Brokenshire hopeful of Magpies promotion (From Bournemouth Echo)

Brokenshire hopeful of Magpies promotion

10:40pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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COMEBACK man Richie Brokenshire helped Wimborne hammer Corsham 66-12 and then admitted the club’s bid for promotion is out of their hands.

The All Blacks’ thumping win at Leigh Park took them to the Southern Counties South summit with just three games remaining.

But the East Dorset side will have to hope high-flying Frome slip up, with the Somerset outfit just a point behind with a game in hand.

Wimborne’s top-of-the-table status, though, comes after two seasons of struggle – and almost three years since Brokenshire vowed to hang up his boots for good following years of injury turmoil.

The popular hooker suffered a horrific ankle break while playing for Bournemouth against Cleve in September 2007 and announced he was quitting the game just a month later.

But after overcoming that setback, Brokenshire rejoined the Leigh Park revolution and is now setting his sights on a return to South West One East next season.

Brokenshire said: “We’ve played one more game than Frome and they are a point behind, but we’ve got the points in the bag and they will have to play catch-up. It would be nice to finish top of the table.

“It would be much better for us to play against better opposition in the league above because we’ve got the talent and skill set in our side.

“There are a lot of young players who have developed into good players now and our league position proves that.”

Reflecting on his injury woes and the decision to re-ignite his playing career, Brokenshire added: “It was all very well watching, but I couldn’t get the game out of my system and my brother was playing at Wimborne, so I decided to risk it and play again.

“I had about eight weeks out at the start of the season with a shoulder injury, but since Christmas it’s all been going well for me.”

The All Blacks were forced to come from 7-0 behind on Saturday, but turned on the after-burners thanks to tries from captain Russell Tinsdale (2), Dave O’Bryan (3), Jim Brokenshire, Nick Bolton, Mark Griffith and Paul Roberts, with fly-half Oscar Vazquez punting eight conversions.