Thursday, March 7, 2024 6:00 p.m.
Richmond and Blackheath will face each other on Friday, the 160th anniversary of the game. City AM spoke to find out how this match in England’s third tier plays into the debate between promotion and relegation in the rugby pyramid.
Many eyes will be on south-west London to watch England’s Six Nations clash with Ireland as the most important rugby match to take place this weekend.
But just down the road in leafy Richmond, a historic rivalry dating back to 1864 will be reignited on Friday night.
Richmond and Blackheath of England’s third division, National League One, will clash in a reenactment of the world’s oldest inter-club match.
However, this is not a special fixture installed to commemorate the anniversary. It’s been happening organically since he realized it’s been 160 years since the first encounter and both clubs are in the same league.
Richmond were once in the Premiership but went bankrupt, along with London Irish, Wasps and Worcester Warriors. Now they are forging a path back to stability.
Richmond on the rise
Chairman Nick Preston reflects on the match between the two teams and the perils of Championship rugby.
“When Richmond got kicked out, we were broke for about two minutes and then [we were treated] “It’s the complete opposite of what’s happening at the moment,” he says. City AM
“Even when we were kicked out of rugby union, Blackheath and Richmond continued to play every season. So this is very important historically, but also important for both clubs.
“There is a great relationship between both clubs and this is a highly regarded, enjoyable and fiercely competitive match.
“We went up there earlier in the season and lost by a close margin, so we hope to get some revenge on Friday.
“I met one of the Championship chairman a while ago and he said at the beginning of the conversation that there wasn’t much fun left in this game. There’s not much fun left.
“The interesting thing is, if we were still in the Championship, I probably would have agreed vehemently as well. But National League One is competitive and we are playing against good teams. They have good people.”
The match was restarted in November and Blackheath won 21-17.
And National League 1 has grown significantly. Chinner, who are coached by former Worcester Warriors assistant Nick Easter, are level on points with the Rams at the top of the table after 20 games, with a huge lead over the chasing pack.
Richmond are sixth, Plymouth, led by former England international Ryan Lamb, are fifth, London rivals Roslyn Park are fourth and Friday’s opponents are eighth, with the 14-team third-tier side in the final half. They are tied with a 10 point difference.
history
“It’s really amazing. There’s nothing orchestrated or artificial about this,” Preston added. “We were one of the first teams to go professional at a big time, and it cost a lot of money.
“But I find it interesting that the two oldest clubs in the world are both community clubs with three or four men’s teams, women’s teams and the absolute foundation of the game, mini-teams. Huh?
“I think it’s going to be a close game, they’ve got good players and they’re hanging around the same area as us and Roslyn Park.
“It’s going to be a hard-fought game and there are a lot of games where both teams are scoring four or five tries and the difference is just two points. I think it’s going to be very entertaining.”
Blackheath chairman James Fleming said: City AM They were “very much looking forward to playing Richmond on Friday.”
“It’s a game steeped in history and we have 160 years of tradition to look back on. The games are usually very close and always enjoyed by both players and supporters, with Friday’s under the lights The night match makes it even more special,” he added.
Therefore, the reason we are postponing rugby’s death for a few more years is because it is being actively played somewhere in England, in the third tier.
As the match coincides with International Women’s Day, a large crowd is expected to gather at the Athletic Ground on Friday, where women can enter for free.
City AM You’ll be there. will you do?