The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
No neighbourly love at Fengate as Borough clash with Oundle
Rugby - English Clubs Championship
There’s a mouthwatering local derby at Fengate on Saturday as Borough take on Oundle in an English Clubs Championship game (3pm). It’ll be the first ever league clash between the two Midl ands Division Two East (South) sides following Oundle’s suddensurgeuptheChampionship ladder.
After investing heavily in ex-Peterborough Lions players, they romped to the Division Three East (South) title last termtoclinchpromotion.
More recruiting from the Lions den followed - most notably Vernon Horne, Marc Roussouw, Adam Peel and Jaco Steenberg - and Oundle have proved they can certainly cope with life at the higher level.
They’ll go into Saturday’s showdown on the back of two wins and sit just behind Borough in the table.
Boroughalsoenterthefray after two league wins and an heroic performance in the RFU Intermediate Cup last Saturday when they were only just pipped 29-26 by highflying visitors Rugby Lions - a former senior club striving to claw their waybacktothetop.
The one-time Warwickshire giants werefull of praise for Borough after a cracking cup tie.
“Without doubt Peterborough were tough nuts to crack,” said Rugby coach Rob Dignum.
“Wewishthemwellintheir league campaign. On Saturday’s evidence they will cause sides problems all season.”
The Fengate faithful can expect another humdinger this weekend between an established side at this level and an ambitious, up-and-coming club from just across the Northamptonshire border.
Oundlewillincludeahandfulofex-Boroughboys-Horne, Peel, Saad Sait, Mark Carter and Angus Milborne among them - keen to upset the applecart and a juicy 80-minute battle is anticipated.
Borough head coach Lee Adamsonisattemptingtoplay down the rivalry.
He said: “Both sides will know many of the guys they are up against, but for us it is just another game in a long season.
“We will not be preparing any differently as to how we would normally, although we acknowledge there will be a large crowd and a lot of local rivalry on the touchline.”
Adamson, who will not pick his side until after training tonight (Thursday), went on to say how pleased he was with Saturday’s cup showing against Rugby.
He added: “We displayed therightattitudeandplentyof passionandattimesweplayed some of the best rugby I have seen from us for a while.
“The boys were understandably disappointed not to win and I fully expect the squad to take a positive frame of mindintothegamethisSaturday.”
Stefan Gallucci crossed twiceforBoroughagainstRugby with impressive number eight Paulius Strigonas also touching down.
PeterboroughLionsmeanwhilewillbehopingtobuildon their welcome win from two weeks ago when they resume their NationalLeagueDivision Three campaign on Saturday with a trip to Cheshire.
They take on Sandbach (3pm) after recording their f i rst win - 37- 24 against Towcestrians - at the sixth attempt last time out.
Sandbach have lost their last two league games - 25-16 at Old Halesonians and 16-9 at home to Nuneaton. In last year’s corresponding fixture Sandbachwere38-10winners.