For the second week running, we have a local derby against Reading opposition to look forward to, this time, in the form of 5th placed Reading Abbey, who have adapted well to life in SW1, after a tough start. Both sides enter this game after good wins a week ago- Maids dispatching Reading 38-13 in the derby, with Abbey overcoming Grove 15-7.
Abbey feature Maids’ old boy, Patrick McSweeney in the front row this week, who sadly, couldn’t commit to his old club this season, but we look forward to giving him a warm welcome, followed by several dirty pints in the bar, post-game. Abbey also feature ex Chinnor and Redingensians second row, Michal Kruzycki, a current Polish international, while at full back, they have the fleet-footed Gavin Dampies- an Apache 7s teammate of several Maidenhead players.
In the Maids team, Perry Jansen continues at 9, due to injuries to Mark Childerhouse and Jack Hill, so Will Thompson remains at 10, and we caught up with him this week, to learn more about him…
*Nickname(s)? Thomo, Foghorn, Weird Will, Frodo.
*Occupation? Unemployed graduate/full time sponger and Jeremy Kyle viewer.
*Position? Fly half
*Former clubs? Maidenhead RFC from U8s, and Leeds Met RFC
*Biggest rugby achievement to date? Reaching the semi-finals of the Daily Mail cup in my final year at school, and beating Durham to win the league with my uni team.
*Favourite food? Curried spitroast.
*Dream woman/man? Jennifer Lawrence/Tony Brooks
*Which Maids teammate would you least like to be stuck in a lift with, and why? Churchy/Cadden- they’re both very weird.
*What do you want to achieve this season? Promotion, and to play a regular part in the promotion push. I also want to captain the birdbath team.
So, what is a birdbath, that is regularly mentioned in this preview? The birdbath is a 16th century cleansing mechanism, derived from South China, believed to give strength, and an immunity to colds, flu and sexually-transmitted infections. Recent studies show, that a birdbath a day, increased white blood cells, used for fighting off diseases, and it’s thought that the new methods may help cure cancer in the long term. Upon initiation into the first team at Maids, this beautiful, ancient practice is demonstrated to debutants, where they often take it upon themselves to practice regularly. Recent champions of this art form, include Steve and Scott Prince, father and son, who have been rumoured to be forming an unhealthy addiction to the birdbath, which has seen them perform the act in every room of the family home. Martine Prince was unavailable for comment, at the time of going to press.
Regarding team selection, Will Macauley is on a left-hand passing course up North, so is unavailable, and is replaced by Ross Muil in the back row. James Emmanuel’s 6-day hangover has just finished, so he can take a place on the bench, whilst Ross Lewis will make his home debut if he comes on. Lunch Money Jones continues at tighthead, despite trapped wind, while Nic Jones is full of beans after a ‘successful’ date night last Saturday, which saw him and new girlfriend devour 3 plates of pigs in blankets.
Maids team:
- Parrott (c)
- H Jones
- L Jones
- Churchyard
- White
- Muil
- Cadden
- Long
- Jansen
- Thompson
- Prince
- Hannigan
- Keohane
- Bart
- Finnie
- Britton
- Emmanuel
- Lewis
Abbey team:
- McSweeney
- Toland
- Emery
- Hallett (c)
- M Kruzycki
- Shaw
- O’Connell
- Cole
- Bevan
- Burns
- Greenaway
- Ross
- Walton
- Gingell
- Dampies
- Charlton
- K Kruzycki
- Gingell
Come on you Maids!
MAIDENHEAD 