After a truly memorable 150th anniversary season, the icing on the cake at Ambleside Centurions Rugby Club was an Old Boys game versus the Westmorland Barbarians.
Thirty-four players arrived at the club to be split into teams. The Ambleside Centurions managed and coached by Matty Kaye and Archie Barber, and the Westmorland Barbarians managed and coached by Tuccie and Bryan Redpath the ex-Scottish RU captain.
The game was not about the result; it was a celebration of rugby in Ambleside over the last 150 and 15 years respectively.
The weather did the occasion proud, and with the teams evenly matched with good local, and vocal support from the touchlines.
As it was a social game of rugby it was fast and free flowing as the final score suggests.
What made the occasion so special was the number of players and supporters who returned to the club to celebrate the occasion.
After the highly successful season the Centurions had in the league this year doing the double over Windermere and not finishing bottom of the league as everyone expected it was great to see players from Kendal. Windermere, Furness, Ulverston, London and Scotland return to support the club and see friends they had not seen for years.
As the final whistle sounded the Centurions won by 72 points to 60, as both sides collapsed exhausted to the floor.
Man Of the Match for the Centurions was Joe Alday, special mention to Harry Reid, Man of the Match for the Barbarians was Liam Mckinnon special mention to T Butler.
Everyone retired to the club house to reminisce over a hog roast and cheese board.
Then as the evening unfolded the Players Awards for the season with the big winners being Nick Bayliss and Rory Rimington-Smythe and Bryan Redpath inspired and motivated all of the players and supporters to go on to strive for bigger and better things next season on and off the pitch.
The evening finished with a raffle and auction to raise much needed new roof on the club which will hopefully be completed this summer.
Laughter and stories carried on till around midnight and many people expressed a desire for the fixture to become an annual event.
Eighteen months ago the village nearly lost its rugby club, now with everyone pulling together – and there are far too many people to mention, but they all know who they are – the club is alive and kicking and looking forward to a brighter future starting with the new season in September when we hope to be joined by plenty of new players and supporters who want to start enjoying their rugby again.
Many thanks to everyone involved in rising this cracking little rugby club from the ashes, this anniversary season could not have gone any better and exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations.
