New Rugby League
outfit the Borderer Boars are calling on all rugby fans in South East Wales to
get behind their inaugural season in the Welsh Conference.
Having already played two games, losing both, this weekend
sees their first Saturday afternoon home game take place at Chepstow’s Upton
Memorial Ground (kick-off 2pm), against closest local rivals the Newport Titans.
They are hoping their local community can roar them on to their first victory.
They play on the Seconds’ pitch at Chepstow RFC, which is
kindly being lent to them by the club in a bid to get rugby played all year
round.
Comprised of players mainly from the Chepstow and Caldicot
areas, many of whom turn out for the local Union sides, they also include players
from Cardiff and Newport and as far afield as Bath and Lydney.
Captain John Rogers hopes that a win this weekend will further ignite local interest, saying: “Rugby League is a game people often don’t
try but when they do they love it. It’s fast-paced and aggressive and more of a
man versus man sport.
“Many of our players haven’t played League before and the
first match was a baptism of fire because they were learning the game.”
That ended in defeat to the Torfaen Tigers, followed by a
second against the Cardiff Demons.
Rogers added: “The second game was much different; we looked
a Rugby League team. Now we are looking for our first scalp this weekend.
“Everyone is getting to know each other all the time. Many
had never met each other before so we are creating a new group of friends and a
new community.
“The more we can do the better it is for Rugby League in
South East Wales, so thank you to Chepstow RFC and our coaching and management
team for making this possible.”
Chepstow’s first team captain Shane Reece, who is set to
join up with the Boars once he has recovered from a gruelling season, believes
the team will be a huge success.
He said: “Welsh Rugby League contacted Chepstow RFC stating
we had a huge catchment area as the closest club was Newport, and setting a
club up would be of benefit.”
They may have lost their first two fixtures, but as the team
has only been training together for six weeks Reece believes they are doing
tremendously well and things can only get better.
“There first game was a real step in to the unknown as there had never been Rugby League played
in Chepstow.
“We are looking to get local people in and bitten by the
bug. The game is completely different and we have a phenomenal player base.”
Despite the close ties to both Chepstow and Caldicot, he was
keen to point out the Boars were a separate club in their own right, adding: “We
just want people to know there is rugby going on all year round in the area,
run by people from that area.”
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