Twickenham-bound Thornensians ready for their ‘biggest ever game’

The Coulman Road club face Surrey outfit Reeds Weybridge in the RFU Junior Vase final.

Thornensians, who can also still win promotion from Yorkshire Two, qualified for the competition after winning last season’s Yorkshire Silver Trophy.

Approximately 500 supporters are expected to make the journey from Thorne to the home of the English rugby union to support the Doncaster club.

“It is with great pride and excitement that we can call ourselves National Junior Vase finalists,” said Thornensians president Kevin Bull.

“This will be a very proud and emotional moment for the whole club.

“Our senior coach John Pearce has been with us five or six years now and he’s got the lads playing a fast open 15 man game of rugby,” he added. 

“We have a very good balance of experience and youth. A lot of the younger lads have developed and matured and they’re really playing at the top of their game.

“Try scoring has been well spread throughout the team and we have had 24 different try scorers this season.”

Director of rugby Andy Ellis said: “It is the biggest game in the club’s history and all of the players’ careers.

“We are looking forward to this game. Hopefully the whole town will buy into this.”

Thornensians, established in 1939, won the Yorkshire Shield in 1952 and lifted the Yorkshire Cup in 1961 and 1962.

More recently they won the Yorkshire Silver Trophy in 2016 and again last season – meaning they were invited to represent Yorkshire level 9 rugby in the Junior Vase.

Thornensians brushed aside the top two sides in Durham/Northumberland Division Three, Blyth and Seaton Carew, to reach the knockout stages.

They then won 23-3 at Ellesmere Port, ending the north west champions’ two-year unbeaten home record in the process.

A place in the final was sealed in Nottinghamshire with a 33-12 victory over Midlands 4 East North high flyers Mellish.

“Each of the sides that we’ve beaten have all got promotion to the next level for next year,” said Bull.

“We’ve done over 600 miles in travel to get to these fixtures, scoring 174 points and only had 30 points scored against us.

“I want to thank all of the rugby team at the club for the way they’ve pulled together over the last week or so to get things organised for the weekend,” he added.

“And none of this would be possible without our sponsors Dave Powell, Dave Martin and DHL.”