I was lucky enough to be at Twickenham at the weekend to take in the various EDF finals. Catching the 6:55 am train from Plymouth (buffet car having ran out of bacon rolls by Newton Abbot!) enabled us to get to Twickenham in good time and we arrived at the stadium just as Chester were completing a 21-18 victory over the famous old club Birkenhead Park.

Next up was the Trophy Final between Exeter Chiefs and Northampton which due to the vast support of the Saints we decided to put Devon rivalries aside and support the Chiefs, albeit a little half-heartedly. You have to admire the Chiefs (I don’t know when they decided to borrow the Argaum 1st XV nickname, do they pay any royalties?) and what they have achieved on and off the field over the last couple of seasons and although I haven’t sampled the delights of Sandy Park yet, it looks very impressive from the motorway and on TV. However their recent request to other Devon clubs to put out an amateur side, based at Sandy Park and enter in the leagues is misguided in my opinion. Professional and amateur rugby does not mix, Exeter should concentrate on getting into the Premiership and anyone who isn’t up to the required standard should be farmed out to other clubs in East Devon and the surrounding area. When I first moved down to Plymouth it was not unheard of for Plymouth Albion’s results to be booed in other rugby clubhouses because they were seen as a ‘rival’ side who would pinch your better players to play for the 2nd and 3rd XVs. Now they are seen quite properly as an elite side and clubs don’t have any qualms about players having trials with them as they know that if they don’t make the grade they will be returned. Albion’s players carry out a lot of work with local clubs and schools and everyone benefits. Anyway back to the game and Exeter put up a brave showing but the Saints just had to much power and put away most of the chances they had, running out 24-13 winners. Northampton have of course been streets ahead of everyone in National Division 1 this season but there’s no doubt that with the way that they are recruiting Exeter will be in a great position for promotion next season, with Leeds and Nottingham as nearest challengers. There would be a few top-flight sides who wouldn’t mind having a wing pairing of Nic Sestraset and Josh Drauninui.

Twickenham has got to be the coldest rugby stadium ever. Even now it is fully enclosed at the South the wind still seems to howl through the place and despite being well under the roof in the East Stand we got absolutely soaked as the rain slanted in at 45 degrees. However being in the East we did get the benefit of the late afternoon sun when it did eventually appear to dry us off. Twickenham food is of course massively overpriced but usually very good and I can’t say I’ve tasted anything better at a rugby stadium than pie, mash and mushy peas from the Great Australian Pie Company, highly recommended. More than can be said about the service at the Line-Out Bar which was abysmal, seemingly no-one lining up pints before the expected rush before the game and at half-time. It was much better around at the Ruck and Maul and Scrum Bar (is it a co-incidence that in the home of English rugby all the bars are related to the forwards?) where you could get served easily.

It was time for the main event and despite Saints fans declaring before the game that Leicester were their biggest rivals they reverted to type and decided to support the English side, understandable I suppose as the Ospreys are very nearly the Welsh XV. Having seen the Ospreys destroy Saracens in the EDF semi at the Millenium stadium only to capitulate to the same opposition in the Heineken Cup quarter final we weren’t sure what to expect, particularly as Tigers started strongly. However the Ospreys gradually took control, more than matching Leicester up-front and with the imagination behind to create holes in the opposition defence, all this backed up by a rock-solid defence. The only surprise was that the margin of victory 23-6 was not greater, I’m sure if Leicester had been as dominant it would have been 40 points or more. Still, it was a first for me as in all my previous visits to Twickers I had never seen the side I was supporting (be it Wales, Plymouth Albion or the Navy) end up on the winning side.

The good fortune continued as thanks to some over-zealous barstaff, who were expecting a rush (see earlier) and had poured several pints too many, the Guinness was half-price which by Twickenham prices brought it into the realms of affordability. The highlight of the day however for me occurred as we prepared for the long journey home and saw the Ospreys players signing autographs before boarding the coach inside the stadium. Out of the melee of fans, players and officials walked the always-immaculate Gerald Davies, I shook the Great Man’s hand and wished him good luck for the Lions Tour 2009.