A CHARITY rugby match that featured some of the biggest names in the sport will be broadcast to the nation later today (Wednesday, May 23).

The charity game at Lydney RFC has become an annual fixture and is organised by the international referee Wayne Barnes, from Bream, and his wife Polly Broderick from Yorkley.

The match pitted the Wayne Barnes XV, including former England three-quarter Ugo Monye as captain and Wales and Lions boss Warren Gatland as head coach against some of Lydney and Gloucestershire’s finest players.

Other players of note included ex-internationals Ceri Jones and Duncan Bell. And it ended in a 53-53 draw, meaning the trophy was retained by the pros, who won it last year.

Filming the match were BT Sport for their Rugby Tonight show, and it will be shown on BT Sport at 8pm.

Polly told the Review: “Wayne played tentatively, although he featured in a few lineouts, because he was going on to referee the European Champions Cup final in Bilbao the following Saturday, so he couldn’t risk injury.

Normally players would love the chance to tackle a referee and the other refs didn’t get such an easy time, but everybody was very sporting about it in what is always a very physical match.

“Ugo Monye scored a fantastic opening try and Nick Wood, whilst refereeing, helped Team Barnes to bring the scoreline back to a draw right at the death with a late penalty.

“We organise the events in memory of my mum Debbie Broderick, who died of breast cancer in 2007.

“When we got married in 2013, we set up a wedding fund for Breast Cancer Now and it spiralled from there.

“So far we have raised over £80,000 and we raised around £15,000 of that at this year’s match. Wayne and I met at Whitecross School, now Dean Acadamy, but we live in Twickenham now.

“We could organise this event in London, but we love to do it back at home. It’s such a big event and a really lovely testament to the Forest community. Everyone really pulls together for such a great cause.

“Dave Emery, who is Wayne’s best mate from school, came up with the idea for a charity match, which was originally held at Bream RFC, but moved down to Lydney last year. So we have him to thank, and he’s why the teams compete for the Debbie Broderick Memorial Cup.

“The charity are so grateful for the support of all fundraisers, and this year we even got a video message from Baroness Delyth Morgan, the cross-bench peer and CEO of Breast Cancer Now, wishing us and all at Lydney RFC luck for the event.

“The charity’s aim is that by 2050, everyone who gets diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK will live.

“We come back to the Forest for it because it’s so moving to see the entire local community come together to support the charity so generously, have fun together and enjoy rugby and music in such a positive family environment.

“Putting it together is a huge job and a massive team effort. This year we knew we were onto a winner when our friend, and ex-Harlequins, England and British Lions player, Ugo Monye, agreed to captain Team Barnes. From there, the Wales and Lions coach Warren Gatland also agreed to coach our team and support the event, and so we knew the crowds would follow.

“The night before the match this year, we also held a dinner at the club, where ex-British Lion John Bentley came to speak and tell us all about his experiences. We raised over £2,000 at that event alone.”

The event saw a morning of rugby from 10am in the sunshine, where mini-teams from all over Gloucestershire, Somerset and south Wales came to play the Lydney juniors.

The main match was refereed by ex-World Cup referees Chris White and Tony Spreadbury.

“Nick Wood, the well-loved Gloucester player also took up the whistle, while current Premiership and international referees Luke Pearce and Tom Foley played on Wayne’s team.

Polly added: “We’d really like to thank all the players, who give up their family time to support us and take part in the event, all the staff at Lydney RFC, who worked for months to ensure the smooth and successful running of the event and the very humble Dave Emery, whose idea it was in the beginning, but who also works harder than anybody to put this event together.

‘Thanks also go to all the business people who kindly donated raffle and auction prizes, the volunteers who shook buckets, took money on the gate and worked behind the bar. They were all my school friends and we couldn’t do it without them.