There are not many sports clubs who can lay claim to having an active player with a career spanning four decades, an untold number of appearances, an unfathomable number of teammates and countless great stories to tell. It was for that reason that Northallerton RUFC came together after the regular season had finished to play a game celebrating and honouring the achievement of veteran prop forward Paul “Dicko” Dixon who has taken the decision to retire from the game after forty years of senior rugby.

With a festival atmosphere on the touchlines, the club put forward two teams, one from the current men’s first XV whilst the opposition, an invitational XV made up from recently retired players. As befitting the occasion, Dicko elected to play a half for each side, lending his experience to each set of players. To put more context to the game, not one of the current first XV had been born when Dicko first pulled on his boots for Northallerton, highlighting a longevity rarely seen in the game. After a spell in the bar to hydrate for the match, and an unhealthy quantity of strapping tape used, the players took to the field in good spirits and played with an enthusiasm befitting the occasion, keen to put on a show. The early tries went to the self-described “Legends XV” courtesy of some ambitious passing, hard running and slick offloads.
James Hopkin gave plenty to talk about with his juggled put down for a try, did he ground it or not? The referee seemed to think so and hence the try stood. It was the veteran’s team who looked the more lively in the opening quarter of the match, the questionable liquid in the water bottles clearly doing its job of keeping the lads going. Graham Currigan looked right at home on the wing once more as he ran in another try in the corner which was followed by a collective effort from their forward pack to maul the ball over the line again from close range. Ash Rio at fly half kept the score board ticking over with the conversions when required.
The first XV, relying on a higher level of fitness and familiarity were patient in their build up and took their time to get into the game. Once the initial storm from the Vets had subsided, the first XV applied the pressure, kicking long up field to gain territory and registered a couple of tries of their own to bring the lead back in reach. From a spectating viewpoint, it was a joy to see two teams of familiar faces playing a game loved by all in high spirits. Dicko led the way at scrum time, hunkering down against friends old and new whilst the rest of the team would take care of getting the ball into the right areas of the pitch to play from. Against the run of play, a turnover in the midfield was capitalised on by the Vets who broke through the fragmented defence and Rio streaked away to score the try under the posts. At the interval it was the veteran’s XV who held a useful two try lead, albeit they would now be playing up the slope for the remainder of the game.
The momentum gained by this breakaway score served the veteran team well at the resumption of play and it wasn’t long before they were back on the score board with another try this time scored by full back Matty Marsay after some quick hands out wide. The half time respite had clearly come just in time to recharge the batteries. Another passage of play from the back of a scrum began a flowing move of offloads that had Rio in once again for another try out wide with the ball going through all the back line to get there. In a pattern similar to the first half, the energy levels of the veteran side were high for the opening twenty minutes of the half. Predictably the first XV players accustomed to a weekly schedule of training and matches, held the endurance to make their way back into the game and, once again, they to pile pressure on the opposition before a chip over the top of the ruck caught the defence napping and the try was scored.
The last laugh in an entertaining contest went the way of the current first XV who threw the ball from side to side with ambition to get within touching distance of the try line. Fullback Ross Easdon was hauled down only inches short but held the wherewithal to lift the ball up to flanker Freddie Bulman who dived over to end the match. The last act in the game was a fitting finale as Dicko took his first attempt at a conversion in his whole career. Saving the best until last, he knocked it clean between the posts with a graceful toe-ender to close out the game. On the score board, the veterans held a lead of six tries to four however, as the old cliché goes, it was clear that rugby was the real winner this day.
A tremendous day for Northallerton rugby club celebrating an achievement that will stand alone for many years to come. For a lifetime of service to the game and to the club, everyone on the day said thank you to Dicko. The club and all associated with it look forward to his continued presence around Brompton Lodge for many years to come. Many thanks to the referee for officiating the game, to the crowds of supporters who came along to cheer the teams on, and as always, to the many volunteers and helpers who make the day happen.