The Malones held their biannual Memorial Match this year on Sunday 18 September at the College. Parents, pupils and beaks came out in the pouring rain to show their support.
The OM Rugby match was started in 2005 in memory of two OMs who tragically died of cancer at a young age, Hugo Mcdermott (B1 1998-2001) and Tom Waley-Cohen (C3 1998-2003). The match, played bi-annually, raises funds for two very worthwhile charities; Tom's Ward, a cancer ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and the Samantha Dixon trust. Last year the Malones raised nearly £1500, and this year they want to make it past the £2000 figure. All OMs, All 300 T-shirts printed to raise funds have been sold, and tea and cakes sold on the day raised a further £160.
Tom Geddes, Captain of the Malones team, reports:
The much-anticipated bi-annual Malones Memorial game took place this year on the 18th of September. The match was to be between the 'Old Boys', a Malones U21 team, and the 'Older Boys', a combination of the older members of the club and members of staff. Large crowds of students from the college turned out to support both sides expecting a great exhibition of skill, or to be more accurate, of brute force, from their coaches and old boys. After words with the day's official, the new second master Mr Stevens, it was decided that due to the somewhat surprising lacking fitness of players on both sides, the game would be played in three periods.
The Malones kicked off the match, deep into the Staff’s half, where the majority of the period was to be played. As soon as the ball was kicked off the heavens opened with an incredible monsoon downpour. As the first period drew on, the younger players built mounting pressure but with an inability to convert into points, leaving the first period to end in a stalemate of 0-0.
After some much needed rest and a lot of water taken on, the second half began with some continued pressure by the young players which was finally converted into a try after an interception by Alex Middleton, setting up an easy run in for the winger Tom Geddes. However despite the seemingly easy set up for the conversion, the wind dragged Fraser Clarke’s kick away past the upright, leaving the score at a fragile 5-0.
The third and final period started with a vicious onslaught of pressure from the staff team, as they realised that the unthinkable prospect of being beaten by former pupils could actually become a reality. The Malones midfield came under constant battering by the formidable staff backline of Harrison, Nicholas and Marvin, a combination to make even the biggest of men shy away and with more years of experience between the three than the young team had between their fifteen. But the backline of Clarke, James Gerrard, Otto Boyer and Harry Scott held firm. Leaving the staff to try attacking in the tight, but due to heroic defence from the Malones forwards such as man of the match, Will Scott, the staff found no way through.
While all this rugby went on, it was a mere sideshow compared to the true heroes of the day; the ladies selling cakes and T-shirts through rain and shine, although very much predominantly rain… to raise an amazing amount of money for the charities. Alongside the heroic ladies, the Master was to be seen with a worried expression on his face, clearly concerned about the state of his Common Room the next day.
As the whistle blew to call an end to the game, there were plenty of friendly words between staff and OMs as they headed down to the Common Room Bar for some drinks and a chance to catch up. I think we are all very much looking forward to the next memorial game, although perhaps with a bit better weather.