Each year, as England and France collide on the Six Nations stage, another contest, no less meaningful, unfolds across the Channel. Now in its 48th year, the Warlingham vs Old Hirelings fixture is a living thread of rugby heritage, drawing together current players, former teammates, and long-retired old boys from across the UK to represent their club and continue this wonderful friendship that has endured for nearly half a century.

This season, the tradition carried us back to Paris, where generations of Warlingham and Stade Français alumni reunited not just for a match, but for a weekend steeped in camaraderie, shared history, and the enduring spirit of the game. Here with his report of the game is fellow tourist and Head Coach for Warlingham’s Touch team, Craig Aldridge.

Paris provided the perfect backdrop for a great day of rugby as Warlingham and Old Hirelings met for the 48th time in our own warm-up for the England vs France Six Nations game.

The Warlingham team, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (ish), despite the festivities of the previous evening put together a performance they can be proud of. The coach journey was full of song and excitement (and a couple of sore heads), with the fervour leading one person (who shall remain nameless) to fat shame one of France’s best-loved monuments.

Just before kick-off, the team had a couple of setbacks with David Halliwell and Russ Joao, sadly, unable to take part in the match day squads due to a couple of “ouchies”, helping the team from Paris to extend their already significant edge on numbers.

From the start, Warlingham had their biggest weapon taken away from them as uncontested scrums meant they were unable to take full advantage of their upfront power. However, Raphael Fudge set the tone with an enormous hit in the first couple of minutes that even rattled the teeth of the spectators, and it was game on.

In the early exchanges Warly were unable to match the dynamism of the French back line, and a couple of missed tackles put Old Hirelings in the driving seat; but a lovely short pass from Alex Glover put young Jamie Hughes through a gap, carrying three defenders with him, to finish over the line for Warly’s first score of the day.

Then, halfway through the first half, Wars were finally able to showcase their power upfront. With excellent phase play led by Alex Nunn and Danny Gillespie, as well as the commendable Tim Lunn giving Father Time the middle finger with his excellent ruck work, Warly stretched the French defence creating space out wide, exploited with a good miss pass from Morgan Gillam and a great dummy run by Cedric Bunel to give Richard Broer an easy canter to the line.

At half time the game was close. With only a score in it, Warlingham had a chance to record their first win in 8 years!

Unfortunately, Warlingham were still unable to match Old Hirelings for pace, and a couple of handling errors allowed the hosts in for a couple of soft scores. However, to their immense credit, Warly did stage a comeback.

Nick Kewell, who had done an excellent job keeping the ball moving all day made way for Jackson Stevens at scrum half. This, together with good hard running by Ollie Wilson and the younger Warlingham contingent, meant Wars were able to make power count once more, helping to draw a string of penalties to put the team in an excellent scoring position. Elliot Jones, who had been throwing darts all day, found Joe Kelly in the line-out seven metres from the whitewash, setting the perfect platform to allow Spencer Clifford to cap a Player of the Match performance, in front of his parents, with a well deserved try.

Ultimately, superior numbers and an inability to take full advantage of the power game told, and Warlingham conceded to late scores that put the game out of reach. But a special mention must go out to Anthony Knapton, who rolled back the years jinking his way through OH’s defence, and together with Adam Downie-Keen and Ian Anderson bossed the back field under some difficult circumstances.

Well done Warly, not a bad showing for a scratch side!

As ever, the final whistle tells only a fraction of the story. Beyond the scoreline, this annual pilgrimage remains a celebration of something far greater; friendship, tradition, and the threads that bind generations of Warlingham players past and present. From post-match speeches with gifts exchanged to shared tables of food, wine, and stories that grow richer with each telling, the spirit of the fixture strengthens with each passing year. With the 50th now firmly on the horizon, the invitation is open - be part of it.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to all those who organised the trip for the tourists, with enormous thanks going out to Cedric Bunel, Danny Gillespie, Alex Glover and Hayley Sasserath for all the time and hard work they have put in over the months to make this occasion such a success. As well, a special mention must go out to Denis Robson, Peter Braithwaite, and Peter Dunbar, whose quiet generosity and unwavering commitment to the club ensured that the next generation could be part of this special weekend. That spirit, of looking after our own and passing the torch, is what makes this club what it is.

All photos: Hayley Sasserath
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