Round-up of the grassroots rugby news – Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th February.
Avon’s rearranged match against Keynsham 2nd XV here at Crown Fields on Saturday 7th February was a victim of the rain that has hammered the area | Photo © Richard Briggs
With rain again bucketing down last week, Avon found their rearranged match away to Keynsham 2nd XV postponed.
Flooding at Crown Fields meant that the Counties 2 Tribute Ale Somerset clash on Saturday 7th February was called off.
And Avon are concerned about their fixture backlog, with a raft of 1st XV games being postponed this season due to the weather.
The Hicks Field club have played only 11 league fixtures so far this term – the lowest total in the 12-team division.
A statement from the club on Saturday 7th February said: “Avon’s rearranged match away to Keynsham has again been postponed due to flooded pitches.
“Avon have experienced an unprecedented five matches being called off inside the past two months due to the adverse weather conditions.
“Rearranged dates for league matches mean that there are now no blank Saturdays left in the remainder of the season which, in turn, increases problems with also having to accommodate cup games.”
Another fixture to fall to the weather on Saturday 7th February was Combe Down’s Davis Access Bath & District Combination Vase quarter-final at home to Corsham.
Bath Ladies United won for the ninth time in 10 matches in Women’s NC 1 South West (East) when they overcame visitors Drybrook 28-15 on Sunday 8th February. The Blue, Black & White led 14-5 at half-time.
The match had originally been scheduled for the Lambridge Training Ground but, because of the weather, was switched to Walcot’s base at Albert Field in Lansdown.
United are in second place in the table, two points behind leaders North Bristol 2nd XV who have played one match more.
Meanwhile, the Bath & District Combination squad for the Lewis Moody charity match being played at Bradford-on-Avon on Sunday 22nd February is bristling with talent from Echo-area clubs, alongside players from slightly further afield.
The game, which will kick-off at 2pm, is in aid of motor neurone disease charity the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
The Combination squad is Oli Andrews (Frome), Toby Ball (Corsham), Harry Bartram (Colerne), Kane Bond (Colerne), Tom Carey (Old Sulians), Joe Childs (Oldfield Old Boys), Billy Coombes (Oldfield Old Boys), Rhys Davies (Old Sulians), Fraser Emanuel (Corsham), Charlie Fallows (Avonvale), Alex Geddes (Warminster), Andy Hakes (Combe Down), Ed Harris (Walcot), James Harrison (Warminster), Owen Hayden (Melksham), Kieran Hiscock (Devizes), Will Hine (Devizes), Sam Holloway (Devizes), Ryan Knight (Westbury), Elis Jones (Combe Down), Robbie Lawrence (Bath Saracens), Iain Parris (Avon), Lewis Paget (Devizes), Connor Schuster (Midsomer Norton), Ollie Sumsion (Colerne), George Tuikabara (Warminster), Noah Watts (Midsomer Norton), Harrie Webster (Frome), Murray White (Frome), Fraser Moore (Westbury) and Ethan Oatley (Sutton Benger).
Moody, a former England captain who played for Bath and Leicester Tigers, revealed in October 2025 that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was founded by former Scotland and Newcastle player Doddie Weir following his motor neurone disease diagnosis in 2017.
Local result for Saturday 7th February:
Counties 4 Tribute Ale Somerset North: Oldfield Old Boys 2nd XV 45 Frome 3rd XV 28.
Local result for Sunday 8th February:
Women’s NC 1 South West (East): Bath United 28 Drybrook 15.
Local fixtures for Saturday 14th February:
Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern South: Walcot v Chippenham 2nd XV.
Counties 2 Tribute Ale Somerset: Clevedon v Avon, Oldfield Old Boys v Burnham-on-Sea.
Counties 2 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts North: Supermarine v Combe Down.
Counties 3 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts Central: Bath Saracens v Warminster, Combe Down 2nd XV v North Dorset 2nd XV, Salisbury 2nd XV v Avonvale.
Counties 3 Tribute Ale Somerset North: Old Sulians v Gordano 2nd XV.
Counties 4 Tribute Ale Somerset North: Frome 3rd XV v Walcot 2nd XV, Keynsham 3rd XV v Oldfield Old Boys 2nd XV.
Local fixture for Sunday 15th February:
Women’s Championship South 1: Bath v Old Albanian Saints.
