Harlequin Amateurs Christmas Roundup
By Charlie Allen
February 5 2008
Fancy running off some of those Christmas pounds or are you looking for a way to avoid New Year shopping trips? If you are interested in getting back into the game of rugby or indeed taking the sport up for the first time, then come along to training at St Mary’s University, Waldegrave Road, Twickenham.
Harlequin Amateurs train here every Wednesdaythroughout the season, and are always keen to welcome new players into theclub. Training will begin again after the festive period on January 2nd2008. Home matches are played on Saturdays at Broom Road in Teddington.
Harlequin Amateurs currently run:
§ 1XV playing in the RFUHerts Middlesex 2 League;
§ 2XV playing in the MiddlesexMerit Table;
§ 3XV playing localfriendly fixtures and
§ Veterans team.
Being a member of Harlequin Amateurs is not justabout rugby though.
There is a bustling social scene attached to theclub, based around our clubhouse over-looking Teddington Lock. This includespost match drinks and meals, comedy nights with professional comedians, an endof season dinner and a close-season rugby tour.
The Season so Far
Harlequin Amateurs startedtheir league season at home to St Nicholas Old Boys back inSeptember and overcame their opposition in a 29-3 win. The Quinsstarted slowly, but eventually tries from Lowe and Mawson saw themhome The following match saw the team take on OldIsleworthians - Harlequins started the match nervously but the tries eventuallygame thick and fast and a 59-5 victory was well deserved. By the end ofSeptember the Amateurs had gone 5 games unbeaten in all competitions, followinga Junior Vase win against Old Emanuel.
October was a less successfulmonth for the new outfit - firstly London Exiles beat the Amateurs narrowly inthe Junior Vase and then the team took on Wasps Amateurs at the Stoop. Thematch was a hard-fought battle, but the Wasps eventually ran away victors. Ithas since come to light that Wasps fielded a large number of illegible playersin the Stoop game, and the win has been awarded to Harlequins!
November allowed morematches and a return to winning ways on the pitch. A narrow win at Thamesianswas followed by a comfortable victory against Upper Clapton in the MiddlesexBowl. Then Uxbridge were dispatched in confident style. The final game of 2007matched Quins against HAC, and yet again the Amateurs went home with a victory.
At the half way stage in theleague, Harlequin Amateurs sit atop Herts & Middlesex 2 South, two pointsclear, and with a game in hand.
Rugby World Team of theMonth
Following the five unbeatenweekends in September, Harlequin Amateurs were crowned Rugby World Team of theMonth. For everybody involved with Harlequin Amateurs this is a proudachievement, yet it was awarded at the start of a long season. The club is on trackfor automatic promotion from Herts Middlesex 2 South and aim to go unbeatenthrough the season.
If you are interested in finding out more aboutHarlequin Amateurs, then please:
§ visit www.harlequinrugby.co.uk;
§ email harlequin.rugby@googlemail.com;
§ visit ourFacebook page - harlequin amateurs rugby club.
§ or comealong on Wednesday or Saturday and see us!
From all the team at Harlequin Amateurs, wehope you have a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing some of you in theNew Year!