This season has been one of significant change for the Club. Many of the players who had enjoyed significant success in the 1990s finally decided last season to call it a day and therefore many youngsters have been drafted into the ranks this term. Wetherby have promoted a youth policy which has been so successful it now has the most thriving Junior Section in Yorkshire with over 200 children and youths playing on a Sunday morning. This has paid dividends in that some very promising youngsters are now starting to filter into the Senior Teams. Coach Simon Kelly has stated that if these players remain with the club there is a very encuoraging future. It obviously takes time for them to adjust to the transition and consequently results at the beginning of the season were disappointing but individual performances were encouraging and no heavy defeats were suffered. After two good wins before Christmas the club were handicapped by a reduction in points due to an unregistered player appearing. Over Christmas and New Year the club played a double header against Selby who are several leagues above them and won both games, the home game very convincingly. Last Saturday the team travelled down to South Yorkshire to take on Sheffield Medicals, currently second in the league, two former juniors Will Dutton and Thomas Wiggins made their debuts. Wetherby seemed unfazed by the long journey and came out of the trap looking the more determined of the two sides. Wetherby opened the scoring with two mark Selves penalties after twenty minutes. The first try came to the home side after a fine show of speed but this was quickly cancelled out by a Carl Foster try for Wetherby converted by Danny Warden, leaving a half time score of 5-13 to Wetherby. In the second half the Medics responded well with some good sustained pressure in the Wetherby half, but some excellent Wetherby defending relieved the pressure and the lead was further extended by a further Selves penalty. Huge performances from the Wetherby pack Will Dutton, Kier Walker, James Gibson, Nick Alte, Thomas Wiggins, Ian Barker and Aiden Pound prevented further scores by Sheffield. With ten minutes to go and the score on 12-19 further pressure from Wetherby forced the Medics to give away another penalty this time converted by Danny Warden, This took the game away from the second placed Sheffield Medics. Final score 12-22, with fine performances from the two debutantes, the pack in general and Man of the Match Danny Warden.
Whilst league form does not represent Wetherby's true form at the moment they are enjoying a golden period of new players who are re-energising the spirit at the club. Indeed in horrible conditions Wetherby proudly were able to play a development squad of under 25's against old rivals Thirsk. After a bitterly disappointing last season Wetherby are now building the club for the future and this fixture provided a prime opportunity to test the new talent available at the club. With an excellent mixture of youth and experience Wetherby were the dominant force in the opening stages. Weeks of training started to pay dividends, a selection of well put together passing moves began to create gaps and excellent support work started to create opportunities for Wetherby. Wave after wave of Wetherby attacks began to wear Thirsk down and eventually Jack Wray broke through to get Wetherby's first try. However Thirsk began to play and almost straight away broke through a sleeping Wetherby defence to equal the score taking both teams into half time on equal standing. After the interval Thirsk came back as a revitalised team, a change of tactic meant they began to open the play create space behind the Wetherby defence. A string of good moves saw Thirsk take two easy tries leaving the Wetherby squad frustrated. However the introduction of Wetherby captain, Danny Warden gave new emphasis to Wetherby and a quick change of tactic from Wetherby started to turn the game in the home teams favour. A string of well manufactured moves saw Wetherby run in two tries with Mark Selves converting both to take Wetherby into the lead. Thirsk began to give Wetherby the run of the green and Wetherby duly scored a final try to completely wrap up the game. Wetherby's first team coach Simon Kelly noted, 'I'm delighted with the performance of this young squad, these lads showed some great talent today and it's very promising for the future of this club'. Wetherby rugby union club will be having a festive game against Selby on the 22nd December, all are welcome to watch and enjoy festivities at the club afterwards. In 2008 Wetherby Rugby Union Club would like to invite all players old and young to attend the first training session of the New Year, Tuesday 1st January, 7pm at Grange Park.