Cobras Take on Southerners in Memorial Match
Cobras chairman Dave McRitchie said “The Southerners are one of the most well known rugby sides in Thailand. We feel very fortunate that they have chosen to tour to Chiang Mai and have asked the Cobras for a match. Many of us have not played 15s in quite some time so this is a great opportunity for both our young players and our more seasoned veterans.”
This will be the Southerners first visit to Chiang Mai to play the Cobras and it will be the Cobras first taste of 15 a side action. The venue for the game is the excellent facility at the Ambassador Bilingual School. Kicking off at 16.30 the match duration will be a full 80 minutes played in 4 x 20 min periods.
Southerners captain Luc Legrand said ” In another year in which rugby games have been scarce, the Bangkok Southerners are looking forward to what promises to be a memorable encounter with the Chiang Mai Cobras” “This game will bear special significance for us as it will be played in remembrance of our friend Callum Lewis”
The Southerners are a mix of various expat nationalities and Thai players that will bring a lot of experience and skill to the game. It will be tough for the Cobras to match the intensity they will bring. The Southerners coming off a recent away win against the Phuket Vagabonds will be confident and with the added incentive of “Winning for Callum” they will be highly motivated to win the game.
Cobras captain Matty Valentine was enthusiastic when saying “The Cobras are really looking forward to the Southerners coming up for the match. Although we look forward to getting out there and competing against a quality side, the biggest thing for us, is reconnecting with other players from the rugby community in Thailand. We’re looking forward to some good times, great footy and hosting our brothers from the south.”
Luc Legrand responded “May this game be the opportunity for an epic battle on the pitch, followed by high-quality banter afterwards.”
Darrel Lintott (Head of Southerners Rugby) went on “To say that our first match in Chiang Mai is overdue is perhaps slightly understating the event. For a team founded in 1994, ‘just down the road’ this should have been achieved long ago. It’s not to say that this hasn’t been attempted on many occasions! With this in mind it is somewhat fitting that after a lengthy enforced break in all forms of rugby here in Thailand that we are breaking new ground and heading north to picturesque northern Thailand.” “This first fixture between Bangkok Southerners Rugby and our hosts the Chiang Mai Cobras, is an opportunity for us to celebrate one of our friends and players, Callum Lewis, who was taken from us well before time. So let this fixture be a welcome reminder of why we all play this game for the friendship and camaraderie, plus the post match pain. In closing I would like to thank our hosts for inviting us north and I now look forward to repeating this fixture on a more regular basis, with our track record it shouldn’t be tough!”
Dave McRitchie finished by saying “We look forward to hosting the Southerners and happy to make this an annual event. The Cobras are the new kids on the block and have only been established for about 6 months. In that time we have played 3 matches and will have hosted a Level 1 World Rugby Coaching Course. Playing the Southerners is another accomplishment for our young club and we are grateful for the opportunity to share the pitch and show a bit of our city to our brothers from Bangkok.”
Experienced Thai referee Pattarapon Ekdamrong one of the best up and coming officials in the Kingdom, will be the man in the middle to control what will be a competitive encounter.
The Ambassador Bilingual Academy is a great venue and we welcome anyone to come along and enjoy the game.
In Memory of Callum Lewis.
25 November 2000 – 7 June 2021
We remember him today as he wished to be known
A warm-hearted youth with an infectious smile that brought joy to our worlds.
Cascading confidence and a freshness to his stride reminded us all of our inner
kid; the one we long stopped being to conform, the one we’re often scared to
unleash. A mirror we looked upon to find that innocence we thought lost. A
devilish cue to the way we once swore to forever be. Our teammate, who played
as he lived life: with assuredness, beauty and a touch of folly. We loved him for
it and today play on in his name, upholding the values he lived by as a
monument to the sport we adore. The inaugural Callum Lewis Memorial Trophy will
be an annual ode to that joyous infant we sometimes keep contained, a reminder
of what it means to be… Chil.dish: (adjective) Growing up is for adults,
don’t let your childhood escape.
