So, another era ends. Matthew Bacon (‘Rasher’ to you and I) has retired. He’s not injured, not lost his pace or his desire, not been dropped. Retirement is his own initiative. Just as it should be for long-term servants of the game of rugby.

Rasher has played at inside centre for a decade at Pontefract Rugby Club. In fact, it has been ten years of non-stop rugby since 2011, 50 weeks a year, as he was one of our first dual-code players, having played regularly for Castleford Panthers ARLFC each summer during our close season. That he stayed injury-free, fit, fast and healthy is remarkable and testament to his athleticism and commitment to his physical strength and fitness. His strong-running style and angles of attack suited both codes of rugby.

Rasher has been an integral part of some of the best centre partnerships in Pontefract’s recent history: he initially partnered Nick Dykes between 2011-13, when he had lots of strawberry blonde hair; partnered Chris Sant between 2013/15; and finished his career from 2016 until lockdown alongside Craig Fawcett, by which time he’d surrendered to a ‘number one’.

We can’t count precisely how many tries Rash has scored, but it’s a lot, consistently in our top-three try scorers each season: for example, he scored 9 tries in 2011/12; 12 tries in 2016/17; 9 tries in 2017/18. The stats go on and speak for themselves. What they don’t show is that Rash always played with a smile on his face. He’d take a hit and then congratulate his opponent; beast his opposing centre with a crash tackle, then help him to his feet and ask if he’s ok. (Quite what Castleford Panthers or the rugby league lads thought of this aspect of his game is anyone’s guess!)

In a nutshell, Rasher has had a remarkable career with us. His last game was on 13 November 2021 for our Second XV against Moortown at Leeds, away, to prove his fitness. ‘It was almost as fulfilling as my first game, all those years ago, but it’s now time to quit’. Really? Last weekend Rasher enjoyed his first free Saturday for a long time, with no rugby to fill his day. What did he do? ‘I had a bit of a lie-in, thanks, mate. Then took our lass out for brunch at Farmer Copley’s. Then came over to Halifax to see my mates play Old Crocs and have a pint. It was almost the perfect day’. Almost perfect, what could be better? ‘You made me run touch! Never again…’ How about playing for our Vets, then, Rash?