An entire squad of Dads and Lads
When Lymm Eagles took the field this weekend, as many grassroots rugby teams often are, they were made up of young players making their start in senior rugby alongside those in the twilight of their playing careers. What made Lymm Eagles unique this weekend was that the squad was comprised entirely of dads and their sons.
The team faced Wallasey 1st XV in the NOWIRUL Cotton Traders BOWL competition and came out 46-24 winners, with fourteen pairings of fathers and sons making up the team.
Martin Henderson set up the team and packed down in the back row alongside his son Finlay.
Henderson said: “I’m 54 years old now and in my 38th season at Lymm. Over the years, we’ve had many boys come through the minis and juniors and when they get to the age where they can play adult rugby, their dads have come back for one last hurrah and played a match with their son.
“That’s always been in the back of my mind as my son has got older and part of why I’m still playing for the Eagles, our third team.
“I’m also the coach of the senior colts, and this year we had a few players coming through who could play adult rugby and whose dads were keen for a game.
“I hatched the plan of asking any lads who’d played with their dad before if they’d come out of retirement and it just snowballed from there.”
Henderson wanted the fixture to be a competitive one rather than a friendly, so after speaking to his captain, got the go-ahead to begin the team’s cup run with the dads and lads team.
“Speaking for all my chums, it was a big thrill to play in this and it speaks volumes for the longevity of the old guys, and the ability of their boys, that we all got to play together and win.
“It was a really special day for everyone who played, and for all the rest of the families who got to come down and be part of the day too.”
After their victory in the cup opener, Henderson doesn’t want the dads and lads team to stop there.
“Will the third team skipper be generous enough to let us march on with the lads and dads team into the next round of the cup? Hopefully!”
While the Guinness Book of Records was notified and the result of this still pending, the lifelong memories of playing with family were more than enough for the players at Lymm this week.
