With no North One West league fixture last weekend, the spotlight shone on Wilmslow’s second, third and fourth strings.

All of these played in one or other of the Raging Bull North West Intermediate knockout Cup, Vase or Shield competitions.

The first on show were the Vikings, who took on Liverpool St Helens A in the Raging Bull Cup.

The visitors play in the premier league, one above the Vikings in the North West Intermediate leagues, and that probably made the difference between two otherwise well-matched sides, both of whom fielded players with either present or past first-team experience.

It was too good an opportunity to miss for the club’s coaches Giles Heagerty and Steve Swindells to experiment with new combinations in the front row, forwards and the backs.

LSH led 10-0 at half time, and increased the margin to 13 points early in the second half, when their number 10 used the prevailing wind to kick shrewdly for position.

As the wind died down in the final quarter, the Vikings responded when veteran Rick Williams scored under the posts with about 15 minutes left and in a frantic finish, both sides scored an unconverted try to leave LSH advancing into the next round, 18-12 the final score.

The Hawks moved into the next round of the Shield when their opponents from Macclesfield sadly conceded without contesting the issue. Since being recast last season as a ‘Development XV’, consisting mainly of young up and coming players reinforced by more senior players, such as Steve Braddock and Alex McLennan, they have won promotion to League Four South this season, where they have won six out of their nine matches so far.

It was then left to Andy Duggan’s Ravens to show us what they could do against Oldham in the Vase.

It was a rare opportunity for them to strut their stuff on the first-team pitch and they took the opportunity to run away with the match in the last quarter against a huge Oldham side which predictably ran out of puff.

Six tries were scored by Rick Sheldon, Paul Thomson, Jason New, Campbell Greig, Graham Vickers and Gareth Jones, who broke out of his own 22 to run all the way without so much as a finger laid upon him.

The Ravens were reformed last season as the club’s fourth team for the first time in over 20 years and this year they entered Division Five East of the Salford University Intermediate Leagues. After a slow start, they have now won four games on the bounce for a mid-table position.

Andy Duggan and Geoff Knight see the team as Wilmslow’s open door to the local community and would welcome any lad (minimum age of 17) or dad (no upper age limit), who would like to join them for a gallop on a Saturday afternoon. In rugby’s best tradition, they are also keen to play their part by arranging sponsored rugby matches in aid of local charities.

Visit the website at www.pitchero.com/clubs/wilmslow for more details.

Junior Rugby at Wilmslow continues to thrive.

The former colossus in the Wilmslow second row, Geoff Crawford, runs the club’s U19 side, which this season has seen two of its players, Ed Finch and Harry Jones, turn out for Cheshire U18s.

The side has won five out of seven starts in Division One of the North West Colts League but there are still opportunities for any 17 or 18-year-old rugby player, who’d like to get involved on a Sunday afternoon.

The U16s have also produced two county players in Oscar Hirskyj-Douglas and Tommy Williamson and it would have been three if Callum Westerway hadn’t picked up a knee injury.

They are just three of a ‘Super Six’ from Wilmslow High School, the others being Tom Hudson, Sam Broster and Will Battersby, selected for the county side.

Under-15s coach, Martin Hill is optimistic that there will also be strong representation from Wilmslow in the county’s side at that age group, when it is announced.

Numbers in the minis and juniors are booming but Wilmslow is an open club and places will always be found for any boy – or at the younger ages – and girl, starting at the age of six, who would like to play on a Sunday morning.

The U14s, in particular, would welcome some new faces to join their squad. Once again, just visit the club’s web site to track down the age group, you’re interested in, and contact the relevant coach. Nobody will be turned away.

On Saturday, the Wolves resume their campaign in North 1 West with a home fixture against newly promoted Kirkby Lonsdale (ko 2.15pm).

Coach Giles Heagerty will be hoping that they can consolidate their position in the top half of the league.