Rugby Masters Festival

Photo: Laura Wild

Rochdale Masters Festival 2010

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The Mayfield Rugby Club welcomed all rugby players aged over 35 to play in a Masters festival on Sunday (9 May 2010).

The aim of the game was to give all those people who haven’t been able to play rugby due to injury or other matters to join together and have some fun.

Ian Kershaw from Mayfield Rugby Club said: “It is a social thing it gives blokes a chance to get here and play. We have had a really good day.”

A number of ex-professionals were on show as teams from Eccles, Oldham St Annes, Saddleworth and Waterhead joined Mayfield and a Non-Mayfield Rochdale select team in the Mayfield masters festival.

The teams, watched by a large and appreciative crowd, played a round robin format – and as per masters ‘rules’ all games ended in a draw with a rousing three cheers for the teams.

Flowing Rugby league was the order of the day and the highlights included Marvin Connelly’s spring-heeled break down the left wing, gold shorted Gordon baker’s ‘sportsmanship’ and Tony Hilton’s ‘joe montana quarter back’ like passing.

Masters Rugby league slogan is ‘we do not stop playing because we grow old – we grow old because we stop playing’ and the old bodies on show certainly enjoyed their play day.

Masters rugby is a relatively new event in UK and this is the second time the club has held such a festival.

Players wore different shorts to signify how far they could go in the play, gold shorts were worn by players over 50 years old who shouldn’t be tackled and red shorts were worn by those who had suffered an injury so could be moved out of the way but not tackled.

The Mayfield Masters team will continue throughout the summer taking in trips to various rugby league clubs around the country and anyone interested should contact Simon Howe on 07917883779. The only qualification is that you are over 35.