregory got on the act to set up a tense final 40 minutes.

The hosts continued their momentum, scoring four minutes after the interval via Alex Clayton before the full back put Corey Bowker through to run in and put Fylde ahead for the first time in the match.
Tynedale retook the lead two minutes later though, through a darting run by Leslie before extending their lead with ten minutes to go with Ben Haigh scoring. Despite a Smith penalty Tynedale held on.

THIS SEASON
Fylde currently sit in 5th position in the league, two places ahead of Tynedale, having accrued 56 points, 7 more than Tynedale but from one more game.
Fylde have won their last three away matches and we expect another tough encounter where our ‘A’ game will certainly be required.
Fylde league results to date:-
Fylde 26 Sheffield Tigers 26
Preston Grasshoppers 27 Fylde 41
Fylde 32 Billingham 26
Wharfedale 27 Fylde 26
Fylde 14 Lymm 15
Rotherham 34 Fylde 19
Fylde 28 Tynedale 34
Leeds Tykes 30 Fylde 17
Fylde 62 Huddersfield 19
Sheffield 34 Fylde 28
Fylde 41 Otley 18
Hull Ionians 14 Fylde 36
Fylde 33 Preston Grasshoppers 27
Fylde 35 Hull 8
Billingham 25 Fylde 38
Fylde 7 Wharfedale 24
Lymm 28 Fylde 50
Fylde 27 Rotherham Titans 32

FYLDE WEBSITE
https://www.fylderugby.co.uk/

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
AR1: Simon Williams
AR2: Fraser Gill

BALL BOYS
Tynedale Under 12’s

WEATHER FORECAST
Dry, light clouds, light south-easterly wind, 13 degrees

SELECTED SQUAD