The next generation

The school created a little piece of history last year when they went on to lift the coveted trophy at Twickenham, but the next generation are on their way to emulating that feat.

This year's U15s team got off the mark on Saturday with a 20-7 victory over a strong Filey School side at Bridlington's Dukes Park ground.

The Filey side, who have not suffered a defeat against another school since they got together at U12s level, could find no answer to the dominant team-play of the St Peter's boys.

Scrum-half Peter Wackett, who is the only survivor of last season's winning side, got the squad off to the perfect start with two tries, while Charlie Shorthouse and David Cook completed the win.

"Filey were a big, strong side, but our boys played well as a team," explained director of sport Mike Johnson. "They had some quick boys and some rugby league talent in their side.

"Our boys were naturally tired after as this was their first game and there are one or two with knocks, but they'll be okay."

YORK RI's difficult start to the season got worse this week as the latest of their coaching targets turned them down.

The club have yet to find a replacement for Ian Hassall, who hung up his boots at the end of last season due to work and family commitments, even though the season now enters its third week.

The New Lane club had hoped to sign Pete Curtis from Otley in the closed season, but the powerful back-five forward opted to accept the player-coach role at Clifton Park with neighbours York instead.

Former Harrogate duo Simon Croft and Jeremy Hopkinson both offered to help out on a temporary basis when they could, but the RI's search looked to be finally over this week.

With the well-respected Paul 'Stan' Matthews resigning from his post at Yorkshire Four club Wetherby, the Railwaymen moved to offer him an instant return.

However, despite watching the club's victory over Old Otliensians on Saturday, Matthews failed to turn up to training on Tuesday night, with it emerging he had decided to take up a post with Leeds Tykes U21s and their Elite Player Development Centre.

FRANCE, Spain or both - that is the decision facing the players at Pocklington as the club look to finalise their 2003 tour plans.

The touring party are set to depart the shores of Percy Road for sunny climes in May next year, but the final destination still needs to be confirmed.

The club's links with the South of France means a number of teams in and around the Beziers region are keen to welcome their English counterparts, but an opportunity to tour Barcelona at the same time has now arisen.

Now, the tour chiefs - Tim Clappison and Tim Slater of 'Les Deux Tims Tours' - are keen to know whether potential tourists favour either destination or want to go the whole hog and combine the two.

THEY don't do injuries by half at Claro Road with first-team players facing long spells in the treatment room.

So far the first three wins of the season has resulted in overworked medical staff at the club with centre Graham Sarjeant damaging his shoulder, new-signing Euen Kenworthy breaking his arm and now Paul Clayton dislocating his shoulder.

Disappointingly for wing sensation Clayton it is a recurrence of the dislocation he suffered in last season's Yorkshire Cup Final success over Wharfedale.

MALTON-born wing sensation Jon Sleightholme put his two-year injury nightmare behind him on his return to Premiership action.

The former England star had become almost the forgotten man of English rugby after being plagued by a shoulder injury.

But Sleightholme, who made his name with Wakefield before moving to Bath and then Northampton, marked his return to first team action at Franklin's Gardens with a try in the 31-13 win over Newcastle Falcons.

Tinson bags new posting

SERGEANT Major Roger Tinson MBE may be set to retire from his post with the Royal Marines after 27 years hard service, but the former Pocklington player is a man in demand.

The fourth of five generations to play at Percy Road, Tinson, who also played football for Leeds Intermediates, York City Boys and the Gazette and Herald Press, will step out of the services to become the estate/shoot manager for the Earl of Clinton - the biggest landowner in Dorset.

However, that was not before the Rugby Football Union attempted to poach him to work for them.

The powers that be at Twickenham have been looking to recruit a former serviceman to act as the England team's bagman.

The post, which as well as the lucrative draw also allows the holder the chance to watch England in action from the luxury of the tunnel, was seen as the ideal next move for the soon-to-be decamped Tinson.

However, Tinson, the first Marine from the ranks to captain both the Navy and Combined Services rugby team, has turned down the glorious opportunity as he had already taken the job with the Earl of Clinton, much to the dismay of his friends at Pock.

Tinson, whose son Mark is the latest of the clan to turn out for the Percy Roaders, made it into the club's folklore when a three-week spell of rugby saw him play at Twickenham, the back field at Pock for Allen Clovis' Merovians and Llanelli's Stradey Park.

The other three generations to pull on the Pock shirt were Roger's great grandfather William, grandfather Herbert and father George.

Updated: 11:27 Saturday, September 21, 2002