While the competitive rugby games take a break, there is still festive fun to be had round the various grounds over the Christmas and New Year period.

The bulk of the fun is on Boxing Day with fixtures at Vagabonds, Southern Nomads and Castletown.

Vagabonds take on the Young Farmers in the Paul Cleland Memorial at Ballafletcher, while at King William’s College Southern Nomads have an intra-club unders versus overs game.

At Poulsom Park, Castletown play their Chris Scott Memorial game where past players take on the current side.

On Saturday, January 29 at Ramsey, the legend that is Jim Nicholson will throw down the front row challenge and field a team made up of props and hookers to take on a team hopefully made up of lads and dads (with mums and daughters welcome too).

While these games are fun and something of a tradition, there is a serious side too with money being raised for charity afterwards.

The very first Front Row Challenge was in 2002 in memory of the late Dave Phillips and since then Jim together with his team have raised more than £10,000 for various local causes.

This year they’ll be supporting Bridge The Gap, a Manx charity aiming to support young people with complex, chronic and life-threatening medical conditions get over the difficult gap between paediatric and adult care. See www.bridgethegap.im if you would like to help but can’t make the game.

Festive Fixtures

Wednesday, December 26:

Vagabonds v Young Farmers

@ Ballafletcher ko 2pm

Southern Nomads Overs v Unders

@ King William’s College ko 1pm

Castletown v Elder Lemons

@ Poulsom Park ko12.30pm

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Saturday, December 29:

The Front Row Challenge

@ Mooragh Park ko 2pm

All kick-off times are approximate.

Dave Christian reviews the island rugby teams’ 2018 fortunes in next week’s special combined issue of the Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent - on sale Thursday, December 27