Richmond and Blackheath meet on Friday in what will be the 160th anniversary of the fixture. City A.M. hears how this match, in England’s third tier, is keeping arguments of promotion and relegation in the rugby pyramid alive.
Many will look to south west London and see England’s Six Nations clash with Ireland as the most significant rugby match taking place this weekend.
But just up the road, in leafy Richmond, Friday night is set to see the reignition of a historic rivalry which dates back to 1864.
Richmond and Blackheath, both of England’s third-tier National League 1, clash in a repeat of the world’s oldest inter-club fixture.
But this isn’t a special fixture put on to mark the anniversary; it is happening organically because, 160 years after their first clash, the two clubs find themselves in the same league.
Richmond were once in the Premiership but went bust like London Irish, Wasps and Worcester Warriors. Now they’re building their way back up to stability.
Richmond on the rise
Their chairman Nick Preston reminisces about the matches between the two sides, and the perils of Championship rugby.
“When Richmond were thrown out, after we went bust for about two minutes, [we were treated] completely the opposite of what you’re seeing happening at the moment,” he tells City A.M.
“Even when we were thrown out of the rugby union, Blackheath and Richmond still played each season. So it’s very important historically, but also for the two clubs.
“There’s a great relationship between the two clubs and it’s a fixture that is valued and enjoyed and fiercely competitive.
“We went down there and lost narrowly early this season. We’re hoping to get retribution on Friday.
“I had a meeting with one of the Championship chairmen not that long ago and he started the conversation by saying that there isn’t much joy left in the game. There is not an awful lot of fun.
“The interesting thing is if we were still in the Championship, I would probably be agreeing vehemently. But National League 1 is competitive, we’re playing against good sides and they’re staffed by good people.”
The fixture’s return, in November, saw Blackheath come out 21-17 winners.
And National League 1 has grown significantly. Chinnor, coached by former Worcester Warriors assistant Nick Easter, sit top of the table, joint on points with the Rams after 20 matches and way ahead of the chasing pack.
Richmond are sixth, former England player Ryan Lamb’s Plymouth are fifth, London rivals Rosslyn Park are fourth and Friday’s opponents are eighth – and they’re all separated by 10 points in the 14-team third tier.
History
“It is absolutely fantastic and this has not been orchestrated, or contrived or anything,” Preston adds. “We were one of the first teams to go professional, in the big time, and it cost us a lot.
“But isn’t it interesting that you’ve got the two oldest clubs in the world which are community clubs that both put out three or four men’s teams, a women’s team and a minis team which is the absolute foundation of the game?
“I think it’ll be a tight game, they’ve got some good players, they’re hovering around the same area as us and Rosslyn Park.
“It’ll be an intense game and we have so many games that have just been two points in it when both sides have scored four or five tries. I’m sure it’ll be very interesting.”
Blackheath’s Chairman James Fleming told City A.M. they were “very much looking forward to playing Richmond on Friday”.
“A game steeped in history, we have 160 years of tradition to look back on. The games are usually very close, and have always been enjoyed by players and supporters on both sides, and a Friday evening game under lights makes it all the more special,” he added.
So put off rugby’s obituary for another couple of years because the game is thriving somewhere in England: the third tier.
A bumper crowd is expected at the Athletic Ground on Friday, when women will be admitted for free due to the game coinciding with International Women’s Day.
City A.M. will be there. Will you?