This coming weekend, Ealing Trailfinders board the bus for the trip to Bristol to face 4th placed Clifton RFC. Despite Clifton’s close loss to Dings in the mud last week, 17-15, Mike Cudmore’s squad will expect a stern test at Station Road, where Clifton have won 10 out of 11 occasions ( a 6-6 draw against Dings) , including a 17-13 win over league leaders Barking.
Clifton’s DoR Darren Lloyd has assembled a team that is difficult to beat on their home patch, and they will be keen to take another top three scalp, having already downed Barking’s colours this season
Director of Rugby Mike Cudmore said before training Thursday, "Clifton have not been beaten at home this season so it will be a tough task for us this Saturday. We were all very disappointed not to have played last week but that has meant that the niggles and soreness the players have been carrying have had time to repair and they are all fresh and looking forward to going there and looking to deliver the result we need"
A history of Clifton RFC
Clifton Rugby Club was formed on 27th September 1872 at the Kings Arms on Blackboy Hill in Clifton, Bristol. The pub still stands , although it was rebuilt in 1902, and since refurbishment in the late 1990’s was known as Bohemia. It was then renamed Babushka, then Stark and was refurbished and renamed The Black Bear at the end of 2007. We are the 30th oldest club in the United Kingdom, the 19th oldest in England, the 2nd oldest in the South West (Bath beat us by 7 years) and the oldest in Bristol.
We have had 3 players gain international honours while playing for Clifton, James Arthur Bush in 1872, 73, 75, and 76, Hiatt Cowles Baker in 1887 and John Currie 1956-62. Many players have played for their country before or after playing for Clifton, most notable of these are 2 England captains, in 1955 Peter Young and in 1967 Colin McFadyean and the first captain of Wales, James Alfred Bevan, in 1881.
What are Clifton all about in 2010?
Clifton are currently sitting in 4th place in N2S, 16 wins 2 draws and 6 losses. They are on 80 points 13 behind Ealing.
John Barnes, their fly half is toppoints scorer with 124, whilst wing Rob Viol has 17 tries to his name, and full back Sam Smee has 9.
Their form has been good, From their last 6 games they have 4 wins and 2losses ( Dings last week and away to Barking ). But their home form is most impressive, 10 wins and 1 draw!
Looking at the stats: From the 24 games both teams have played : Clifton have scored 315 points at home, whilst Ealing have scored 375 away from Vallis Way. Of their 77 tries scored , 45 of them have been at Station Road, whilst 50 of Ealing’s have been away!
23 of Clifton’s have been scored by the piano shifters and 52 by the piano players, whilst Ealing’s is more dominated by the players 24 v 82!
Discipline : Clifton have 9 yellow Cards , Sam Wilkes and Matt Slater have 2 apiece.
Recent games between Ealing Trailfinders& Clifton
12/12/09 Ealing Trailfinders 36 Clifton 11
16/02/09 Clifton 22 Ealing Trailfinders 36
20/07/07 Ealing Trailfinders 71 Clifton 17
