Saturday I was at the Old Friarage Ground for the Boys Brigade Old Boys annual world cup match.

As far as it has been able to confirm there are only two BBOB sides in the world. One is in Hartlepool the other in Northampton. They play each other annually on Easter Saturday for the World Champion title

This year it was the twenty first playing of the match and the Hartlepool branch turn to play host.

It is a focal point of both sides playing and social calendar each year with the off field activities being as large a part of the weekend as the actual match.

I was able to join in the pre match reception and watch the early stages of the match before having to leave for the journey to Kent for the U20 match.

This year’s champions were Hartlepool with a 57 – 22 victory and I am told that the post-match activities were as lively and enjoyable as ever.

Saturday evening I travelled to Kent with the county U20 side for the nation semi-final match to be played at Cranbrook RFC the next day.

After overnighting at Dartford we travelled to the ground on Sunday morning.

It was a fine dry day and a very good pitch; all was set for a good match. There was a large crowd which included former England back row Mickey Skinner who had come to watch his son play in the Kent side.

The Durham boys produced a superb performance eventually coming out victors 26 -18.

This earns them a Twickenham final against Yorkshire on the 6^th May.

Mention has to be made of the number of families and friends who made the long journey to support the Durham team. They could certainly be heard on the day and the boys said that this helped in raising their game.