First game nerves!

Can you remember your first game of rugby?

My first game for Leeds Chirons was expected to take place on Saturday 7th November 1964 against Bradford Nomads. Unfortunately, Bradford could not find enough players for their 'A' team and so the game had to be cancelled. This was very disappointing but we had a fixture arranged for the following Saturday and so a week later than anticipated I was contemplating playing my first proper game of rugby. I was an excited and apprehensive seventeen year old whose only experience was one game of rugby league at Liversedge School and a few house matches at Matthew Murray School.

On Saturday 14th November 1964, with a great deal of trepidation, I walked from Roundhay School to Soldiers Field to make my 'A' team debut against Leeds YMCA. We did not use the main Chirons pitch because the first team was also at home that afternoon. The pitch we played on was the one normally used by Leeds Telephones. I was selected on the wing and was very fortunate that the YMCA winger, I played opposite, was a really decent bloke. He did not take advantage of my inexperience and talked me through the game. By the end of the eighty minutes my first game nerves had gone and I felt much more confident. We lost that game and the one the following week against Leeds University 'B' The first victory I played in was on Saturday 28th November 1964 when Chirons 'A' beat York RI 'A' by 16-11.

A number of former players recall their memories of playing for Leeds Chirons in Chapters 9 and 10 of Leeds Who?