Teams 
With our 37th day of rain and several matches and training sessions cancelled, it’s fair to say this season has been a bit of a washout! No amount of Raggy belting out Singing in the Rain can soften the blow of just how much rugby we’ve missed.
It’s third time lucky for the Chiefs in the National Cup, with the game finally expected to go ahead this weekend. Bude were forced to call it off at the last minute previously due to, yes, you guessed it, more rain. Huge thanks to them for agreeing to rearrange the fixture for this weekend and for allowing our President’s Lunch to go ahead next week with a home tie against Crediton.
Unfortunately, with it being an international weekend there are a few availability issues, but Bideford will still be taking a strong side down to Cornwall and are looking forward to another competitive encounter. Bude are known for keeping the ball tight, so Bideford will need to be ready for that early onslaught. Expect plenty of aggression from the hosts, something that can often play into the hands of visiting teams if capitalised on early.
The Quins face the added challenge of taking on Crediton 3rd XV, who will be eager to derail the Biddy lads’ push for promotion from the merit table. Having not played since Boxing Day, the Quins will be keen to hit the ground running. There needs to be a bit of a backlash after weeks without game time, and they’ll be training hard this Wednesday to make sure they’re ready.
The Colts have a Plate quarter-final clash against Exeter Saracens, which will be the only home fixture of the weekend. They’ll be hoping for a strong turnout from the Biddy faithful to cheer them on. With several lads already having tasted senior rugby this season, the Colts are hopeful of selecting as close to full strength as possible.
