Eastern Counties Rugby Union

The Legends Team :- Chris Smith, Richard Horne, Tim Groom, Paul Cayley, James Winterbottom, John Llewellyn, William Foote, Andrew Horne, Daniel Pickess, Sebastian Goodge, Thomas Holt, James Hayho, Benjamin Goodman, Andrew Thorpe ,Naz Gurgin, Andrew Thomson, Richard Cooke, Ben Macc, Simon Palmer. Timothy Goodge and Ian Webster.

The under 20s :- Joe Boom, Rory Carter, Tom Webster, John Joe Smith, Tom Watson, Ed Bullock, Deaglan Bowman, Alex Leader, Campbell Young, Jordan Dunning, Wayne Keep, Jo Brock, Jacob Page, James Wallace ,Jo Burrows, Kieren Pask and Xavier Valentine.

The format of the annual Boxing day match was altered slightly this year to encourage former colts who are living away but are home for Christmas to be involved .The under 20s side included 8 returnees. When William Foote said he would organise a legends team, he really went to town The pack he selected could still turn out for the 1st team and not let them down. Tim Groom is of course still playing for the 1st and Paul Cayley, Richard and Andy Horne all recent representatives. In the second row John Llewellyn was representing his father William and alongside him was James Winterbottom, the first member of Diss Rugby Club to play for England when he appeared for the National under 16s team whilst still at Diss High School. (He went on to play for his country at under 18, colts, under 21s and England Counties XV.) In the three quarters Foote included Norfolk record try scorer, Andrew Thorpe.

The match started at a cracking pace; the under 20s hoping to tire out their senior opponents. This was not wholly successful; combating any rapid movement the Legends employed the rolling maul to good effect. However unforced handling errors allowed the 20s to keep in the match and by half time the scores were close the under 20s leading by 5 points.
In the second period experience gradually wore down youth and the Legends managed to score at will in the last quarter and eventually ran out winners by 45 points to 28. Try scorers for the Legends were Andy Horne (4),Andrew Thorpe (2), Chris Smith and James Hayho; Naz Gurgin providing the conversions.

Included in the 20s side was Xavier Valentine who played for Morley whilst at University, and was voted players man of the match. Other players in the team with 1st Team experience at Diss included Jo Brock, Alex Leader, Jacob Page and Keiren Pask. Scorers for the under 20s were Joe Boom , James Wallace., Tom Watson and Wayne Keep, Alex Leader providing the conversions.
William Foote was awarded the' Fourfathers' man of the match by a very close vote, Chris Smith coming a very creditable second