AT last some moderately good news regarding a potential return to rugby and whilst it may not happen this season, there is hope for a reasonably prompt start for 2021-22. Fingers crossed nothing happens to create more problems and reverse the process.

Continuing the theme of anecdotes from former players, this week Peter Savage searched his memory bank and recalled some of the moments and people that made his playing days so enjoyable.

Savvy spent most of his playing time in the second row, the engine room as it is commonly portrayed, a position where you spent much of your time either using your strength in the scrum or leaping unaided and salmon like at the lineout simply to provide opportunities for the glory boys outside to run in the tries.

No lifting in the lineout in those days, no feeding at the scrum either, a time when the second rower was not required to hook the ball, a time when forwards needed to exert a bit more energy to win set piece ball than they do now!

Probably above all, a time when there was no pressure brought about by league positions and local derbies brought that extra edge to a game.

Peter joined the Club in 1976 but had previously been made aware of what Crediton had to offer when as an 18 year-old playing for his home town Club Okehampton, he was introduced to John Daw, Andy Cole, Mike Leach and John Saunders for the first time as Oke’s were thumped at home 35-0.

Two years later, he was playing alongside those same players in a Crediton team that enjoyed a remarkable Centenary Season in 1978-79… and what a season it was.

At that time, we were very much in the second tier of Devon Clubs and would play the Second XV’s of Plymouth Albion, Exeter and Torquay.

However, for the Centenary Season they all agreed to visit Crediton with their first choice side and indeed we more than held our own with a win, 19-3 against Plymouth Albion, a draw six-all against Torquay and a 3-6 defeat to Exeter. Not one of those sides scored a try against us.

Another highlight for that season was the fixture with the full Devon County XV and again this was at a time when the County Championship had a much higher profile than it currently does and, as Pete recalls, the County side were the only team to beat us heavily that season 29-3.

One player in the Devon side that day was a young Paul Ackford who, that same season played in the Varsity Match and went on to play for Harlequins and make 25 appearances for England and played all three British Lions Tests in the 1989 tour of Australia before becoming a well-respected journalist with the “Sunday Telegraph”.

Aside from the game itself, Peter has another vivid, if somewhat painful, memory of the day.

In those days he tended to have long hair, hard to imagine I hear you say, it was also a time when it was necessary to tape up ears for protection and avoid a future of cauliflower ears.

Unfortunately, the tape that was used became difficult to remove without causing pain and removing clumps of hair. It also left a very sticky, gluey substance which became nigh on impossible to remove no matter how much washing took place.

It brought much amusement to everyone in the bar after the game.

Attempts to rid the hair of this substance the following day proved fruitless and eventually, a friend, whose sister worked in the RD and E pharmacy suggested Peter visit her which he did the following morning.

She gave him a special solution to rub in and fortunately it worked, although of course the long-term effects were not realised until a few years later.

Savvy feels fortunate to have played rugby at the time he did, whilst we did not have leagues, most games were centred around Devon and could almost all be regarded as derby games.

However, we did have some wonderful trips and played some top quality opponents.

Playing at the home of Gloucester rugby, the famous Kingsholm, against Gloucester United on two occasions, the first resulting in a 15-66 defeat and we were given a thorough lesson in “clearing out” at the ruck!

It might have been their Seconds, but we encountered a few of their Firsts who were looking for game time, namely John Gadd, Nick Price, Gordon Sargeant and Ian Scrivener.

That first occasion was also memorable as we walked out onto the pitch, there was a big crowd especially in the famous Shed! The post match hospitality was also something that we had not previously experienced.

Among the Easter visitors to Crediton were Pontypool Utd, another powerful Welsh second string who sneaked a win by 18-17.

Another Welsh side against whom it was a privilege to play was London Welsh and Pete’s opposite number on that day was Wales B International Chris Howcroft, a giant of a man.

Pete said that “it was before lifting in the lineout was allowed and he barged me at every lineout which was a bit unnecessary as I would have needed a step ladder to compete with him! Added to that was the indignity of having my head trodden on by him a couple of times! - Wonderful times though”.

Pete added “another outstanding memory of that game was to see the Welsh International winger Clive Rees hare off down the pitch like a greyhound and we all assumed he would score until he was caught and tackled by our own Ian Tearle. We lost 44-9 but what a privilege to be a part of such a game”.

Another memorable game came in November 1986, a Devon Cup match at home against Exeter and ended with a 16-4 win. The whole team performance was magnificent with the back row of Mick Leyman, Tim Garner and Walter Andrews (who scored our try) outstanding.

Moving on to team mates, Peter said: “So far as influential team mates, the late, great Geoff Warne has to be up there with the best.

“Geoff was a big physical specimen who was quiet off the pitch but a force of nature on it.

“He was an inspiration to us all to raise our game every time he played. There was no doubt he could have played at a higher level but he chose Kirton above others.

“Two other players also stood out, Gavin White-Thompson, a most talented fly-half who sadly died so young and Ian Radnor, both were pure class.

“I first met Ian when at Okehampton School, I was a 6th form student and Ian came as a student PE teacher and I called him “sir”! A few years later and we were both on the same team sheet.”

Pete remarked that “they were very different times for rugby, it was the norm to play 40 plus games a season with three and sometimes four games played over the Easter period against numerous touring sides. Devon Cup games were always played on a Sunday after also playing on the Saturday and we loved every minute of it”.

Although his favoured position was in the second row, he did play a few games at No8 when Mick Leyman went off on his travels.

He recalled how much more freedom there was to enjoy and it was only then did he realise how easy it was for No8’s to score tries as in that time he did manage eight before going back to the more familiar surroundings in the engine room when Mick returned.

Peter finished by saying “Silverware and trophies were a rarity although we did win the Havill Plate Final against South Molton in 1985.

“There have been so many good memories as I continued playing into my 40s with games in the Third XV and Vets before becoming involved in the Club Administration as Fixture Secretary, Vice Chairman and Chairman some 20 years ago when we first started talking about relocation and here we are some two decades on with more concrete plans.”

Peter played a total 382 games for the Club between 1976 and 2002, 217 in the First XV and scored 19 tries. He was Club Fixture Secretary from 1985 to 1988 and after a stint as Vice Chairman, was Club Chairman from 2002 to 2005

Over the lockdown, I have been scanning and cleaning most of the team photos. If anyone wants a copy of a particular photo I shall be very happy to print off and pass on or email it.

Also if anyone has a copy of a team photo that I may not have, I shall be pleased to hear from you. Contact me at: [email protected] .

Paul Harris