A tough afternoon at the rugby, as our Colts went down 43–19 to a very physical Cockermouth side.

It was a fiercely contested encounter from start to finish, with both teams putting their bodies on the line and the physicality of the game taking its toll. There were plenty of bumps, knocks, cramp and injuries along the way, making it a real test of character, determination and resilience.

It was certainly a busy afternoon for the referee, who had his hands full throughout the contest, issuing seven cards in total – six to Cockermouth, with both sides also receiving a red card. A clear indication of just how competitive and heated the encounter became.

Although the result didn’t go our way, the scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story. Our lads continued to battle, showed tremendous spirit and never stopped putting in the effort, right until the final whistle.

Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it. Every player who pulled on the Bishop Auckland shirt today gave everything they had, and that commitment deserves huge recognition.

A special mention and a massive thank you to Garry and Aaron Allison from Twin Scaffoldings, pictured with the team, who came down to meet the lads following their generous sponsorship and support of our Colts.

Your support means a great deal to the players, coaches and everyone involved at Bishop Auckland RUFC. It’s fantastic to have local businesses getting behind our young players and investing in their rugby journey. Thank you both!

We would also like to wish all players involved a speedy recovery. It was a physically demanding afternoon, and we hope everyone is doing well and that recovery goes smoothly.

A massive well done to Cockermouth for a hard-fought victory and thank you to everyone who supported the lads.

To our own players, coaches and supporters – hold your heads high. Results will come and go, but the attitude, togetherness and pride you showed today are what make this group special.

UP THE COLTS!