Doncaster Dragons

Welcome to the 2011/12 season!!

For those of you visiting for the first time DRFC Dragons are the veteran’s team here at Castle Park. The team is made up of players aged 35 years and over wishing to prolong their rugby playing career as long as their body (or wife) will allow.

The team was formed by our current Club President and a few mates one Saturday evening in the late 1970’s (after copious amounts of Tetley’s no doubt!), and while the Dragons ethos of providing a game of rugby to anyone who wants one remains, many of the players involved over the years have been instrumental in achieving the clubs boast that Doncaster RFC are the most promoted team in the history of league rugby union.

It’s the done thing at DRFC to try and round off one’s playing days with a swansong in the Dragons. Several ex 1st XV captains have finished their playing days with the team and such is the quality of rugby being played recently that the Dragons compete against open aged sides in the vast majority of their fixtures. Experience and guile more often than not proves the master over youth, speed and enthusiasm.

The team has had its ups and downs over the years but at the moment is blessed with an abundance of gentlemen wanting to take part. The 2008/9 saw 43 different players pull on a shirt with a large number of players turning up for both home and away matches. Having too many players would be a problem for most captains, but in the spirit of the team the vast majority are willing to play a part then readily pass their jersey on to the next man.

The 2009/10 season saw a change in Captaincy for the Dragons with Mark Prydderch succeeding Dave Thomas who retired through injury. Mark (or Prid as he’s commonly known) has been a playing member at the DRFC for over 25 years and was a unanimous choice among all the players* to take over.

Throughout the coming season the Dragon’s will be supplying regular match reports and possibly some player profiles for inclusion within this fine publication. As you would expect, these reports may or may not be entirely accurate, but will hopefully put a smile on a few faces.

DRFC Dragons have a full fixture list and support is always welcome - the light-hearted banter on the sideline is worth experiencing in itself. Entrance to Castle Park is always free when Doncaster Knights are playing away; so on these days why not spend the afternoon supporting many of the players that laid the foundations to the status the Doncaster Knights 1st XV now enjoy. For more information regarding fixtures, contact details and anything else rugby related take a look at the Dragons pages on the Doncaster RFC web site.

* We cannot confirm this is true having heard on the grapevine that Prid was appointed in his absence by a few of the players at about midnight on the Saturday night that the Dragons had stuffed Doncaster Phoenix 46 – 15. So no beer involved in that one then!!)