EXCITEMENT is building at Ledbury Rugby Club as they prepare for their crunch Midlands Senior Vase final clash on Saturday.
In what will be the Ross Road club’s biggest game of the season so far, a win for Ledbury will move them to just one win away from playing at Twickenham – the home of English Rugby.
Hoping to stop Ledbury in their tracks will be south Peterborough side Oundle who are currently top of their Midlands 3 East (South) Division having won 16 out of their 18 league games so far.
But Ledbury will go into the three-hour journey to Peterborough with confidence having won four of their last five league games – a run which has put them in the promotion chase in Midlands 3 West (South), currently fourth in the table with three games left to go chasing a top two spot.
Ledbury progressed to the Midlands Senior Vase final with a narrow 19-14 win over Stewart and Lloyds RFC on March 12.
And a win on Saturday will then see Ledbury take on West Leeds on April 9 in the national semi-final with victory earning them a ticket to the famous Twickenham ground which recently hosted the Rugby World Cup final.
It is understood the club have not played at Twickenham in their long history.
Ledbury Senior Coach Elliott Bee told the Observer the players are ready to deliver a big performance.
“The boys are buzzing and are on the edge of the seat so to speak,” he said.
“We’ve had two very good training sessions in the run up to the game and we are ready to bring it.
“There’s a lot of confidence in the team at the moment and I think a lot of that has come from the great commitment they have shown in training and every Saturday.
“What we are doing in Ledbury is the start of something special especially as we come up to the end of the season chasing promotion. It’s going to be entertaining for everyone involved.”
Despite Oundle’s top of the table position, Bee said the players must concentrate on their own ability on Saturday.
“A lot of it will depend on what we as a team can bring to the game and we’ll be going out there with a statement to put out against Oundle. We’ll play to our strengths.
“It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest games of the season. We try and say to the boys treat each game as it comes but as we progress through the competition I think they do realise the importance of this and it’s something they are enjoying and excelling in.”
Ledbury RFC are providing a bus for players and supporters for next Saturdays cup final against Oundle RFC.
The bus will be leaving the club at 10am and returning no later then 9/10pm. It will cost £5-£10, depending on the size of the bus.
