Amersham Rugby Programme 11-02-23

£5

AMERSHAM & CHILTERN

REGIONAL 2 THAMES LEAGUE

REGIONAL 2 THAMES LEAGUE

SEASON 2022-23

SEASON 2022-23

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2023

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Chairmans Welcome

Welcome to Amersham and Chiltern’s online match programme. A particular welcome to the players, officials, and supporters of our visitors, and especially to those clubs who will be coming us for the first time.

This year, following a reorganisation of the structure by the RFU, our First XV play in the ‘Regional 2 Thames’ league. This competition contains teams from both the London and South-West Divisions, allowing us to renew some old friendships as well as to play some different teams. Level Six of the RFU pyramid will continue to provide a standard of rugby that is very testing for a club from a relatively small town like Amersham. We are proud to compete here.

Our Second XV is completely in the SouthWest Division and plays in the snappily titled Counties 2 Tribute Berks, Bucks and Oxon North league. This is a Level Eight league, where the team was last year, but the reorganisation means that it will be a much tougher proposition than it was. The Seconds now play a number of 1st XVs, some from clubs that we have previously faced at first team level. The Third XV play in the Herts and Middlesex Merit Table 3 South and provide competitive but social rugby for those who cannot commit to weekly league matches and training. One, both or neither of them may be at home today.

Like most clubs we are always looking for new players. If you would like to join in, at any level, please contact our Director of Rugby, Pete Gibson. Alternatively, go old school and ask at

the bar, or speak to anyone involved with one of the teams. You will be very welcome.

As well as our adult sides, we run extraordinarily successful Mini and Junior Sections, providing rugby for age groups from Under 6 to Under 18. The club is absolutely buzzing on a Sunday when training and matches take place. If you have a child who would like to try rugby or one who already plays, please contact Rob Elms (Minis) or Richard Clifford (Juniors) - or just bring your boy or girl along.

If you have five minutes before the game starts, please flick through the other pages of this programme and check out our fantastic sponsors. They are all great local companies; without their support it would be very difficult for us to continue. If you could use any of them, and mention where you saw their name, you would be doing the club and the game a real service.

I really hope that you have an enjoyable day with us today. If you do, and you want to come back, please pick up a fixture card from the bar. Anyone and everyone you might want to contact is listed there. If you’re really modern, the information is also on our excellent website.

Huw Thomas Chairman

President: Peter Kenyon; Chairman: Huw Thomas; Hon Sec: Ralph Hayward; Hon Treasurer: Ross Bugden; Commercial Committee Chairman: Scott Jarrold; Director of Rugby: Pete Gibson; Minis Chairman; Rob Elms; Junior Chairman: Richard Clifford

Chiltern

Amersham and Chiltern RFC

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

Peter Gibson 07535 241750

1ST XV HEAD COACH

Rich Hoskins 07813 827621 1ST XV TEAM MANAGER

Andy Grant a.granty@gmail.com

CLUB CAPTAIN

Jack Kenyon 07775 902681

PAVILION AND GROUNDS

Richard Bobbett 07768 505427

MATCH SECRETARY

Jamie Reeve 07889 705715

Saturday 6th May 2023

Black Tie Ball

7pm until 2am

Champagne reception

3 course meal

Live Band

DJ until 2am

Tickets are £75 a head Tables are for 10 or 12 people

Old Amersham Hotels are ready to welcome you to our breathtaking venues across the Chiltern Hills.

Whether it is a hearty pub lunch by the fire at the Kings Arms, a cosy night in a luxurious suite at the Crown Inn or a stylish celebration under the glittering chandeliers of the Kings Chapel we’d be delighted to have you!

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REGIONAL 2 THAMES LEAGUE TABLE

REGIONAL 2 THAMES FIXTURES 2022-

MATCH REPORT

Windsor RFC - 17 v

Amersham and Chiltern RFC - 24

Saturday 4th February 2023

(H/T 10 - 5)

Bravehearted Chiltern Silence Lionhearted Windsor’s Roar in Royal Bonus Point Win

‘Wives may be merry, and yet honest too. I hope good luck lies in odd numbers. O powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man. In some other a man a beast. I think the devil will not have me damned lest the oil that’s in me should set hell on fire’.

Saturday was a very, very, important day. For me it all could have gone horribly wrong on a day when thousands of my fellow ‘brave hearted’ souls descended from my homeland to be amongst the English. The main course following our Chiltern Cherubs starter facing the challenge of a determined Windsor. Home Park is blessed with iconic views of the Castle and on a dry overcast day the start was a little haunting as Windsor’s start belied their bottom place in the league.

From the A&C kick off Windsor looked in the mood with a decent tempo and solid rucking resulting in much of the possession, although met with a good solid defense. That was until on only 5 minutes Windsor’s

efforts were rewarded with a solid forward’s try near to the posts. Straightforward conversion and a neat and tidy opening lead to take confidence from (7-0).

Dan Kingsley at stand-off then adopted a Fin Russell style with some free running and potent kicking to put some much-needed pressure onto the hard-working Windsor defense.

MacKenzie South, meantime, was starting to run some lovely lines on the wing to test matters further. At this time the sun also peeped through to offer some much-needed enlightenment to proceedings.

Jack Kenyon a previous star at Fullerians then made the fatal mistake of running too

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

fast and ended up on the sidelines with his thigh wrapped in an entire role of cling-film. Alex Bower replaced him as Jack exclaimed that it was wrapped a little tight. On the half hour mark and with a wee bit of offside Windsor extended their lead with a straightforward penalty (10 - 0).

Just before half-time it was No 8 Jordan Scott, picking up the ball before parting the Windsor defense, with a strong run through to the corner who created a well-worked try. A tough conversion for Tom Fawssett

followed with it drifting to the right side. (10 -5).

Still time though for Dan Kingsley to require treatment to his ear. This resulted in some delicate bandaging around his head and resulted in a second row look which made him nearly as handsome as a forward. Very brave Dan.

Just at the start of the 2nd half Windsor hit the post with a penalty attempt. A&C then settled in, upped the tempo and started

completing some lovely back moves. Windsor on 56 minutes conceded a try to the hard running MacKenzie South leaving a decent conversion attempt for Tom. Securely struck and the lead obtained (10-12).

5 minutes later and again it was MacKenzie South running through for another fine try followed by another decent conversion from Tom Fawssett.

Clearly the Scottish blood was flowing well today. (10-19).

On 68 minutes a resilient Windsor fought back with a good try and conversion after enjoying some more possession (17-19). And uncomfortably close.

A&C closed the game out well and were rewarded for their attacking, sniffing out a bonus point win.

Step up Warwick South from the back row and with little resistance ploughed over for a well-deserved bonus point converted try.

11. Bojan Cecaric

12. Noah Jarvis

13. MacKenzie South

14. Jack Kenyon

15. Tom Fawssett

16. Kai Davies

17. Michael Everett

18. Alex Bower

BY ANDY GRANT

Team:

1. Louis Bailey

2. Joe Batt

3. Cameron Wilson

4. Will Drewett

5. Warwick South

6. Andrew Toole

7. Josh Finch (C)

8. Jordan Scott

9. Conor Segre

10. Dan Kingsley

FROM THE TOUCHLINE

by Huw Thomas

Today we welcome the players, committee, and supporters of Aylesbury RFC to Ash Grove for an enticing Regional Thames 2 clash. Our visitors are comfortably mid-table, and we lie fourth, with a couple of games in hand on third-placed Old Priorians. None of that will count for much at two o’clock, as local rivalry comes to the fore. Chiltern won the corresponding fixture at Ostler’s Field in November, but only thanks to a last-minute, long-range penalty. It will be as close again today. Bucks ref Joel Taylor will be keeping order and it will be good to see him.

We come into this game riding a couple of wins on the road. To be honest, we played most of the rugby in beating Fullerians 27-33 at Cassiobury Park. Each of our five tries was excellent in its own way: Bojan Cecaric got two, with Jack Kenyon, Tom Fawssett and Mackenzie South all crossing the line as well. While the backs monopolised the scoring, the foundation of the win was laid by the forwards, who did very well to stand up to a physical Fullerians pack. Coach Hoskins was pleased and relieved to prevail again.

Last week the boys went down to Windsor to play a game postponed from frozen December. This was a hard-fought win, against opponents desperate to retain their level six status. Despite going 10-0 down early on, Chiltern scored four tries to record another bonus point win, 1722. This time it was Mackenzie South who bagged a brace, with Jordan Scott and Warwick South keeping things even for the forwards. Tom Fawssett (who knew?) kicked a couple of fine conversions.

If that game was intense, it was probably nothing compared to the Second XV’s match down at Chesham. Losing 22-10 at half time, Chiltern dug deep and allowed the home side no more points in the second period. Two converted tries gave Johnny Rice’s men a 22-24 win, which may well prove to be vital at the end of the season. Today, the 2s are away at table-topping Oxford Harlequins.

Huw

THE TEAMS

SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2023, KICK-OFF 2.00pm

AMERSHAM & CHILTERN

1. Kai Davies

2. Joe Batt

3. Doug MaGregor Smith

4. Keiran Booth

5. Will Drewett TBC

6. Warwick South

7. Josh Finch (Capt)

8. Jordan Scott

9. Conor Segre

10. Dan Kingsley

11. Tom Fawssett

12. Noah Jarvis

13. Mackenzie South

14. Alex Bower

15. Ben Pothecary

16. Andrew Toole

17. Mike Everett

18. Charlie Bourne

AYLESBURY

Referee: Mr Joel Taylor (Bucks RFURS)

PLAYER PROFILE

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: CONOR SEGRE

A delightful half-hour spent in the company of a most charming young man. Our very own Conor Segre. Only a tender 25 years old and the world at his feet. What would Conor share as he was put under the

for reflection and culture. There’s little doubt in my mind Conor will become a millionaire and that a career in films is just around the corner.

So, what has Conor shared?

A resident of Newbury, he is a very, very mature 25-year-old scrum-half. With dancing feet, a quick burst of speed and the strength of an Ox, Conor is one of our Chiltern Cherub superstars.

With a single cap, (at the moment) he is intent on representing Jamaica in the Rugby 7s more in the future. Only in 2018 it was Conor who was the pin-up boy at the Hong Kong 7sdefeating the mighty Cook Islands whilst succumbing to the Irish and Uruguayan elite. His working life is spent within Oxford and although aspiring to owning a red Jaguar like DCI Morse he is also focused on being a multi-millionaire by 2033. Conor is an expert in computing and although a blue-sky thinker is someone who specialises in clouds.

On a Sunday, especially, he relaxes to the sounds of the OJ’s and adores singing along to ‘Love train’. A romantic Conor also likes to top up on his display of red roses as well as writing love poems. He has just started reading ‘atomic habits’ a book that has been recommended and is a key part of his multi-millionaire strategy

He is a snowboarder and practices on top of his bed with the windows open. He is also a walker both inside and out and never without his step counter to maintain his athletic physique. With just the one ear piercing he is soon to add to the same lobe with another. That’s style.

A fan of California, he particularly loves the little old town of Topanga. Nestled in the mountains outside LA this is place where the batteries are recharged, and he can dream a dream. Expert in horse riding he enjoys riding up and down the mountains visiting Cowboys and Indians in the wild west. No bar brawls though as he is a lover not a fighter.

Conor adores Amersham and Chiltern and counts Newbury, Bracknell and Ealing as past clubs. He will always be grateful for his past opportunities and to get a chance to be in that moment again to maximise opportunities is something he continues to hope for.

Thank goodness you wear the red and white. Conor you are Chiltern dynamite!!!

BY ANDY GRANT

What’s on at Amersham & Chiltern

PRESIDENTS NEW DATE TO FOLLOW

27th January 6th May

4th March

END

SEASON

Sunday 30th April

Saturday 10th June

FIREWORKS NIGHT SPORTSMANS’ DINNER

Friday 6th October Friday 3rd November Friday 24th November

Unit 3, Binders Industrial Estate, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP15 6LJ

CH I LT ER N STASH

The new Cl ub Shop, i n conj uncti on wi th Samurai Sports can be accessed vi a the cl ub’s websi te www. chi l ternrugby. com under the shoppi ng tab and usi ng the l i nk: http: //www. samurai cl ubshops. com/amer shamchi l ternrugby

The shop i s a maj or step forward for the cl ub and has a great range of l ei sure and sportswear of excel l ent qual i ty.

Other items are avai l abl e from behi nd the bar:

Cl ub Ti e £15

Lapel Pi n £5

Cuff Li nks £10

Key Ri ng £5

Thermal Mug £7. 50

SPONSORS AND ADVERTISERS WHY WE NEED YOU

The A&C Rugby Club is run as a charity and in a good year the income from subs and the clubhouse and sponsors means we just about break even. We have been active in the local community for close to 100 years. Our loyal members are very supportive and over the years we have done various fundraising schemes to improve every aspect of the club. The clubhouse itself was the biggest and others have followed such as solar panels, the new car park and of course the borehole, without which we would not have been able to start the season on Saturday 3rd September 2022. Incidentally our energy costs are set to increase dramatically so we need to focus on ways to become more energy efficient. Pitch maintenance is another big expense, with an extra £25,000 spent this summer on much needed grading work. We have also upgraded our floodlights at an additional cost of £45,000.

We now estimate that we need to spend some £80,000 on club house refurbishments. One reason for doing this is to make the club house the kind of place people will want to use for events, from private parties to corporate away days. And, of course, our sponsors and advertisers, as well as our members, are always welcome at the club for lunch on home match days.

So, without the support of our sponsors and advertisers it would just not be possible to contemplate the level of capital expenses we face every year. We have a huge responsibility to our members and to the wider community, we get no external support even though we are one of the biggest sports clubs in the area and provide outstanding pastoral care and specialist coaching to players of all ages. We recognise that in return for the fantastic support we get we need to work with our sponsors and advertisers to see how we can help them.

Jennie Cahill will be delighted to hear from you with ideas and suggestions. Please contact her on 07894 293905 or jennie.cahill@icloud.com. Most importantly we want our members to use the products and services in this programme.

Thank you for all your support.

Peter Osborne Director

OSBORNE SAMUEL GALLERY

Peter, pictured here, always in his A&C attire, chatting on match day