On a day dedicated to the memory of ex Petersfield, Hampshire and Churchers player Giulio Coser who died suddenly in June this year at his home in South Africa it is easy to describe the occasion with sporting and rugby clichés which your reporter will not shy away from.

With a fine day and mercifully a few preceding days of dry weather the Penns Place pitch was in ideal condition for “running rugby” and both teams offered this to the crowd of over 150 friends, families and club members who came to celebrate the life of Giulio.

Arrangements for the game, especially the recruiting of Giulio’s XV, had been in the hands of three former team mates Richard Warrington, Martin Wright and Peter Winterbottom who, through their various contacts, spread the word. They were ably assisted with the logistics by Anne James wife of Rhys another contemporary of Giulio. Players travelled from all over the UK one flying in from Manchester others driving from as far away as Petersfield!

It was good to see a number of Giulio’s team mates from Churchers and others who, as members of other Hampshire clubs, played against him in club games but in the Hampshire Colts squad with Giulio. Many of the players claimed that they had last played a game of Rugby fifteen or twenty years ago but time had not diminished their enthusiasm.

Club stalwart and Post Chief Reporter, Jon Walker, recruited an eclectic selection of players for the Petersfield XV which was a blend of youthful energy and agility with age, experience and guile. So popular was this friendly fixture that Walker’s abundance of players enabled sporting loans to the opposition.

With the average age of Giulio's XV being 36, nearly all qualifying for rugby veteran status, there were a number of cameo performances. Justifiably the first try came from co-organiser Martin Wright with energetic contributions from Ed Ridley, Richard Warrington, Rhys James and Peter Winterbottom these last two still pulling on their boots occasionally for a Petersfield XV. The forwards were the beneficiaries of another try scorer in the not inconsiderable form of the “Heavy Roller” Nick Todd who enjoyed his game in the dark arts of the front row.

Other members of the memorial team included Elliot Muscant, Stuart Mercer, Chris Nell (alias Pongo) an expat South African friend of Giulio; together with James Memory, Steve Wilding and Paul Leighton, reprising his Fullback position, with several more completing the squad.

Phases of play, when skills and technique had not been dimmed by time or lack of practice, were interspersed by breakdowns mostly caused by either or both those features not combining. Petersfield’s squad were able to break away on a few occasions when their more practiced, youthful or fitter players outplayed or outran the despairing defence.

At the final whistle with the score in the favour of the club team it was agreed by all on the clubhouse balcony, touchline and the pitch that “rugby was the winner” and Giulio’s memory was well served by a sporting display.

After the game a presentation was made by the organisers of Giulio’s team to the club of a trophy, in his memory, to be awarded annually to the Petersfield Colts’ Player of the Year.

The guests of honour on the day were Giulio’s mother, Trish and twin sister Emma who flew from their home in South Africa to spend just 48 hours in the UK. Trish and Emma said how much the day had meant to them and it was a wonderful tribute to Giulio who had such strong memories and association with Petersfield and Petersfield RFC

Report by Chris Todd