The jinxed Cumbria Cup competition has suffered a further setback with a semi-final being cancelled.
Only four clubs accepted invitations to take part, so the once-prestigious competition was reduced to two semi-finals and a final.
But now Kendal will go straight through to the final without the opportunity to flex their muscles as scheduled opponents Keswick have forfeited Saturday’s tie.
It leaves Aspatria v Penrith as the only game to be played ahead of the final but it is also not going to be played tomorrow – the date proposed by the competitions committee as it is free of League matches.
The respective coaches, Mike Scott and Dave Preston are good friends and it has been left between them to come up with a suitable date. One suggestion has been that it will be played in the fortnight break from League fixtures over Christmas and the New Year.
Which begs the question. Could Kendal v Keswick have not be played on a later date?
Keswick had reported on their Facebook page: “Due to player injuries and non-availability the Cumbria Cup game away at Kendal will not take place.”
It appears that the Davidson Park club were offered the chance to complete the fixture at a later date but declined.
The decline of the County Cup, once the showpiece of the Cumbria rugby union season, has been particularly sad to observe. So much emphasis on League rugby, and a desire for free time when there are no such fixtures, allied to a decline in actual playing numbers, has been bad news for the Cumbria Cup.
It could well be wishful thinking, but a major sponsor to back the competition, with cash prizes throughout and a gala day to round-off the season highlighted by the final, might tempt all the clubs to have a go.
In some ways, though, given the way RFU re-organisation is going, and the reluctance of Lancashire clubs to embrace their Cumbrian neighbours, a county League divorced from head-quarters with strong cash backing might be the way forward.
