RUGBY: A fitting farewell (From Wiltshire Times)

RUGBY: A fitting farewell

4:00pm Friday 8th March 2013 in Sport News By Dan Barnes

TROWBRIDGE Rugby Club will roll out the welcome mat to more than 100 former players as they bid a fond farewell to their Green Lane home tomorrow.

Trowbridge have plied their trade at their ground for 50 years but will be moving to a new base on the edge of the town, near Hilperton, for next season.

The final first-team home fixture of the campaign sees Steve Ojomoh’s side mark the end of an era by taking on local rivals Devizes in a top-of-the-table clash in the Southern Counties South division.

“It’s quite spooky how it’s been 50 years since we began playing at Green Lane and also how we’ve got a game against our local rivals on Saturday,” said Trowbridge secretary Chris Lamb.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be a good day. We’ve invited more than 100 ex-players to come down for a lunch before the game and many of them are coming from outside the town, with even a few travelling from overseas.

“We’ve also inviting people over for lunch when England play Wales (in the Six Nations on March 16) but we’re hoping to get a big crowd on Saturday.

“It will be an important game for us and Steve will have the team ready it because we’ve still got a chance of a play-off spot or even automatic promotion.

“Success at Trowbridge Rugby Club is good for the town and we’re hoping that Saturday can get more people interested in the club and the sport of rugby.”

Head coach Ojomoh, whose side are 10 points behind leaders Devizes going into tomorrow’s clash (2.30pm), said: “It’s a big day for everyone connected with the club and for the playing guys, it really like a cup final.

“Devizes are in the comfortable seat (at the top) and we’re on edge and have been for a long time.

“The day means a lot to a lot of people at the club and hopefully supporters will come out to see two sides who like to play attractive rugby.’’ Trowbridge’s new home, which is currently being built, has yet to be officially christened.

Lamb added: “We’re on track to hopefully be open in August and around the place we’ve called it Hilperton Rise or Hilperton Meadows but we haven’t come up with an official name yet.

“Maybe there’ll be some local organisation that wants to sponsor our ground and have it named after them?”

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