Having risen at great pace from the anonymity of the lower leagues, I loved the way they tried to break up the Premiership cartel and their brave fight against overwhelming odds to be accepted. They refused to be cowed and belittled and kept knocking on the door of those who, frankly, wished they didn’t exist.
Three times they were ‘promoted’ to the very top tier via the torturous play-off system although only twice were they allowed to take their place. Both times they were relegated but, against huge odds, they fought the good fight and there were also moments in Europe to remember.
In the 2000-2001 season they won four of their six games in the European Shield including the double over Grenoble and a famous 20-19 win at Perpignan. Just for a while they dined at rugby’s top table.
You sensed it couldn’t last but wished them well nonetheless and when, having perhaps flown too close to the sun, they suddenly crashed and burned, some wondered for their very existence as they started to descend the leagues and fight for their very survival.
Not me, I should add. The Rotherham of my acquaintance were always a proper community-based rugby club, brim-full of enthusiastic volunteers and rugby tragics, who among other things served the best grub and ale on the circuit and afforded the warmest of Yorkshire welcomes to visiting media and supporters.
Denne historien er fra May 05, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra May 05, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Edwards gives Gatland a little to think about
A TERRIFIC effort from Ospreys should have seen victory and it was rough justice that high-flying Cardiff escaped with an undeserved draw.
Cowan-Dickie: I'm back and buzzing
LUKE Cowan-Dickie's journey back to the pinnacle of rugby is nothing short of extraordinary.
Clow keeps Rams in touch at the top
RAMS inward approach is paying dividends with the club involved in another title race thanks in part to free scoring flyer Zachary Clow.
Powell powers over to take Quins home
PLAYMAKER Kayleigh Powell powered past four defenders to score the eighth Harlequins try and narrowly edge out a spirited Trailfinders side to secure a late comeback win in a 15-try derby thriller.
Hathaway can follow Zam Skivington
GEORGE Skivington has backed Josh Hathaway to continue to go from strength to strength as the young winger attempts to follow in the slipstream of Louis Rees-Zammit and be a big hit for club and country.
Hybrid Hash will tie Borthwick in knots
THE description 'Hybrid Central Contracts' does not inspire confidence. Hybrid usually means a bit of this, and a bit of that — and 'Hybrid Hash' would be a more apt term for the RFU contracts given to 17 England players just before the autumn series slump.
Quins leave it late to power past Falcons
MARCUS Smith showed his class on Friday night, being an imperious creator and finisher as Harlequins romped to an emphatic five-try victory on Tyneside.
We need to see a complete shake-up
A NEW year and change is on the way across many aspects of the game, not least with the possibility of an SGM creating a complete change at the RFU.
Cool McBryde steals it for RGC
BILLY McBryde held his nerve to land a last kick of the match conversion to snatch a stunning 4139 win for RGC over leaders Ebbw Vale at Parc Eirias.
Century of highs for La Rochelle
AN IMPRESSIVE milestone at Stade Marcel Deflandre was reached last night, where La Rochelle hosted their 100th sell-out match in a row – either side of the period of pandemic restrictions – a run stretching back to January 2, 2016.
