A weekend of celebrations down at Fortress Fengate

There's a feast of rugby going on at Fengate over the weekend when Peterborough Rugby Club hold their annual Beer Festival and President's Day.
Jon Phillips.Jon Phillips.
Jon Phillips.

The action kicks off on Friday evening when the club’s all-conquering Under 13 girls team play against an invitational side. The girls have won all their games this season, and will be keen to put on an impressive display for the watching crowds.

This is followed by the eagerly awaited and always fiercely contested Peterborough Celts v Peterborough Welsh charity match. Captains Aaron Throne (Celts) and Duncan Davies (Welsh) always gather together some top players and this year is expected to be no different.

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On Saturday centre stage will go to Borough seconds who face Deeping firsts in the final of the Hunts and Peterborough Cup (4pm kick-off) .

The Deeping side are coached by former Borough skipper Nobby Coupland.

President’s Day (Sunday) starts with mini and junior games and ends with the traditional President’s match between Borough’s title-winning first XV and a star-studded President’s XV assembled by Bruce Morley.

The guest team will be captained by Borough and Saints legend Jon Phillips, and will include Harry Morley, along with many other former Borough stars such as Darian Uys, Ducan Low Will Carrington, Reggie Reid and John Harlock.

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With Borough scoring over 950 points this season there is sure to be plenty of fine running rugby.

Sunday also sees the official opening of another significant addition to the superb facilities at Fengate.

Work has been completed on a new £50,000 additional bar facility for match-days, with unobstructed covered views of the first team playing area. It will also be used as a coaching and learning facility during the week.

As part of their ‘Club For All’ strategy, the club have invited John Canham, who is believed to be the oldest local surviving club member, along with a representative from the club’s Under 6 team, who are the youngest playing section, to perform the opening along with Rob and Bruce Morley, who have been behind the project.

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The opening is the first part of further infrastructure improvements, which will during the summer see the completion of the club’s new training area, additional pitch floodlighting and a new stand.

Borough vice-chairman Archie Bennett said: “It is going to be a great weekend with lots of great rugby, good beer and lively entertainment.

“It is always the time to meet up with old friends and make new acquaintances.

“I am delighted that we are adding more infrastructure to our facility and these new projects will help to accommodate our ever increasing membership.

“We have had a brilliant season throughout all sections of the club, and the weekend is aimed in getting everyone together to celebrate being part of our growing rugby family.”

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