ORGANISERS of the Combination Cups have hit back at recent criticism – insisting the end of season tournaments still play a key role in developing Forest rugby and maintaining strong links between clubs.
Cinderford swept the board this year, winning the Senior, Junior and Minor Cup finals. Their success drew criticism from some quarters, but club secretary John Wood, who is also secretary of the Forest of Dean Combination, says it is wrong to have a go at the club just for being strong.
He said: "The aim of the Combination is to develop rugby within the Forest in a spirit of friendship and sportsmanship. I believe the spirit is good and the rugby is popular.
"Even the Minor Cup final between Cinderford Bucks and Westbury II drew around 250 spectators."
Mr Wood says semi-professional Cinderford went out of their way to pick their teams fairly for this year's competition. He said: "There is no inter-club animosity. We always adhere to the rules and the spirit of the competition. In the final, when we needed to find players, we promoted people from the thirds. One of our players was playing for the Colts last season.
"You will always get quirks, just look at Newent where a county player like Joe Goatley was able to play in the Junior Cup.
"I suppose we pay a price for being the strongest club.
"If Cinderford were not in it I think the Combination would collapse.
"If you said to the Ross players, for instance, that they could not play Cinderford they would be very upset. Drybrook were cock-a-hoop at the way they played in the Senior final and rightly so. It was a very competitive game played in exactly the right manner."
Mr Wood says the Combination deserves credit for some of the things it has done in recent seasons.
He added: "We have instigated competitions at a junior age-group level, supported Ross on their behalf in their bid to play in Gloucestershire and also helped Westbury to buy their new ground with an interest free loan of £5,000."
Cinderford United got into last year's final without playing a qualifying game.
Drybrook did the same this year due to Berry Hill's Intermediate Cup success, which forced them to withdraw.
Mr Wood said: "Cinderford played two qualifying matches to get to the final this year.
"With the problems caused by weather, league and cup fixtures and over-runs, the Combination Cups suffer but we try our hardest to make the end of the season memorable."