Stalwart still going strong in skipper role
THIS week we profile a massive stalwart of MRUFC (in every way), Jeremy Bostock.
Known at the Club simply as Boz, he’s a one-club man, who has achieved great things during his 36-year playing career, and is still as wholeheartedly enthusiastic as when he was playing as a school boy at King’s and a colt for Macclesfield.
At King’s, he was coached by Peter Matthews, John Melling and Reg Davenport, names from the Macclesfield of old.
He gained his school colours and toured Australasia; capped by Cheshire at U18s and U21s, and of course later many full caps whilst playing in the Macc first team. He joined the 1st XV whilst studying at Lancaster University, 27 years ago in the days of Cusani, Harding, Taylor and Mannion, playing
1st XV rugby for 15 years.
Boz won many league titles and Cheshire Cups with the 1st XV and the double-double-bubble (league and cup titles) with the 2nd XV, and even played at Twickenham in the County
Championship final.
He’s captained the first, second, third, vets and currently fourth team.
Rugby men he’s played with and against are a formidable list: Wayne Dooley, Bob Kimmins, Dave Strettle, Ben Foden and Steve Diamond.
One particular match he recalls is beating Sale in the semi-final of the
Cheshire Cup back in the 90s: “The Sale number 8 was a formidable player and Manchester Bouncer, after knocking Dave Cussani out cold he was sent back to the changing rooms where he completely demolished the door with his foot”.
Boz loves the camaraderie of the game; he relishes rugby tours and is eagerly looking forward to the trip to Majorca in April. As a Chartered Accountant and Partner with Thompson Wright, he’s always trusted to be the Sockmeister (holder of the beer kitty) on tour.
Jeremy lives in Holmes Chapel with his wife and two daughters and still trains – irregularly!
MACCLESFIELD made it five wins in a row after producing a stunning comeback away at Wirral.
Macc trailed 17-0 going into the last 15 minutes, but then displayed championship qualities by scoring three tries to steal the victory.
It took 16 minutes for the first score of the game to occur. Wirral created an overlap on the left wing, then Sam Stelmaszek jumped the line and batted the ball down which stopped a certain try.
The referee awarded a penalty try and gave a yellow card to the scrum half.
The home side increased their lead, courtesy of a penalty kick by James Annetts, from centre field, 35 metres out in the 27th minute.
For the final 10 minutes of the half, Macc enjoyed time in Wirral’s territory but failed to accumulate points.
The closest Macc came to scoring was through Matt Thorp. The forwards had displayed great strength through multiple hard carries, but Thorp knocked on metres out after strong contact dislodged the ball.
The score at the end of the first half was 10-0 to the home side.
A positive to take, was the level of physicality on show.
Both sides were competing greatly at the breakdown and stayed resolute in their defences.
Early in the half, Chris Speed for Wirral had been injured after he made a tackle. It is understood that he suffered a dislocated elbow.
In the 44th minute, Wirral broke free and looked certain to score their second try of the match, but Stelmaszek tackled the Wirral centre metres out
Ben Brooks. A handling error allowed the Wirral Winger to pounce and kick the ball behind the defence and over the try line, leaving the easy task of dropping down on the ball.
The conversion for James Annetts was scored easily enough pushing the lead out to 17-0.
Only minutes later Hayden Long was sent to the bin, taking the hosts down to 13 men.
This acted as blood in the water, which in turn led to the comeback of the season thus far in the league.
In the 68th minute Dan Percival latched onto a one-handed offload from Dafydd Rees to score in the corner, with the conversion successful from Will Davies, the score was 17-7.
Myles Hall three minutes later made a break from halfway which left him one on one with Wirral’s full back.
He then passed to Will Davies who sprinted to go in under the posts untouched, which left an easy conversion.
The pendulum swung Macc’s way in the 76th minute after James Oliver