Dear Editor,

Sitting here in Sussex and thinking back to happy times in Ross-on-Wye, the place that will always be home to me, the title of Robert Browning’s poem came to mind. In truth, this poem, ‘Home thoughts from abroad’, is associated with a less happy memory from around 1964, when I had ‘my arm twisted’ to recite it during the Eisteddfod held annually at Ross Primary School. As I recall, the school houses of Mortimer, Kyrle, Scudamore and Cantilupe competed across various artistic activities in the now demolished school in Cantilupe Road.

However, it was my memories of playing rugby for Ross Rugby Club during the 1970s that really prompted me to put pen to paper, or more accurately finger to keyboard these days.

I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Ross Rugby Club on its fantastic achievements in the 2017-18 season. Even with my rose coloured spectacles firmly in place, and consoling myself with the memory that the fixture list back then included some sides now in Gloucester Premier and above, we never came close to winning every match played in the season, whilst scoring well over 1200 points in the process. To finish the season by winning the Forest of Dean Combination Cup, beating a side that were champions of the league above them, then defeating Dudley Wasps to retain the North Midlands Cup to give a played 27 / won 27 record for the season, is exceptional.

As far as I can establish, no other team in England achieved a better playing record in their respective leagues this season. The town of Ross and its rugby club (one of the earliest formed anywhere in the country and only about three years later than the venerable Ross Gazette was started I believe) can rightly be very proud of these achievements.

David Foden, West Sussex