The 2006/07 season ended with the OPM first XV finishing 3rd in Devon One. After losing so many experienced players the year before, the main priority for the season was one of consolidation. However with such good results throughout, 3rd in the league was an excellent finish to a very successful season. It was at this time that evergreen John Halton announced that he was hanging up his boots and retiring (for real this time!!!) I d like to thank John for all of his efforts over the years. He was a greatly respected and well-liked member of the first XV and continues to be a great servant to the club.

 

The annual OPM tour was next on the agenda and a tour to Windsor beckoned. The ‘Barbara Windsor’ tour as it was known even had the approval of its namesake with a signed photograph from her becoming the tour mascot. After a belated start to proceedings (You know who you are) we began our trip. Matches were played by the Veterans and ‘the rest’ in which unbelievably both games were won. The evening’s events saw 40 Barbara Windsor’s dressed and take the rugby club and all of Windsor by storm. Particular memories include a performance of the Haka from the New Zealand Maoris who were training at the club, Simon Adams leading the rugby songs in a packed Windsor club and John Charlick in a bikini!!!! Sunday then saw the tour party watching the Heineken Cup Final and given an opportunity to watch how rugby can be played when not intoxicated.

 

The new season began with the same core of players in the first XV from 06/07. This meant that we were able to begin the year with a similar team in confident mood about the forthcoming season. Within the team management, it was decided to keep our promotion aspirations relatively low key until Chris Pascoe, first team manager and PR guru, decided to pen the headline ‘OPMS: Only promotion will do’ in a local newspaper. The target had been set and a fantastic start meant that the first 7 games of the season were all OPM victories. Unfortunately this was then followed by 3 closely fought defeats meaning other teams closed the gap on us at the top of the table. We then finished 2007 with our best performance of the season in a crushing win over archrivals OPOs before the Christmas break. Good results in the EDF Junior vase has also seen the first XV advance into the 6th round, our furthest ever progression in the competition, with an away trip to Burnham-on-Sea in the New Year and with the chance of playing at Twickenham in the final. The team spirit has been fantastic all season and thanks goes to CP and Neil Bellamy for their efforts in making it another good season socially.

 

The first XV currently lies in a very strong position in both the league and cup competitions and we will continue to push for promotion and further our Cup aspirations in 2008. The club itself continues to be going from strength to strength, under Simon Adams and the Committee’s tireless efforts, with regular social events taking place at the clubhouse through CP and his social committee. We look forward to another successful year at all levels in 2008.

 

Matt Glastonbury