Memorial match for Welshpool RFC old boy

A match is to take place between Welshpool and Northamptonians at the Recreation Ground in memory of a former ruby player who passed away in 2018.

The match on April 30 is in memory of Vince Owen and will see Welshpool, his first rugby club, take on his last, Old Northamptonians.

Old Northamptonians will be wearing a special, one-off shirt made up of all of Vince’s former clubs – Welshpool, Leicester Tigers, Wasps, Northampton Saints and Old Northamptonians for the 2-30pm kick off. This match was originally scheduled to take place in May 2020, but for Covid reasons it had to be rearranged.  

Vince grew up in Maesmawr and attended the village school before moving to Welshpool High School where his love of rugby began. He later studied at Leicester Polytechnic and represented the college and was selected to play for British Polytechnics.

He also played for Leicester Rugby Club, and whilst there received some excellent advice on the art of hooking from Peter Wheeler, who had such a distinguished international rugby career.  

Vince moved into club rugby when he was 15. He was one of those players who helped restart Welshpool Rugby Club which had been dormant since WWII. In 2017 he attended the 50^th Anniversary Celebrations of the club being reformed. 

After college Vince moved to London, to pursue a career as a building surveyor. Whilst there, he joined Wasps Rugby Club and scored a try on his first team debut against Blackheath. He toured with Wasps to Canada in 1977 and then to the Far East in 1980. 

Vince thoroughly enjoyed his time in London but decided to move to Northampton to further his career.  He joined the Old Northamptonians Rugby Club (The ONs), which became a big part of his life.  Whilst he spent some time playing for Northampton Saints, he absolutely loved the ONs and they became like a family to him. 

After captaining the first team he took on numerous roles.  He was proud to be a coach of the colts team which progressed to the quarter finals of the National Colts Cup in the early 2000s. Vince was Chairman of both the Rugby Club and the Old Northamptonians Association and was delighted to be the President of the Club for his last season – 2017/2018. 

The Old Northamptonians Clubman of the Year Award was awarded to him posthumously at the end of that season club dinner.