WELLINGTON Rugby Club have still not ruled out playing a memorial match this season for possibly three prominent members of the club who have died during the past six months – Rivers Barry, Chris ‘Bodmin’ Bullock and Tony Wyatt.

Towards the end of last year, Wellington agreed with Cullompton to play such a game for their president Rivers Barry. But since then Chris Bullock and Tony Wyatt have died.

“We need to get something arranged with Cullompton but we’re still waiting for guidance from the RFU,” said club coach Allyn Chetland. “We would like to think they will extend the season.

“Everything has been on hold since lockdown. We need to get back to group training and to have a joint meeting between coaches, captains and management committee.

“We would also like to think we could play some friendlies before the season, what’s left of it, comes to an end. It’s more than 12 months since we have played competitive rugby. Our season normally ends in April, so not a lot of time is left.

“And by the very nature of the sport we will be one of the last to get going again. For obvious reasons there’s not much news about players. They have been expected to keep fit, that’s about all really.

“We hope we can pick up where we left off – playing some splendid rugby. In fact, we could not have done much better.”

One problem for many rugby clubs is that many of their players are cricketers. They may have to make a decision as to whether they play rugby or cricket.

Wellington did play some rugby towards the end last year when they held a touch tournament at the Athletic Ground with the Chiefs Trophy up for grabs. The format of the game was ten-a-side with rolling subs on nearly a full size pitch, the games lasting 15 minutes. The senior squad, captained by Andrew Bellamy, eventually ran out winners.

Wellington’s backs and forwards coach Nic Sestaret, a French Under 21 player, has already said he will not be as involved with the club when rugby re-starts because of his rugby commitments at Taunton School. As an ex-Exeter Chiefs player he has brought a vast amount of experience to the club and has been credited with ‘bringing the best out of the lads’.