Siam Cup rivalry ‘more intense than any other’

FOR many years the Siam Cup – started in 1920 and thought to be the second oldest Cup competition in the rugby world – was the season-long focus for both Guernsey and Jersey with much more than just the result of a rugby match at stake.

Generally, it has gone Jersey’s way with 60 wins to Guernsey’s 16 as would befit the bigger club and island, but the action is always full on as Matt Banahan discovered when he managed to get himself sent off in the 2006 encounter, his last for the island before ‘emigrating’ to Bath.

The cup itself is a large circular rose-bowl made from coinage of Siam ticals and required the permission of King Rama VI to melt the coins down. The King not only permitted it, he had the trophy created within the Royal Crown Silversmith. Standing on an ebony base it is decorated in traditional Siamese style, with figures of dancing girls and elephant heads.

The cup was brought to the Channel Islands by Lieut-Colonel CH Forty, an officer based in Siam – modern day Thailand – with the Durham Light Infantry who had struck up a friendship with one of the king’s sons who served in the Battalion.

Forty donated the cup to the islands initially to be played for annually between Victoria College in Jersey and Elizabeth College in Guernsey but that soon morphed into an inter-island game at senior level.

During the occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany in World War II, the Germans, who had heard of its existence, made inquiries as to its whereabouts wanting to melt it down, but it was squirreled away by persons unknown, only to reappear soon after the cessation of hostilities.

Battered after a number of big celebratory nights and damaged during the war when it was hidden, the original cup was presented to the RFU Museum in 1977 where it was restored before being put on display. A replica was made and that is the trophy that is now presented each year.

“I find the Guernsey-Jersey rivalry really interesting,” says Guernsey DoR Jordy Reynolds. “As an Aussie I try and equate it to the Australia v New Zealand rivalry – definitely foes on the pitch but all mates off the paddock – but actually with the Siam Cup it goes a fair bit deeper than that. Island pride is very much at stake.

“Whisper it quietly but I get on really well with the Reds coach Harvey Biljon. Except on Siam Cup day that is, then it’s full on. I am very proud to have played in a Siam Cup victory back in my first year with the club and absolutely delighted that we finally pulled off another win back in May.

“Of course, it’s changed a bit. Jersey had accelerated out of our league and for a few years a really great institution was in danger. The Siam Cup used to take over the two islands for a week of build-up, matches at all levels on the day and then the post mortem and beers. I can remember 6-7,000 crowds but they started to diminish when we took a few hidings.

“Then the two committees made the very sensible rule that to qualify to play for Jersey their professionals needed to have been in residence in Jersey for at least three years and that has evened things up just enough for us to have a sniff and this year we pulled off a famous win just a week after we secured promotion as well. We are preparing ourselves for the backlash when we visit them again in May.”