The Bolingey Bowl
Sunday 8th January 2023
We call this fixture ‘The Bolingey Bowl’, played versus a combination from Perranporth, St. Agnes and Newquay. It was postponed, due to freezing weather on Sunday 11th December, dress code, ‘Christmas Jumpers’.
The Bolingey Barbarians are well known throughout the county, players involved are very much part of the Cornish ‘rugby family’.
On Tuesday, 3rd January we received the devastating news of the tragic loss of Robert Pollard (aka GUPPY), a stalwart member of St Austell RFC and The Bolingey Barbarians.
Our heartfelt condolences are with his wife Sue, his daughters, Charlotte and Lowenna. His mum Audrey and all their family.
Members of the Barbarians paid their respects at Tregorrick Park, home of St Austell RFC, on Saturday 7th January. The Saints paid a fantastic tribute to Guppy, witnessed by his family, a large crowd conducted a ‘minutes applause’ before the match against Sidmouth whose players participated and were a credit to the rugby code.
Perranporth RFC played host the next day at this fixture when hundreds of friends and supporters joined Robert’s family to honour his memory.
With so many eager to pull on a playing shirt the match was a most memorable spectacle. The unusually heavy pitch conditions at Perran saw the return of the ‘mud men’. This would have suited Guppy’s sense of humour as the revolving players stood filthy and shivering on the touchline before entering the fray again.
The final score was incidental, a draw with added rules making The Barbarians victorious and keepers of the ‘Bolingey Bowl’, a rather fetching ‘trifle dish’ as described by chairman Roger Mead.
With a large contingent of St Austell players and supporters, the ‘third half’ at the Bolingey Inn and charitable fund raising was an incredible success. Truro RFC are due to play St Austell on Saturday 14th January at St Clements hill, Truro. This local derby and now ‘top of the table’, Regional 2 Tribute South West match promises to be another opportunity for Guppy’s friends to enjoy the banter and rivalry that he revelled in.
