Snow takes its toll on Wirral's weekend rugby (From Wirral Globe)

Snow takes its toll on Wirral's weekend rugby

1:00pm Monday 21st January 2013 in Rugby By Andrew Stratton

THE cold weather bit deep into the rugby union programme at the weekend.

None of the league games involving local clubs went ahead due to snow and frost bound pitches.

It made a change from recent waterlogged pitches but it means secretaries will be busy in the next few days finding suitable dates to re-arrange fixtures.

Taking stock of the current situation with the second half of the season now under way Caldy find themselves ninth placed in National Two North League and seem likely to finish in a comfortable mid table position.

Birkenhead Park in National Three North are third bottom and have work ahead to avoid relegation.

They are currently nine points adrift of safety and have some tough matches ahead.

Wirral lie sixth in North One West but Anselmians are third bottom and unlikely to climb any higher as they are sixteen points adrift of Kirby Lonsdale who are the next side above them.

New Brighton are one point off third place in South Lancashire/Cheshire One with Hoylake sixth.

In Division Two Oldershaw sit ninth but Wallasey are just one off the bottom.

One point separates Port Sunlight and Prenton at the head of Division Three although Manchester Medics who are third have games in hand.

Ellesmere Port are fourth and Oxton Parkonians seventh.

Congratulations to the New Brighton pair of Kati Tuipulotu and Phil Gazzola who both reached commendable landmarks earlier this month.

Kati made his 200th appearance and Gazzola his 100th for the Blues against Broughton Park and both hope to go on adding to the tally in the weeks ahead.

Meanwhile Caldy and Birkenhead Park have attractive home games this Saturday with Otley due at Paton Field and Sandal the visitors to the Upper Park.

A tasty Wirral v Anselmians derby at Clatterbridge should also attract the fans.

Lower down the scale league matches include New Brighton v Orrell, Hoylake at Winnington Park, Oldershaw v Ormskirk, Wallasey at Vagabonds (Isle of Man), Ellesmere Port at Holmes Chapel, Prenton at Manchester Medics and an Oxton Parkonians v Port Sunlight derby.