Bridgnorth - We're off to Twickenham

The All Blacks beat Scarborough 10-6 on Saturday in a tense semi-final of the RFU Intermediate Cup and will now face Maidstone in the final at the home of rugby on Sunday, May 3.

Around 300 fans travelled from Shropshire to North Yorkshire to share in the glory and captain Dan Griffiths said: "The boys are absolutely buzzing.

"The messages have been flying around, backwards and forwards, and we're all looking forward to the final.

"For any player this is a massive dream come true.

"It is great just to go to Twickenham but to step out on that turf will be amazing.

"We have said several times in this run that we are playing the biggest game in the club's history and this definitely will be.

"We can't wait for it."

Chairman Peter Parkes was delighted but insists the job is only half done with the 53-year-old club now targeting victory on English rugby's grandest stage, with up to 1,000 Bridgnorth fans expected to travel to London.

He said: "It was a very big day for us and we're over the moon to be at Twickenham but the job isn't done.

"The prize for us isn't going to Twickenham. We want to win the trophy.

"It is brilliant to get to Twickenham and everybody is looking forward to enjoying the day but it's important that we stay focused and try to win the game."

Parkes admitted, however, that Saturday's semi-final win was a special day for the club's long-serving committee members and fans.

He said: "This is definitely a new chapter in our history and this success is the result of many years of planning and hard work.

"We've been building a team, building up our support and building the Bridgnorth rugby brand and this is really the culmination of all that work.

"I've been with the club for 20 or 25 years and there are people who have been involved for longer than that and put in a lot of hard work.

"I am delighted for Bob Turner, who was a founder member of the club in 1962 and was there to watch on Saturday.

"He was there when the club was training in a field somewhere and he has played a big part in building what we have today so it was a really proud day for him."

Maidstone secured their place in the final with an emphatic 44-13 victory over Gloucester-based Coney Hill on Saturday.

But Bridgnorth's travelling fans were forced to ensure a nervous second half as hosts Scarborough fought back from 10-0 down to 10-6 and piled plenty of pressure on their visitors.

All of Midlands Two North leaders Bridgnorth's points came in the opening stages from Will Biddell, who scored a try, slotted the conversion and then added a penalty to put his side 10-0 ahead.

But the Yorkshire side hit back with two penalties of their own and then pinned their visitors back throughout the second half as three yellow cards at various times left Griffiths' side with 13 men for spells.

The skipper said: "It was a real nail-biter and after the first 10 or 15 minutes we had to hold on.

Support

"They dominated the scrum and had us under real pressure, but credit to our lads for the way we defended our line.

"And the support we had made a real difference.

"There were so many there from Bridgnorth and even when the lads came off after the warm-up they made so much noise and gave us a real lift.

"There have been times when it's been quite easy in the league this season. But Scarborough asked some real questions of us so it was great that we were able to hold out."