The Boxing Day Tradition at Camp Hill RFC

The referee scored a try, a dog ran on the pitch and a bottle of port was shared around at halftime instead of the water bottles.

That’s how my Boxing Day went.

Like many clubs around the country at Camp Hill RFC, the annual Boxing Day game is a festive fixture tradition that has continued for over 50 years.

Shaking off the Christmas pudding and, more importantly, the hangovers from the overindulgence of the day before, players run out for a bit of festive fun.

From the ages of 18 to 50 upwards, whether you play in the 1XV or the Vets, all players are welcome to have a runout and take part in the inter-club boxing day fixture.

This year, over 100 spectators came out to watch in the freezing fog and cold to watch some proper amateur rugby and celebrate what the game is all about.

“It’s the fun social element that sometimes gets lost during the proper rugby season of back-to-back league matches; it brings together all ages and abilities to have a bit of fun on Boxing Day,” said Russel Baker, head of playing affairs at Camp Hill.

He added: “I’ve been part of the Boxing Day games for 21 years, and it’s been going on for at least 50 years, if not longer, so as you can imagine, it’s so special to everyone at the club.”

Reagan Madden, a player at Camp Hill, explained why he felt the Boxing Day game was so important as well: “It’s a whole club thing. We can all get together and play and have a bit of fun. It means a lot to us all; it’s just an opportunity to have a laugh.”

Camp Hill RFC is my home club, where I grew up playing the game that has eventually become my passion in life.

While I originally played football until the age of 11, at the start of year 7, I went down to Camp Hill RFC to try out rugby with a couple of friends, and I never looked back.

Playing through the age groups, the teammates I played with became my best friends and the coaches and volunteers all had instrumental parts in shaping me as a person.

The club became a core part of my life, training twice a week and playing on Sundays. I even used to help out with the 1XV as a ball boy, and when I was 18, I worked behind the bar.

By my own admission, I was never the greatest player, but I had the honour of captaining my side when we reached Colts level between the ages of 16-18.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we didn’t play many games in that period, but the ones we did are some of my fondest memories and on Boxing Day, that all came flooding back to me.

I was playing alongside a large majority of the boys who I played with at age grade level. We have all gone our separate ways, with some of us to university and others now in full-time jobs and regularly playing for the 1XV at Camp Hill.

However, on Boxing Day, it felt like things hadn’t changed one bit, and in my mind, that’s what this special game is all about.

Rugby has given me so much as a person and shaped me in so many ways, and I’m so lucky for the opportunities it has given me.

I have been lucky enough to cover international fixtures at Twickenham, Premiership and Championship games, press conferences and events alike.

However, without Camp Hill, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of that; it is the club that made me fall in love with the game.

Camp Hill is made up of some of the most special people I have ever met, all volunteers giving their time and effort every week to make the game as special as possible.

“We’ve got over 60 coaches who help out every week. In terms of age groups, we’ve got micros, which start at under 5’s up until Colts, which is 16-18’s, and then obviously senior rugby, women’s rugby, touch rugby, and even walking rugby, so there’s really something for everyone,” Baker added.

“I think it’s important for all levels to have the opportunity to do a physical sport. No matter of ability, age, or sex, no matter what, everyone has the opportunity to do some form of rugby and whether you want to take it seriously or just have some fun like we did today, we offer all of those aspects.”

There is often so much negative discussion around the state of affairs in rugby union, but clubs like Camp Hill RFC are the true heart of the game, and the Boxing Day fixture is a tradition that is the epitome of that.