Club Rugby issue 10

ISSUE 10

AT THE HEART OF THE RUGBY COMMUNITY

Ben Kay – meet the man on Rugby Tonight Enter the Social Media Awards

Fixtures for the months ahead – all you need to know

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Legal Eagle – legislative update

HQ Building the Business – free advisory service Free racing tickets for Doncaster

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WELCOME

Welcome

Welcome to the latest issue of Club Rugby, the magazine for grassroots rugby clubs, the backbone of the sport.

Contributors

Mike Braidwood

Chris Colverd

Sean Ferris

Karen Foreman

Larry Hardcastle

Jonathan Hardy

David Lucas

Brian O’Driscoll

Leigh Ann Ogilvie

Justin O’Regan

Victoria Romero-Trigo

Jill Slingsby

We’ve enjoyed some fantastic rugby in both the Aviva Premiership and European Champions Cup competitions in recent months and the season now steps up yet another gear with some mouthwatering autumn internationals in prospect.

Kicking off with the New Zealand, taking on the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 4 and culminating on December 2 as Wales take on South Africa at Cardiff, with a host of huge games in-between, the November series will provide hours of unmissable action with many of the world’s best players on display.

This autumn is a major staging post on the way to the Japan 2019 with each and every player attempting to cement themselves into their respective countries’ plans for the World Cup, making for some exciting action.

Many observers will be keeping a close eye on New Zealand for any chinks in the world champions’ armour following a mixed season for the All Blacks which saw them draw a series against the Lions and win the Rugby Championship, albeit rounding off the competition with a defeat at the hands of Australia. Will any of their opponents this month – France, Scotland, Wales and the Barbarians – be able to record a rare victory against the men in Black?

Whatever happens in the international game, November is sure to be a busy month across the nation’s clubs with many thousands of players, young and not so young, training for and playing the game they love.

This month’s Club Rugby has plenty of features to help grassroots clubs reach their business potential and boost their revenues. We also have plenty of expert advice on a whole range of club-centric topics as well as news of the upcoming Club Awards being held in Doncaster at the end of November.

Editor Justin O’Regan Design David Foster Editorial Chris Colverd, Caroline Scoular Events Karen Foreman, Jill Slingsby Display Advertising Margaret Doherty Sales & Marketing Leigh-Ann Ogilvie Circulation Jon Hardy Accounts Andrew Soles Publishing Director Sean Ferris

Club Rugby is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing (ACP) Ltd. Club Rugby is a sister title to ACP’s Club Mirror and Clubhouse Europe.

ACP Gainsborough House 59/60 Thames Street Windsor Berkshire SL4 1TX UK t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@clubrugby.org.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk

I hope you enjoy the issue.

JUSTIN O’REGAN

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Club Rugby does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

CLUB RUGBY 3

Contents 20

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6 News A round-up of the latest news from the rugby scene, including the first-ever women’s Barbarians FC match.

8 A key staging post Club Rugby looks ahead to England’s Old Mutual Wealth Series featuring Tests against Argentina, Australia and Samoa at Twickenham.

28 Club Mirror – 50 years young 12 Players to watch Some of the players who are likely to light up the upcoming autumn series, including young New Zealand hooker Asafo Aumua, one of the fastest forwards in the world game.

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18 This month in social media A round-up of the weird and wonderful rugby stories and memes floating around the internet.

Club Mirror prepares to celebrate its 50th birthday in 2018.

30 European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Fixtures Make sure you mark out these dates in your diary to ensure you don’t miss out on some huge European clashes.

45 Club event – date for the diary 20 Join the audience for BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight

The Club Awards and Gala Dinner is a celebration not to be missed. Here’s why.

Fancy joining Ben Kay, Ugo Monye, Austin Healey and the rest of the Rugby Tonight team for a live broadcast?

48 A club day at Doncaster Racecourse

22 The Rugby Tonight takeover A look back at the end of last season when Club Rugby readers headed to the BT Sport studios to become the audience for popular magazine programme Rugby Tonight.

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Fancy a flutter? Guests at the 2017 Club Awards can join us for a free day’s racing at one of Yorkshire’s best-loved racecourses.

50 HQ – Better Buying Want to cut club spending while increasing efficiencies? Read on.

53 HQ Building the Business – Legal Eagle

58 Honing in on Halloween

The countdown to Christmas is well underway. Are you prepared?

Top tips on creating a spectacular fright night.

61

61 Bonfire night 54 HQ Building the Business – Supplier News

Top advice on running a safe Bonfire Night.

Dransfields acquires Lottery King.

64 Ask the Experts: The Toro Company 57 Risk assessments What are they and why are they important? Club Insure explains.

Andy Brown of turf maintenance equipment company Toro explains the latest industry trends.

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CLUB RUGBY 5

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News from the touchline Colne & Nelson RUFC coach wins award

A Lancashire club is celebrating after one of their coaches won the Mitsubishi Motors RFU Volunteer of the Year Award.

Colne and Nelson RUFC coach Adam Padgett picked up the reward at an event at Twickenham in September.

Padgett has coached at the club for the last seven years and has inspired a new generation of players with his team, the Under-19s, winning renown around the county after some eye-catching performances.

His passion as a coach and role model for those he mentors has enabled more people to get involved in the game.

This passion for the game, and those he coaches, resulted in a nomination to the Mitsubishi Motors Volunteer Recognition Programme, an initiative designed to give rugby communities the opportunity to recognise the volunteers who give so much to the grassroots game.

Padgett attended the regional event earlier this year, held at the Browns of Grimsargh dealership, and was announced as their winner.

He was selected from over 1,500 nominations across the country as one of the four overall national winners, and will now be able to select a Mitsubishi vehicle of his choice to drive for the year.

Lance Bradley, MD of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK said, “Volunteers are such a vital part of the game. The amount of work that they put in to the day-to- day running of their clubs is invaluable and these awards give us the opportunity to recognise the hard work they do.”

Padgett added: “It’s fantastic to see an event being put on to recognise and reward volunteers for the work we do.

“It has been an unforgettable experience and a pleasure to accept this award on behalf of all volunteers who dedicate their time to making rugby great.”

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20-min exercise programme set to reduce injuries The new ‘Activate’ exercise programme has been shown to reduce injuries.

A new dynamic 20-minute exercise programme, that is performed by rugby players before training and pre-match, could dramatically reduce injuries in the sport according to a benchmark study published in October.

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the collaborative project between health researchers at the University of Bath and England Rugby shows that the introduction of a simple injury prevention exercise programme has significant impacts in reducing rates both for concussion and lower limb injuries.

By following the progress of 81 men’s adult community rugby club teams and nearly 2,000 players over the course of one season, its findings shows significant reductions in concussion and lower-limb injuries as a result of the new exercise control programme.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for us to improve player safety and reduce injuries across game.

“Since launching the Activate programme at the beginning of September we’ve already seen hundreds of coaches sign up to access the online resources and complete the face to face training," said Steve Grainger, RFU rugby development director.

“Having this strong evidence behind the programme we hope that coaches appreciate the importance of it and integrate

the exercises into their training and prematch routines to ensure their players are in the best position possible when taking to the field.”

Its results highlight concussion injuries reduced by up to 60% with lower-limb injuries reduced by up to 40%.

The greater the compliance among players, the greater the impacts in terms of injury reduction – the best results were observed where teams practised the warmup at least twice a week.

‘Activate’, the new training and pre-match exercise programme, was developed by the research team as part of the study and builds on research earlier in the year focused on schoolboy rugby showing similarly impressive results.

The Activate warm-up regime focuses on balance, strength and agility in order to better prepare players for the physical challenges they face in matches and to mitigate potential injury risks. Split into four stages it takes roughly 20 minutes to complete.

The new protocol is made up of a combination of exercises that develop overall fitness, strength, power and stability. The exercises are specifically targeted to improve functional and core strength, particularly lower limb balance and functional neck strength, all of which assist a player in dealing with the physical demands of the

game (www.englandrugby.com/activate).

One of the study authors, Dr Simon Roberts from the University of Bath’s department for health explained: “By replacing stretching exercises that players typically do before training and matches with exercises that focus on better control of movement, we have seen a dramatic reduction in injuries in this study.

"This new programme is markedly different from the kind of warm-up players might typically take part in during training or pre-match with a much greater focus on movement control.

“Combining the impressive results on injury reduction with the national roll-out of this programme with England Rugby, we are particularly excited by the potential for this work in making a long-term impact on the game.”

Professor Keith Stokes, head of the University of Bath’s department for health who lead the work said: “The injury that has received the greatest focus in recent years has been concussion.

“At present we are not clear about the precise mechanisms by which the programme reduces concussion incidence, but this is a particularly interesting finding.”

The Activate Injury Prevention Exercise is a key element of England Rugby’s ‘Rugby Safe’ programme, their overarching player welfare awareness initiative.

Barbarians women’s team set for historic debut against Munster

Club refurb completed Henley RFC cut the ribbon on its new £450,000 changing rooms in October.

The new facility is the second phase of work to transform the club’s facilities, with the first involving a complete refurbishment of the adjoining clubhouse.

The single-storey extension on the western side of the clubhouse provides two changing rooms, a physio room and toilets that meet RFU standards, and also includes the club shop.

Club Chairman Chris Nixon said: “We are delighted that the second phase of our clubhouse redevelopment is now completed.

We would like to thank all parties who have contributed to the fundraising and all who

Rugby on TV We have full details of all the live rugby coming in the next month, including the Autumn Internationals on Sky Sports and the BBC and some key Aviva Premiership ties showing on BT Sport.

We also have comprehensive listings of the key live events in other sports taking place in September, not least all the big Premier League football matches showing on BT Sport and Sky Sports.

have helped make such a superb facility a reality.

“It’s a very proud moment – it’s taken three years to get to where we are now completing the clubhouse and changing room extension.”

Dignitaries who attended the opening of the new facility, included RFU chief executive Steve Brown, Oxfordshire RFU chairman Chris Skaife and England women’s World Cup finalist and ex-Henley player Tamara Taylor.

The project was supported by the district council, RFU, club members and the Trust for Oxfordshire Environment, with funding from Grundon Waste Management through the Landfill Communities Fund.

World-famous invitational side the Barbarians have launched their first-ever women’s team with the team set to make their debut in Ireland in November.

The women’s Baa-Baas will make their historic debut against Munster at Thomond Park on November 10 and will be coached by Giselle Mather, a World Cup-winner with England and currently the Wasps director of rugby.

Mather said: ““The Barbarians are one of the reasons I fell in love with rugby and to be coaching this side is a massive honour.

“It’s going to be a massive opportunity for all these athletes. The state of the women’s game is phenomenal at the moment following events like the World Cup and the launch of the Premier 15s in England.

“With the Barbarians coming in on top of

that it’s taking the game to a different level.”

Players from seven nations including New Zealand, France and Canada have already been selected for the match, which will be followed by future contests against international sides, with a full schedule to be confirmed later this year.

“We’re delighted to open a new chapter in the Barbarian FC’s history with the creation of our women’s team this season,” said Chairman John Spencer. “Its formation is something we’ve been working towards for a number of years and it is a reflection of the excellence of the global women’s game.

“Our aim is to welcome more talented players into this iconic club to forge new friendships and play with the style and passion for which the Barbarians are famous.”

Become part of the audience on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight ...

Club Rugby is working with BT Sport to gather together a number of club audiences for the broadcaster’s unmissable midweek magazine programme Rugby Tonight.

The programme has become required viewing for rugby aficionados with its irreverent mix of chat, analysis and interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport.

It is filmed live at BT Sport’s state-of-the-art studios in London and you could be there to see Austin Healey, Ben Kay, Ugo Monye and the rest of the gang in action.

If you’re interested, email info@clubmirror.com with your name, club and contact details.

CLUB RUGBY 7

ENGLAND – AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL SERIES England open their autumn series against Argentina on November 11.

A key staging post England take on Argentina, Australia and Samoa on successive weekends in November and coach Eddie Jones will learn much about his men during this Test series, including which of the several new players he has picked have the toughness required to become a part of his World Cup plans.

T

he Old Mutual Wealth Series at Twickenham this autumn, which sees England take on Argentina, Australia and Samoa, should prove to be a crucial period in the build-up to RWC 2019.

Japan may seem a long way down the road but November represents the halfway stage in coach Eddie Jones’ masterplan to bring the Webb Ellis Trophy back to England. This is the point where new players with the correct mental fortitude and ability to fit in with Jones’ playing philosophy need to be assimilated into the squad.

The converse is equally true and Jones will waste no time on discarding those players he deems have no place in his four-year project to win the World Cup. Hence, the players who have forced their way into the squad know that their personal performances will be under major scrutiny and they

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need to perform if they are to have any hope of sticking around for 2019.

Jones, while a somewhat jovial presence in press conferences, is utterly ruthless when it comes to achieving his mission. No player is safe, no matter how long their list of past achievements or number of caps; if Jones deems them surplus to requirements, they will be dropped.

Look at veteran backrower James Haskell, one of the highest profile absentees from the autumn series squad. The 32-year-old Wasps captain, who has amassed 75 caps during his career and was the Player of the Series on the tour of Australia in 2016, is simply “not playing well enough” to make the squad according to Jones.

“We have continuous conversations about where the players are at, he knows he is a bit off the pace at the moment. He's definitely improving every game and every game he plays he's getting a

little bit better, and the door is certainly not closed on him.”

Other coaches may have given Haskell the benefit of the doubt, allowed him some credit on account of his past achievements and perhaps given him time to reclaim his form.

Not Jones. In his meritocracy, current form is all that matters, hence the call-up for exciting Exeter Chiefs flanker/No.8 Sam Simmonds who has starred for his side during their impressive season so far in both the Aviva Premiership and European Champions Cup. Simmonds’ selection also shows that Jones is willing to circumvent the normal elite player pathway with the Exeter man having gained selection for the England squad without ever featuring for his country at age-group level, the ‘normal’ route for international players.

But after scoring 13 tries in 27 appearances for

Exeter Chiefs, Simmonds has caught the eye of Jones and now has the chance to show that he can replicate his club form on the international field.

Other form players who have made the squad include Sale Sharks wing Denny Solomona, the Rugby League convert who was sent home from a training get-together in the summer after taking part in an unauthorised drinking session but has now been brought back out of the cold.

Solomona is a rare attacking talent with outstanding finishing ability – as he demonstrated in Argentina over the summer – and this autumn will be his chance to show that he has the required skill and discipline to have a future in international rugby union.

His selection proves that Jones is willing to give players a second chance and this will give a boost to those players who are currently out of favour with the England chief.

England’s autumn fixture list could have been a lot tougher but will certainly not be the place for experimentation and Jones will be aiming to win all three games.

England open their account against Argentina on November 11 and will be going for their fourth straight victory in 12 months against the Pumas.

Given that Argentina are in England’s group in the 2019 World Cup, another win would be a major morale-booster for the men in white.

The Pumas finished rock bottom in the Rugby Championship table this year, losing all six matches and conceding a total of 235 points so England will start as heavy favourites in the initial match – although Jones is not taking the challenge lightly.

“They’ve had a tough two years and know if they beat England at Twickenham in November those bad two years will be washed away so we’ll expect a team that is re-energised,” said Jones.

Denny Solomona scores a try against Argentina during the summer.

“They are a very good side and are probably finding the balance in their game between the old traditional Puma style and the more ‘ruck and run’ that Graham Henry introduced.”

Next up are Australia and that match will be the key marker for the entire series given that the Wallabies signed off their recent Rugby Championship campaign with a 23-18 victory over New Zealand in Brisbane.

The manner of their thrilling win over the All Blacks will give Jones plenty of food for thought as Australia showed more attacking verve than they have shown in a long while, scoring three outstanding tries which left New Zealand defenders clutching at thin air.

England have not lost to Australia since the group stages of RWC 2015 during the Stuart Lancaster era and defeat at Twickenham this time around is nigh-on unthinkable for former

Wallaby coach Eddie Jones even after the Australian heroics against the All Blacks in October.

Then England round off their autumn series against Samoa, a physical test which is sure to see plenty of bruised and battered bodies at the final whistle but should result in a victory for the home side.

Samoan rugby is most definitely one of the ‘have nots’ of the international game. Their home union is desperately short of resources, a situation which means that all of their international players earn their livings playing for foreign clubs all around the globe and are subsequently not able to commit fully to their national side.

Samoa will therefore be short of preparation time ahead of their autumn tour but will not be lacking any amount of heart and will play with their usual fire.

Exeter Chiefs backrower Sam Simmonds has earned a call-up to the England squad for the autumn international series.

CLUB RUGBY 9

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ENGLAND – AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL SERIES With players like Toulouse winger Paul Perez, Bristol flanker Jack Lam and Tala Ioane of Sale Sharks in their squad, they certainly have plenty of hardnosed campaigners who will take the game to their opponents.

It all adds up to an intriguing set of games at HQ and Jones is eagerly looking forward to seeing his team move forward as they set their sights on becoming the world’s best team.

“We haven’t had a lot of the players since the end of the Six Nations, we’ve got players coming back from the Argentina tour as well as the Lions so putting those two groups together along with the spirit and passion of the spectators at Twickenham is exciting,” said Jones.

“What you should expect to see is a team that is continually improving, there is nothing specific in our game that we have been working on other than we want to keep on improving. We want to be tactically adaptable, we want to be physically robust and they are things that we have a short amount of time to work on.”

“Training, preparation, uncertainty - we want the players to be uncomfortable for the next two years," said Jones.

“Then when they get to the World Cup they think ‘goodness me, we've made it and I'm prepared for anything.’

“One of the things I’ve learnt about watching the All Blacks in the World Cups is I think they used to look at it that they were the No.1 team in the world, they’d turn up as that and they’d win the game.

“We’re not trying to copy them but given the experience I’ve had in World Cup campaigns, it’s important now given that we’ve had two good

years where we’ve got a solid squad, a solid style of play, solid credits in the bank, that it is time now to start developing the depth and adaptability of the team - making them more uncomfortable and not have everything nice and rosy, have a bit of chaos in the house.”

As well as the 32-man squad for the first game of the Old Mutual Wealth Series against Argentina, Jones has included two apprentice players in Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith and Bath back row Zach Mercer who will train alongside the rest of the squad but will not be eligible to play in the Tests.

The pair have both represented the England U20s and Jones has included them with a long-term view.

“That’s why we’ve got these two guys in, to invest in them and they’re players for the future of English rugby," he added.

“Whether they feature in the 2019 World Cup will be dependent on their progress, how hard they work, how much they keep their feet on the ground and how much they don’t believe what the media writes about them.

“We’ve always had that in rugby, we’ve always brought young players in and given them an education programme and taught them the way of things.

"They’re there to learn about the game, they have a great opportunity both of those young guys to be part of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and we want to make sure we give them the proper physical base, a proper tactical base and make the proper social base to be long term players.”

England squad Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)*, Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

Forwards: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)*, Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs). *Apprentice players

England Fixtures Saturday, November 11, 3pm England v Argentina (Sky Sports Main Event HD) Saturday, November 18, 3pm England v Australia (Sky Sports Main Event HD) Saturday, November 25, 3pm England v Samoa (Sky Sports Main Event HD)

England take on the Wallabies on Saturday, November 18 at Twickenham.

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AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS

Players to watch As the autumn international series approach, Club Rugby selects some standout players who are sure to have a major influence on their respective countries’ fortunes during November.

ELLIS GENGE (ENGLAND) Known as a bit of a rough diamond in his younger days when his volcanic temper let him down on the pitch on occasion, the Bristol-born prop is a far more disciplined player these days and is one of the cornerstones of the Leicester Tigers pack.

Genge started out his career at Old Redcliffians (home club of former England and Lions prop Gareth Chilcott) before being spotted by Bristol RFC. He subsequently went on loan to nearby Clifton where he began to gain attention for his physical, combative style of play.

Genge went on loan to Leicester Tigers in January 2016 and he has never looked back and is now a cult figure at Welford Road, having won the Land Rover Discovery of the Season Award in 2017 for his Premiership form.

Appearances followed for England U18s, U19s and U20s and the loosehead made his international debut in 2016, coming as a replacement in the Six Nations match against Wales.

His two further caps came on the 2017 summer tour of Argentina and he is now poised to make further appearances in the upcomig autumn internationals.

HUW JONES (SCOTLAND) Scotland’s supposedly new policy of scouring the globe for Scottish-qualified talent is really nothing of the sort given that, for decades, plenty of foreign-born players have won plenty of caps for the national side. Go back to 1990 and a certain New Zealand-born centre, Sean Lineen, was a cornerstone of the Grand Slam-winning team.

So the introduction of Huw Jones - a centre who had made his name playing for Western Province in South Africa - last season raised few eyebrows north of the border with the vast majority of Scottish supporters accepting that given its relatively small number of homegrown players, Scottish rugby has to cast its net fairly wide to be able to compete at the top level.

In any case, Jones was born in Edinburgh and went to school in England before heading to South Africa to go to University and develop his rugby career.

Now firmly ensconced at Glasgow Warriors, the centre has fully embraced his Scottish roots and looks likely to add to his eight appearances for his country which included a ‘man of the match’ performance against Australia in November 2016.

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JUSTIN TIPURIC (WALES) One of the unluckiest players on the 2017 Lions Tour of New Zealand, Tipuric was in fantastic form for the midweek side but failed to win selection for the Test squad with tour skipper and Wales team-mate Sam Warburton and Ireland No.7 Sean O’Brien getting the nod ahead of him.

But in the midweek games, Tipuric managed 20 carries in his 267 minutes of game time and made a total of 58 tackles without missing a single one.

Warburton is currently sidelined with injury so Tipuric will be given a licence to roam this autumn as he packs down on the openside for Wales.

With team manager Warren Gatland seemingly moving towards a more open style of play, a change signalled by the dropping of crash-ball centre maestro Jamie Roberts from the squad, Tipuric could be a major beneficiary of the new Welsh game-plan.

One of the fastest backrowers in the world game, Tipuric thrives on broken play and is a link player par excellence, as he has demonstrated many a time in the red jersey of Wales.

JACOB STOCKDALE (IRELAND) The 21-year-old Ulster winger is only in his second season of professional rugby but already looks to the manor born having scored on his international debut in the summer against the USA at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. Stockdale also appeared in the victory over Japan a week later and looks set to play a major part in coach Joe Schmidt’s World Cup plans. He has been in great try-scoring form for his Province in this season’s PRO14 and his progress will be eagerly observed by Irish fans this autumn. The Ulsterman has come up through the Irish youth set-up and appeared for Ireland U20 at both the 2015 and 2016 editions of the World Rugby U20 Championship and has come on massively in terms of his physical and tactical development since then. He has marked himself out a very proactive winger, one who goes looking for the ball in broken play, and he also looks to have all the necessary attributes of the modern back three player. Indeed, standing at six foot five inches and weighing in at just under 16 stone, Stockdale loses nothing in comparison to many of the giants inhabiting the international backlines in the game.

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AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS ASAFO AUMUA (NEW ZEALAND) There’s a sense of transition about the current New Zealand squad with the All Blacks losing some of their aura of invincibility over the past few months following the series draw with the Lions and the defeat against Australia in the final match of the Rugby Championship.

Nevertheless, you can expect the All Blacks to come out with all guns blazing as they cut a swathe across Europe this autumn and showcase the tremendous current and emerging talent they have at their disposal.

Heading the list of tyro players who look capable of becoming world-class performers in their position is hooker Asafo Aumua.

At just 20 years of age, the Wellington Lions frontrower has already earned comparisons with all-time greats such as Sean Fitzpatrick and Keven Mealamu - and that’s before he has even played any Super Rugby.

Such is his talent, Aumua has gone straight from age-group rugby to the second-tier Provincial game ,to being named in the All Black squad.

Aumua has knuckled down and learned the trade of the hooker and possesses solid throwingin and scrummaging skills. But it is in the loose where he has really raised eyebrows, time after time using his immense speed to score a bucketful of long-range tries, often outpacing backline players on his way to the tryline.

MALCOLM MARX (SOUTH AFRICA) Those who had written their obituaries for the South African national side earlier this year were forced to eat their words after the Springboks took part in one of the best Test matches of recent years as they took the All Blacks all the way to the wire in Cape Town before going down by the smallest of margins, 25-24. The defeat was a bitter pill for South Africa to swallow but they will be chomping at the bit to prove that they are not a spent force during the coming tour. Leading from the front will be hooker Malcolm Marx, one of the standout players in Cape Town who put the All Blacks on the back foot time and time again with his ball-carrying ability. As well as scoring a try, he also effected four turnovers at the breakdown and made a total of 15 tackles – that’s in addition to a near-flawless performance in the set-piece. Like many modern hookers, Marx acts as a third flanker around the pitch and, indeed, played in the back row at youth level before making the switch to the front row. He has now made 11 appearances for his country and is undoubtedly one of the first names down on the teamsheet when it comes to selection. At 23, he has plenty of time to hit his peak as a frontrower – a worrying thought for opponents who already find Marx a fearsome prospect on the field of play.

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up? A whirlwind tour of some of the tweets, web pages, interviews and pictures that caught the digital eye of the Club Rugby team.

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SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS Want to enter this year's Awards? Then turn to page 79 or use this QR code to enter.

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RUGBY TONIGHT - COMPETITION Rugby Tonight goes out live every week on BT Sport.

Your chance to be on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight Fancy joining Martin Bayfield, Ugo Monye, Lawrence Dallaglio, Austin Healey, Ben Kay et al in the Rugby Tonight studio? Club Rugby has teamed up with BT Sport to give you and your rugby club colleagues the chance to take part in a live broadcast of Rugby Tonight on January 17th.

B

T Sport’s Rugby Tonight brings rugby fans an unmissable mix of match highlights, technical analysis and irreverent rugby chat every week.

The roster of star names who co-present the programme is like a who’s who of rugby with the likes of Martin Bayfield, Austin Healey, Ben Kay, Matt Dawson, Brian O’Driscoll, ably supported by Craig Doyle and Sarra Elgan Easterby.

But part of the unique appeal of Rugby Tonight is that it incorporates a live audience of real rugby club people in the background.

Drawn from clubs from all over the country, some of these fans get the chance to take part in the live technical demonstrations that are staged in the spectacular studio which features a marked-out pitch and full-size rugby posts, with the rugby talent supplying the technical know-how.

Now you and five friends could become part of a future broadcast of Rugby Tonight. Club Rugby has joined forces with BT Sport to give 100 lucky readers the chance to come along to BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight studio in London’s Olympic Park to witness the programme being broadcast live.

All you have to do is answer the question below and you could be on the way to Rugby Tonight!

In which year did Ben Kay make his England debut? a) 2001 b) 2002 c) 2005 Simply send your answer to the question above to: justin@alchemymedia.co.uk with your name, address, daytime contact telephone number and name of your rugby club. We will select 20 winners who will, along with four rugby friends, be able to attend the live broadcast of Rugby Tonight on January 17th.

Deadline for entries – Friday December 22 20 CLUB RUGBY

You and your clubmates will get the chance to witness the Rugby Tonight crew, including Ugo Monye, in action live in the BT Sport studio.

CLUB RUGBY 21

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our biggest season ever.

Top ight action from the Aviva Premiership as well as the European Rugby Champions & Challenge Cup, BT Sport is truly the home of rugby, letting you show the biggest and best rugby competitions all on one package.

Be There

Join now to show these great competitions in your venue

Call 0800 678 1061

Full Terms and Conditions apply.

CLUB RUGBY ON SCREEN 1

The Rugby Tonight Takeover Club Rugby readers descended on BT Sport’s London studio, forming a 150-strong audience for filming of Rugby Tonight.

Rugby Tonight, BT Sport’s popular weekly rugby magazine show, played host to rugby-mad readers from Club Mirror and sister magazine Club Rugby with presenter Sarra Elgen and former England players Austin Healey and Ben Kay welcoming the club guests.

Sean Ferris, Managing Director of publisher ACP, also welcomed clubs on behalf of Club Rugby and Club Mirror and a big thank you went out to Marston’s for supporting the rugby adventure with complimentary beer.

“Thanks to everyone who came and for rallying the troops to get there,” said Sean, adding that there were in fact troops at the event from the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment RFC. The event included re-enactments, audience interviews, rugby chat in the studio’s Ruck & Maul bar and on-the-sofa discussions about up and coming matches.

The ACP team then led the audience to a bar on Canalside where a 10 per cent discount had been negotiated.

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1. Lights and...action.

2. BT Sport’s Bruce Cuthbert (left) and ACP’s Sean Ferris.

3. Audience interviews.

4. Lock in at the Ruck & Maul bar.

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CLUB RUGBY ON SCREEN 5

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24 CLUB RUGBY

5. 1st Military Working Dog Regiment RFC. 6. Marston’s is a keen rugby supporter. (Pictured: Burton RFC.) 7, 10, 11 & 18. Guests arrived in their club colours.

8. University of East Anglia Old Boys.

9. The Club Rugby/Club Mirror team.

12 & 13. Club representatives were interviewed about their passion for rugby.

14. Harlequins’ Adam Jones, AKA ‘The Hair’, takes questions on the sofa.

15. Re-enactment of tackles and moves.

16, 17 & 18. On set in the studio.

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CLUB RUGBY 25

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CLUB MIRROR – 50 YEARS YOUNG

Happy birthday First appearing in June 1968, Club Mirror, Club Rugby’s sister magazine, has published its way through decades of world history and next year will reach the milestone of 50 years young. We are planning a year long series of activities from a House of Commons party to new Awards, from club party nights to sportsmans lunches and from roadshows to a national PR campaign for clubs. Watch this space!

28 CLUB RUGBY

SOCIAL

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ENTERTAINMENT

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SPORTS

AND

FITNESS

clubmirror

A W of year IN Co ’s ! br wo a B rt ee h r

AT T H E H E A R T O F T H E C O M M U N I T Y

JANUARY 2005

Club Kitchen Recipes for rugby showdown

Club Mirror Awards And the winners are...

Club Mirror HQ 2005 – resolutions or revolutions?

Game on Latest and greatest at ATEI

Backing English rugby SIX NATIONS SPECIAL

CLUB REPORT Sound business advice for club professionals

2016

Positive perspectives for 2016 Club Mirror’s annual guide with expert advice for the year ahead

CLUB RUGBY 29

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP Two-time champions Saracens top their pool after two rounds of the European Champions Cup.

The road to Bilbao The first two rounds of the European Rugby Champions Cup produced some thrilling group stage matches for fans to savour, not least defending champions Saracens’ thumping 57-13 win over Northampton Saints in Pool 2 and the Exeter Chiefs’ 27-24 away victory over Montpelier in Pool 3.

T

he press were very liberal with their superlatives in their coverage of the first two rounds of the European Champions Cup and no wonder given some of the fantastic matches which came our way.

La Rochelle, Saracens, Leinster, Leicester Tigers and Bath all sit atop their respective pools and will be eager to maintain their positions when hostilities resume in December.

Defending champions Saracens opened their campaign in stunning fashion, sending out a warning to any challengers that they are in no mind to relinquish the trophy they have retained for the past two seasons.

The men from North London came out of the blocks like Usain Bolt in Round 1 of the competition, smashing Northampton Saints by 57-13 at Franklin’s Gardens and racking up eight tries, including a brace for new boy, Wales and Lions winger Liam Williams.

30 CLUB RUGBY

It was a ruthless statement of intent from Sarries and they followed that up with a bonus-point victory over the Ospreys.

If anything, the current Saracens squad appears to be significantly superior to the ones which won the Champions Cup in 2016 and 2017.

Also impressive were La Rochelle, making a great start to their debut season in the top-tier European competition.

They kicked off proceedings with a 34-27 away win over Harlequins and then recorded a five-try 4117 victory over at Ulster.

Next up, the French side face back-to-back pool games against Wasps and crucially, play the first leg at Stade Marcel-Deflandre, a venue which has been a veritable fortress for La Rochelle in recent history and boasts a highly intimidating atmosphere.

The third and final team which managed to record a ‘perfect 10’ competition points in the first two rounds were Irish province Leinster who top

Pool 3 after victories over Montpellier and Glasgow Warriors.

They now face home-and-away fixtures against English champions Exeter Chiefs who have been buoyed by their away victory over a heavyweight Montpellier side and will be eager to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile, Leicester Tigers have looked a potent force on both the European and domestic stages with the midfield axis of fly-half George Ford and centre Matt Toomua the key to their excellent form.

Bath’s European form has eclipsed their lacklustre domestic efforts and they are top of Pool 5, just ahead of Toulon by virtue of a superior points difference.

The men from the West Country will hoping that their injury situation improves and they can set their sights on reaching the Bilbao final.

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CHAMPIONS CUP

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CHAMPIONS CUP

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EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP Edinburgh are the only side to record 10 competition points in the pool stages of the European Challenge Cup.

Edinburgh’s top 10 Despite having to contend with a trip to Siberia to face competition newcomers Krasny Yar, Edinburgh finished the first two rounds of the European Challenge Cup with a perfect 10 points in the competition, the only side to do so. Club Rugby looks at the second-tier European tournament.

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ith abrasive former England and Leicester Tigers hooker Richard Cockerill installed as their Director of Rugby, it’s no wonder that Edinburgh have been in highly combative form this season in both the PRO14 and European Challenge Cup. After two rounds of the Challenge Cup, they are sitting pretty at the top of Pool 4 after a 37-14 win over London Irish and a massive 73-14, 10-try victory over Krasny Yar. The latter match demonstrated a huge amount of character on the part of the Edinburgh players given that they had to travel the best part of 3,000 miles to face a Siberian club who a week earlier had shocked Stade Francais with a 34-29 victory.

Edinburgh face both opponents again in rounds 3 and 4 of the competition and will be very confident of reaching the knockout stages if they can maintain their excellent current run of form.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons also look a good

36 CLUB RUGBY

bet to move beyond the group stages of the competition, having got their campaign off to a flying start with a 32-27 bonus-point win over PRO14 side the Dragons.

Round 2 proved a little trickier for the Falcons as they came from 10-0 down to beat Begles-Bordeaux 21-20 It’s clear that Director of Rugby Dean Richards has assembled a very close-knit squad at Kingston Park with England veteran Toby Flood providing excellent game management in close encounters, an ability which could see the Falcons flying into the knockout rounds.

Cardiff Blues top Pool 2, having beaten French side Lyon 29-19 and Toulouse 17-15. They now face back-to-back ties with Aviva Premiership side Sale Sharks who have not set the competition alight thus far – they are currently bottom of the table – but have some quality players in their squad, including former Wallaby fly-half James O’Connor and flying

England winger Denny Solomona.

In Pool 3, it is French team Pau who have dominated in the first two rounds, beating Gloucester 27-21 and Italians Zebre 38-33 to top the group.

They now face home-and-away encounters with fellow countrymen Agen who sit at third in the table.

Irish province Connacht are firmly in control of Pool 5, having beaten Oyonnax 43-15 and Aviva Premiership side Worcester Warriors 158.

In Round 3, the Irishmen travel to France to take on second-placed Brive and will welcome the same team back the following week to The Sports ground.

It’s clear that there is plenty to play for in Europe’s second-tier competition with some bigname clubs all setting their sights on reaching the latter stages of the tournament.

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CHALLENGE CUP

!

Round 3 (local kick-off times) DATE

Thursday, 7 Dec 2017 Friday, 8 Dec 2017

POOL

MATCH

v

Pool 2

TIME

!

VENUE

20.45

Stade Ernest Wallon

Pool 1

!

v

19.30

Rodney Parade

Friday, 8 Dec 2017

Pool 3

!

v

20.00

Stade Armandie

Friday, 8 Dec 2017

Pool 4

v

20.00

Stade JeanBouin

Saturday, 9 Dec 2017

Pool 3

v

14.30

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi

Pool 2

v

15.00

AJ Bell Stadium

v

15.00

Sixways Stadium

Pool 1

v

15.15

Kingston Park

Pool 4

v

19.35

Myreside

21.00

Stade AmédéeDomenech

Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 Saturday, 9 Dec 2017 Saturday, 9 Dec 2017

!

Pool 5

Pool 5

!

v

!

!

TV beIN Sports

BT Sport

France Télévisions

! 37 CLUB RUGBY

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CHALLENGE CUP

!

Round 4 (local kick-off times) DATE

POOL

MATCH

Thursday, 14 Dec 2017

Pool 3

Friday, 15 Dec 2017

Pool 1

v

Friday, 15 Dec 2017

Pool 4

Friday, 15 Dec 2017

TIME

VENUE

TV

20.45

Stade du Hameau

19.30

Rodney Parade

v

19.35

Myreside

Pool 5

v

20.00

Stade Charles Mathon

Friday, 15 Dec 2017

Pool 1

v

20.30

Stade ChabanDelmas

Saturday, 16 Dec 2017

Pool 3

v

15.00

Kingsholm Stadium

15.00

The Sportsground

v

15.15

Madejski Stadium

Pool 2

v

21.00

Matmut Stadium de Gerland

France Télévisions

Pool 2

v

15.15

Cardiff Arms Park

Sky Sports

Saturday, 16 Dec 2017 Saturday, 16 Dec 2017 Saturday, 16 Dec 2017 Sunday, 17 Dec 2017

38 CLUB RUGBY

!

Pool 5

v

!

v

!

Pool 4

!

!

!

beIN Sports

!

!

Round 5 (local kick-off times) DATE

11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018 11/12/13/ 14 Jan 2018

!

POOL

MATCH

TIME

v

Pool 1

VENUE

Stade ChabanDelmas

Pool 1

!

v

Kingston Park

Pool 2

!

v

Cardiff Arms Park

!

v

!

Pool 3

v

!

Pool 3

v

Stade Armandie

v

BT Murrayfield Stadium

Pool 2

!

!

Pool 4

!

Pool 5 Pool 5

!

!

v v

AJ Bell Stadium Stade du Hameau

!

v

Pool 4

! !

TV

Madejski Stadium Sixways Stadium Stade Charles Mathon CLUB !RUGBY 39

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CHALLENGE CUP

!

Round 6 (local kick-off times) DATE

18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018 18/19/20/ 21 Jan 2018

40 CLUB RUGBY

!

POOL

MATCH

TIME

VENUE

Pool 1

v

Pool 1

v

TBC

Pool 2

v

Matmut Stadium de Gerland

Pool 2

v

Stade Ernest Wallon

Pool 3

v

Kingsholm Stadium

Pool 3

v

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi

Pool 4

v

Stade Jean-Bouin

Pool 4

v

TBC

Pool 5

v

The Sportsground

Pool 5

v

Stade AmédéeDomenech

TV

Rodney Parade

'!

<

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our biggest season ever.

Top ight action from the Aviva Premiership as well as the European Rugby Champions & Challenge Cup, BT Sport is truly the home of rugby, letting you show the biggest and best rugby competitions all on one package.

Be There

Join now to show these great competitions in your venue

Call 0800 678 1061

Full Terms and Conditions apply.

AVIVA PREMIERSHIP Saracens have been the outstanding side during the first half of the Aviva Premiership season.

Saracens lead the way The Aviva Premiership got off to a blistering start with spectators around the country enjoying tries aplenty as England’s top clubs played an attacking-oriented style of rugby that produced some fantastic games. With the halfway stage looming, it is Saracens who look to be ahead of the pack.

I

t’s clear that England’s top club have wholeheartedly bought into the notion of fast, attacking play as the direct route to success.

The teams which have set the pace so far this season – Saracens and reigning champions Exeter Chiefs – have both embraced an enterprising wide game and have subsequently found themselves propelled towards the top echelons of the Aviva Premiership table.

But many other clubs are also striving to move away from the more traditional attritional style of play favoured by English sides and are reaping the benefits.

The season got off to an incredible start with a total of 50 tries scored in Round 1 alone – an Aviva Premiership record which saw 11 of the 12 competing teams scoring three tries or more and seven bonus points being picked up.

Even Gloucester, in times gone by, the epitome of forward-oriented rugby, have shaken off the

42 CLUB RUGBY

shackles under new coach, South Africa Johan Ackermann, and the signs are very positive at Kingsholm.

Indeed, the Cherry & Whites were celebrating on the first weekend of the season after they downed the Exeter Chiefs 28-21 in thrilling fashion, ending the champions unbroken 18-match winning streak in the League.

Exeter soon put that disappointment behind them to string together some exciting performances that took them up the table and puts them in a good position to defend the title they won in May 2017.

But it is Saracens who have looked the best side in England – and indeed, in Europe – over the past few months.

Any notions that they would have a slow start to the season with their hefty British & Irish Lions contingent struggling to get back into domestic matters after their adventures in New Zealand over

the summer were quickly dispelled as they hit the ground running in their season opener at Twickenham against Northampton Saints.

The Saints were barely at the races as the Saracens machine went into overdrive on the hallowed turf of ‘HQ’, the European champions scoring nine tries in all in a 55-24 victory.

Leicester Tigers have also been in good form during the first half of the season and they too are aspiring to dominate just as much in the the wide open spaces as in the set-piece and breakdown.

At the other end of the table, Worcester Warriors appear to be in serious trouble with league points very hard to come by, despite the Midlanders’ continuing to battle hard.

With head coach Gary Gold heading off to take charge of the USA at the end of the season and the team rooted at the bottom of the table, the Warriors will need a major revival if they are to avoid relegation.

AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBY FIXTURES 2017 - 2018 Date ROUND 8 17 Nov 2017 18 Nov 2017 18 Nov 2017 18 Nov 2017 19 Nov 2017 19 Nov 2017

Time

Match

Venue

19.45 13.00 15.00 16.30 15.00 15.00

Gloucester Rugby v Saracens Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks Wasps v Newcastle Falcons Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins London Irish v Bath Rugby

Kingsholm Sixways Welford Road Ricoh Arena Sandy Park Madejski Stadium

Date ROUND 16 23/24/25 Feb 23/24/25 Feb 23/24/25 Feb 23/24/25 Feb 23/24/25 Feb 23/24/25 Feb

Time

Match

Venue

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v Sale Sharks Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints Gloucester Rugby v Wasps Harlequins v Newcastle Falcons London Irish v Worcester Warriors Saracens v Leicester Tigers

The Rec Sandy Park Kingsholm Twickenham Stoop Madejski Stadium Allianz Park

ROUND 9 24 Nov 2017 24 Nov 2017 24 Nov 2017 25 Nov 2017 26 Nov 2017 26 Nov 2017

19.45 19.45 20.00 12.15 15.00 15.00

Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester Rugby Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints Bath Rugby v Harlequins London Irish v Wasps Saracens v Exeter Chiefs

Welford Road Kingston Park AJ Bell Stadium The Rec Madejski Stadium Allianz Park

ROUND 17 2/3/4 Mar 2/3/4 Mar 2/3/4 Mar 2/3/4 Mar 2/3/4 Mar 2/3/4 Mar

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Exeter Chiefs v Saracens Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Falcons Harlequins v Bath Rugby Northampton Saints v Sale Sharks Wasps v London Irish Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers

Sandy Park Kingsholm Twickenham Stoop Franklin’s Gardens Ricoh Arena Sixways

ROUND 10 1 Dec 2017 1 Dec 2017 2 Dec 2017 2 Dec 2017 2 Dec 2017 3 Dec 2017

19.45 19.45 14.00 15.00 16.30 15.00

Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks Exeter Chiefs v Bath Rugby Gloucester Rugby v London Irish Wasps v Leicester Tigers Harlequins v Saracens

Franklin’s Gardens Sixways Sandy Park Kingsholm Ricoh Arena Twickenham Stoop

ROUND 18 23/24/25 Mar 23/24/25 Mar 23/24/25 Mar 23/24/25 Mar 23/24/25 Mar 23/24/25 Mar

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs Leicester Tigers v Wasps London Irish v Gloucester Rugby Newcastle Falcons v Northampton Saints Sale Sharks v Worcester Warriors Saracens v Harlequins

The Rec Welford Road Madejski Stadium Kingston Park AJ Bell Stadium Olympic Stadium

ROUND 11 22/23/24 Dec 22/23/24 Dec 22/23/24 Dec 22/23/24 Dec 22/23/24 Dec 22/23/24 Dec

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Leicester Tigers v Saracens Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins Northampton Saints v Exeter Chiefs Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby Wasps v Gloucester Rugby Worcester Warriors v London Irish

Welford Road Kingston Park Franklin’s Gardens AJ Bell Stadium Ricoh Arena Sixways

ROUND 19 6/7/8 Apr 6/7/8 Apr 6/7/8 Apr 6/7/8 Apr 6/7/8 Apr 6/7/8 Apr

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v Leicester Tigers Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester Rugby Harlequins v London Irish Northampton Saints v Saracens Sale Sharks v Wasps Worcester Warriors v Newcastle Falcons

The Rec Sandy Park Twickenham Stoop Franklin's Gardens AJ Bell Stadium Sixways

ROUND 12 29/30/31 Dec 29/30/31 Dec 29/30/31 Dec 29/30/31 Dec 29/30/31 Dec 29/30/31 Dec

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v Wasps Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers Gloucester Rugby v Sale Sharks Harlequins v Northampton Saints London Irish v Newcastle Falcons Saracens v Worcester Warriors

The Rec Sandy Park Kingsholm Twickenham Stadium Madejski Stadium Allianz Park

ROUND 20 13/14/15 Apr 13/14/15 Apr 13/14/15 Apr 13/14/15 Apr 13/14/15 Apr 13/14/15 Apr

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Gloucester Rugby v Harlequins Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints London Irish v Exeter Chiefs Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks Saracens v Bath Rugby Wasps v Worcester Warriors

Kingsholm Welford Road Madejski Stadium Kingston Park Allianz Park Ricoh Arena

ROUND 21 27/28/29 Apr 27/28/29 Apr 27/28/29 Apr 27/28/29 Apr 27/28/29 Apr 27/28/29 Apr

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks Gloucester Rugby v Bath Rugby Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons London Irish v Saracens Wasps v Northampton Saints Worcester Warriors v Harlequins

Sandy Park Kingsholm Welford Road Madejski Stadium Ricoh Arena Sixways

ROUND 22 5 May 2017 5 May 2017 5 May 2017 5 May 2017 5 May 2017 5 May 2017

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v London Irish Harlequins v Exeter Chiefs Newcastle Falcons v Wasps Northampton Saints v Worcester Warriors Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers Saracens v Gloucester Rugby

The Rec Twickenham Stoop Kingston Park Franklin's Gardens AJ Bell Stadium Allianz Park

2018 ROUND 13 5/6/7 Jan 5/6/7 Jan 5/6/7 Jan 5/6/7 Jan 5/6/7 Jan 5/6/7 Jan

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Leicester Tigers v London Irish Newcastle Falcons v Exeter Chiefs Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby Sale Sharks v Harlequins Wasps v Saracens Worcester Warriors v Bath Rugby

Welford Road Kingston Park Franklin’s Gardens AJ Bell Stadium Ricoh Arena Sixways

ROUND 14 9/10/11 Feb 9/10/11 Feb 9/10/11 Feb 9/10/11 Feb 9/10/11 Feb 9/10/11 Feb

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Bath Rugby v Northampton Saints Exeter Chiefs v Worcester Warriors Gloucester Rugby v Leicester Tigers Harlequins v Wasps London Irish v Sale Sharks Saracens v Newcastle Falcons

The Rec Sandy Park Kingsholm Twickenham Stoop Madejski Stadium Allianz Park

ROUND 15 16/17/18 Feb 16/17/18 Feb 16/17/18 Feb 16/17/18 Feb 16/17/18 Feb 16/17/18 Feb

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Leicester Tigers v Harlequins Newcastle Falcons v Bath Rugby Northampton Saints v London Irish Sale Sharks v Saracens Wasps v Exeter Chiefs Worcester Warriors v Gloucester Rugby

Welford Road Kingston Park Franklin’s Gardens AJ Bell Stadium Ricoh Arena Sixways

SEMI-FINAL TBC May TBC May

TBC TBC

FINAL TBC

TBC

May

CLUB RUGBY 43

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UNDERSTANDING YOU, FIRST...

Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

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CLUB AWARDS 2017

Club Awards host looks forward to meeting you This year, back by popular demand, sports journalist and presenter John Inverdale joins us to host the Club Awards and Gala Dinner.

J

ohn Inverdale is a firm favourite in the Club Awards Hall of Fame, which he shares with fellow presenters Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine, Steve Rider, Chris Hollins and BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent.

He is renowned for his breadth of sports coverage, from the Ryder Cup to the Olympics, and his presentation skills are matched only by his sense of humour. He’s very much looking forward to sharing all the fun of the evening with Club Awards finalists and Gala Dinner guests.

• For details of how to book, turn to page 21.

CLUB RUGBY 45

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CLUB AWARDS 2017

Callingallclubs Join us in Doncaster Club Rugby invites you to join fellow clubs and club-supporting sponsors at the 2017 Club Awards and Gala Dinner. Plus: continue the celebrations on December 1 with a day at the races – on us.

Date: 30 November, 2017 Venue: Doncaster Racecourse Whether it’s meeting sponsoring suppliers, comparing notes with other clubs or trying out a new beer for the bar, the Club Rugby team invites you to join them for an action packed Evening on November 30, followed by a day’s racing on December 1.

6 - 7pm DRINKS RECEPTION Join us at the pre-Awards drinks reception courtesy of Marston’s and Heineken UK. Photo opportunities to date courtesy of BT Sport have included the FA Cup, the Challenge Cup and the Premier League Trophy.

46 CLUB RUGBY

STO Don P PR â&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fo ES r f r e Don e ra get the S r

7 - 9.30pm CLUB AWARDS & GALA DINNER The 26th Club Awards and Gala Dinner is being presented by sports personality John Inverdale (above, top). Back by popular demand, he is one of many celebrity hosts to join the Club Awards Hall of Fame.

on Dcaster cing at eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club ecem Racec Awa ber 1 ourse rds for Turn to p attend all ees mor age 5 e de 3 fo . tails r .

10pm - 12 midnight ENTERTAINMENT ZONE The evening continues after the Awards with festive entertainment in the Alpine Village!

Turn to page 53 and complete the Booking Form to secure your places.

CLUB RUGBY 47

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CLUB AWARDS VENUE

Doncaster Racecourse gets ready for Club Awards

The Club Awards take place this year on 30 November at a brand new venue, Doncaster Racecourse.

And there’s an added bonus – free racing on the following day.

A

ll Club Awards finalists and Gala Dinner guests are invited to join us for an exciting day’s racing on Friday, December 1.

“The first day’s racing in December will be the perfect way to keep the Club Awards celebrations going,” says Karen Foreman from the events team.

“The atmosphere will be electric and we’re delighted to have worked with the racecourse to secure free tickets for all of our Club Awards guests."

To book, turn to page 59.

48 CLUB RUGBY

HOW TO GET TO THE CLUB AWARDS DONCASTER RACECOURSE 30 November, 2017 By road Excellent links to the motorway network – M1(jnc 32), M18 (jncs 3/4), A1M (jnc 36) and the M62.

Free Club Awards parking • On November 30, all parking is free in car parks A and C. • On December 1 (race day) car park C is free; car park A costs £5 (can be bought on the day or booked in advance from the racecourse reception).

Drop-off and collection points Coaches and minibuses - car park C. Cars - car park A. (Drop-off and collection is prohibited on Leger Way.) By rail The Racecourse is two-and-a-half miles from Doncaster Train Station. There is step-free access, ramps from train, wheelchairs available.

Examples of rail travel times: Birmingham – 1h 47m (direct); Cardiff Central– 4h 11m (1 change); Leeds – 30m (direct); London (Kings Cross) – 1h 38m (direct); Manchester (direct) – 1h 15m

Doncaster is one of the oldest established centres for horse racing in Britain, with records of regular race meetings going back to the 16th century. In 1776 Colonel Anthony St. Leger founded a race in which five horses ran. Now, 241 years later, that race has become Doncaster’s prestigious four-day St. Leger Festival, the premier sporting occasion of the autumn calendar.

National Rail enquiries: 08457 484950; www.nationalrail.co.uk Travel from the station to the course • Buses – frequent. Approx 18-20 mind to course.

• Taxis – station taxi rank. Doncaster Station Taxis will accept pre-bookings/late night bookings. Tel. 01302 368 636. Also many local firms.

By air Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is less than seven miles from Doncaster Racecourse, within easy reach of Manchester, Leeds Bradford and East Midlands airports.

FREE KETS TIC 6.50 RACETH £1 WOR rs and

e sts, winn to All finali E tickets E R F n e r ill be giv ecembe D n guests w o g cin s. day's ra b Award lu enjoy a C e h t y after on 1, the da r details o f 9 5 e ag Turn to p ook. how to b CLUB RUGBY 49

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business. Completely free to clubs this new service involves no contracts and no costs, just better buying and better club business.

Welcome to HQ Building the Business F

rom utilities and energy savings to procurement and financial services, HQ Building the Business works with your club as a surrogate head office, helping you to boost club business. And by working with carefully selected club-supporting partners and suppliers, HQ Building the Business will save you valuable time and resources in the quest to save your club money, freeing up you and your committee to run an even more efficient club.

You’re just three steps away from saving money.

Step 1 Free no-obligation audit – just call us or email us.

Step 2 Following our audit and discussions, if we believe we can help your club we will source the best deals available.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. What do I get when I become a member?

A: You get a free and confidential audit of your club in those areas where you would like to find savings and efficiencies. This could be anything from utilities to phone bills and from food to club equipment.

Q. What are the costs?

A. There are no costs. HQ is free to join.

Q. If I become a member, what are my obligations?

A. There are no obligations for you or your club and no contracts. All we ask is that when we work with you, you are open about your current supplier situation.

suppliers we need to prove the value of a club to their business, but if we can help we will.

Q. What are your club credentials?

A. We’ve been working in the club sector for over 30 years in various roles. The launch of HQ Building the Business is the culmination of many years working with clubs and suppliers, from brewers and telecoms suppliers, to energy and water companies.

Q. Do I need a face to face meeting?

A. Not necessarily. A lot of the ground work can be done over the phone/email.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Just email enquiries@hqbusiness.com, call 01753 272022 or use the form on the opposite page.

Q. Does the club need to have a minimum turnover?

A. Our services are most suited to clubs with a minimum turnover of £100,000. This is because to secure the HQ Building the Business deals with

Step 3 Your club starts saving money.

This is what we call a win win! So get in touch now and help us help you to make 2017 an even better year for your club and your members. You can call on 01753 272022, email enquiries@hqbusiness.com or use the form opposite.

Ryan Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Aviva Premiership Rugby contender, Worcester Warriors “My role is very much to ensure that the support mechanisms of an efficient stadium and business are in place. I’ve worked with David and his team to assist in delivering savings across the business at Worcester Warriors and I am delighted to recommend the team on a professional as well as personal level.

Energy has been one of the biggest projects, and this procurement is delivering significant short and long term savings. There are plenty of people out there who claim they can do this; this team can.

A large part of my role is about getting things done efficiently and effectively, hence why I value the straight talking, efficient and short sharp presentation of results. No fuss, no salesmanship, just a host of opportunities followed up by appropriate and helpful assistance to deliver the chosen projects; make the most of them.”

• www.warriors.co.uk

50 CLUB RUGBY

MEMBERSHIP FORM Yes I am interested in joining the no-cost, no-contract, no obligation HQ Building the Business club.

Your name: _____________________________________

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Role in club: _____________________________________ Club name and address: _____________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Tel no: ________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Number of members: ______________________________ Turnover*:______________________________________

n All n Other (please list): _____________________________

Particular areas you are interested in?

_____________________________________________

*Turnover - this information is entirely confidential and is not shared with any other companies/agencies etc. It is HQ Building the Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measure as to how we can help you save money.

CLUB RUGBY 51

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A portfolio that includes the

top 2 cask ale drinks * brandS in 2016

Wainwright number 1 cask ale brand in 2016*

Pedigree number 2 cask ale brand in 2016*

• 3 beers in the Top 100 Drinks List*

• Consumers want to see these beers on the bar • 3 great new looks

*The MA Drinks List: Top 100 Brands

Shipyard number 2 craft beer brand in 2016*

For more quality brands & services to drive your business, call Marston’s on 0800 587 0773

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Legal eagle HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

The countdown to Christmas has begun and preparations are well underway for the festive period. But are you sure that your enthusiasm isn’t likely to contravene any regulations? Legal Eagle David Lucas offers the following advice.

I

t is important not to overlook any licensing requirements or responsibilities in connection with any arrangements that are made.

These are some of the items that may need to be considered:

licences and club premises certificates contain restrictions on drinks promotions. It is essential that personnel involved in the sale or supply of alcohol are aware of their responsibility to prevent irresponsible drinks promotions in order to avoid possible prosecution or review of the licence or certificate.

• Ensure that any activities which are to be provided are authorised by a premises licence or club premises certificate. For example, if musical entertainment is to be provided until midnight on New Year’s Eve it is a licensable activity which must be included in the licence or certificate.

• If activities are to be provided during extended hours at any time over the festive period it is essential to ensure that the relevant hours are permitted by the existing premises licence or club premises certificate. A premises licence or club premises certificate will contain standard timings during which the authorised activities may be provided throughout a normal week. If licensable activities are to be provided beyond the standard timings, for example on New Year’s Eve, the extended hours must be included within the non-standard timings contained in the licence or certificate.

• If activities are to be provided in an area which is not normally used for that purpose it is essential to ensure that the area in question is covered by the existing premises licence or club premises certificate. For example, the intention may be to provide mulled wine for sale at a Christmas market in a garden or car park. The garden or car park must be included within the area identified on the plan attached to the licence or certificate where the sale or supply of alcohol may take place.

• If the proposed activities, hours or area are not included within an existing premises licence or certificate there is still sufficient time in which to apply for a permanent variation of the licence or certificate in order to ensure that the necessary approvals are in place.

• Alternatively, if a permanent solution is not considered necessary it would be possible to give a temporary event notice in order to obtain the necessary authorisation. However, the limitations applicable to a temporary event notice must be taken into consideration. In particular, the annu-

• Check the premises licence or club premises certificate to ensure that there are no individual conditions which may have an impact upon the proposed activities during the festive period.

al restrictions on the total number of days (21) during which a venue can be subject to temporary event notices and the maximum period which may be covered by a single notice (seven days).

There is also a need to ensure that adequate prior notice is given (not less than 10 working days is preferable but not less than five working days may be sufficient).

• Any premises which are situated near to residential properties should take steps to prevent any activities causing a nuisance to neighbours. For example, measures should be implemented to prevent noise levels from musical entertainment or people outside the premises becoming excessive and attracting complaints. Such complaints may lead to a review of a premises licence or club premises certificate.

A general review of the licensing requirements and measures to be implemented during the Christmas and New Year festivities will help to avoid an unnecessary hangover following the celebrations.

• It is important to ensure that any temporary personnel working over the festive period are properly trained and authorised to sell alcohol. In particular, they must be made aware of their responsibility to prevent the purchase and consumption of alcohol of alcohol by persons under 18.

• Refresher training is recommended for all existing personnel in respect of their responsibilities concerning the sale or supply of alcohol as they will need to be particularly vigilant during busy periods over the festive period.

• All personnel should be made aware of their responsibility to prevent drunkenness on the premises.

• Breaches of those responsibilities may result in a fixed penalty or prosecution and may lead to the licence or certificate being reviewed.

• The mandatory conditions attached to premises

CONTACT DETAILS Fraser Brown Solicitors 84 Friar Lane, Nottingham NG1 6ED e. dlucas@fraserbrown.com t. 0115 959 7139 mob. 07973 899398

CLUB RUGBY 53

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS – DRANSFIELDS NEWS

HQ

Dransfields acquires Lottery King and begins machine overhaul

BUILDING THE BUSINESS

D

ransfields are pleased to announce that they have purchased the Lottery King machines operation from their previous owners Kelly’s Eye. Lottery King is a well established pull tab lottery operator that has been in business for over 25 years. Their distinctive blue and yellow Play & Win vending machines are a common feature in most clubs around the Country.

“In the latter years however, there has been under-investment in the Lottery King business leading to poorer maintenance standards,” says Dransfields Managing Director Chris Haley.

Dransfields have committed their engineering teams to carry out a complete overhaul of all Lottery King machines. This will include upgrading coin mechanisms to accept the new £1 coin.

They will also be renewing sensors all on all tickets stacks, replacing all lighting and generally giving the machines a spruce up, all designed to help maximise vending quality and improve clubs’ ticket sales An additional benefit to being a Dransfields pull tab customer, is that clubs are automatically enrolled into the DransCash Points club. Points can be redeemed for great raffle prizes and equipment for clubs.

Chris Haley said: “I am delighted to welcome all Lottery King customers to Dransfields. Since we launched our Lucky Dip pull tab business eight years ago our customers have sold over 250 million pull tab tickets, helping clubs to raise millions of

pounds and thrive at the heart of the communities they serve. Dransfields is firmly committed to clubs and we look forward to helping Lottery King customers increase their fundraising through increased ticket sales supported by quality service.”

Dransfields is proud sponsor of the Club Awards Entertainment Club of the Year and Charity Club of the Year.

Chris Haley.

54 CLUB RUGBY

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REFRESHING

LQ RXU DSSURDFK

UNDERSTANDING YOU, FIRST...

Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

*

ASK THE EXPERTS – RISK ASSESSMENT

Do’s and don’ts in risk assessments It is sometimes difficult to know how to complete all the club’s legal requirements and to understand what they all are. Club Insure offers up this quick guide to help you understand a risk assessment better.

A

risk assessment is essentially a form that helps identify the actual and potential risks that could happen in your workplace.

Their main purpose is to highlight any risks and to weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions, or should do more to prevent harm.

The Health and Safety at Work etc [SIC} 1974 (HSWA) requires employers to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees.

They are a very important step in protecting your workers and your club, as well as complying with the law.

Do: • Write a policy. This will let your employees know about your commitment to health and safety.

• Pick a competent employee to help you. This can be one of your employees or someone from outside your club.

• Walk around your workplace to see the risks yourself. You will be able to see exactly how people undergo their daily tasks and if there are any potential risks.

• Ask employees. You might not see what they do or they might have experienced some risks before.

• Look through previous accident or illness records. These might have been caused by risks that are still likely to happen in your workplace.

• Think both short and long term. Risks might not just affect people in the short term; a certain task might have risks in the future.

• Record your findings. Writing down the risks and showing them to your employees means they can understand them as well. It also allows you to review your findings at a later date.

• Date your findings and the changes needed. You

MORE INFORMATION can then look at this later and see if the changes have made any difference.

Don’t: • Over complicate things. The risk assessment form does not have to be a long complicated process. Just note the risks and the steps being taken to reduce the likelihood of them happening.

• Forget to do a risk assessment. Make a date to complete the process each year.

• Muddle along. If you feel stuck ask for help.

There are many different channels to get help from.

• Brush risks under the carpet. No matter how insignificant a risk might seem, you still need to make a note of it and set up precautions to stop the risks.

Club Insure covers all aspects of club insurance from start to finish, with Account Handlers and Claims Managers under one roof.

Contact the company for: • Health & Safety Audits • Risk Assessments • Manual Handling Assessments • COSHH Assessments • Fire Risk Assessments • Fire Safety • Method Statements • Staff Handbooks Victoria Romero-Trigo, Director Club Insure Ltd Romero House, 8 Airport West, Lancaster Way, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7ZA e. Victoria.romero-trigo@club-insure.co.uk t. 0844 488 9204 www.club-insure.co.uk

CLUB RUGBY 57

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ASK THE EXPERTS – HALLOWEEN

Getitrightfor fright night The UK’s Halloween industry is now worth more than £300m, placing it behind only Christmas and Easter among our most lucrative festivals. Are you prepared?

W

ith Christmas just a fir cone’s throw away, Halloween holds a special and useful place in the club calendar, bridging a gap. Over £300m is now spent on these celebrations in the UK so clubs should be taking their share of that leisure spend.

The US is an interesting role model for all things Halloween; 64% of the population participate in activities with an average spend per head of nearly $75. This is driven by multi-media activ-

TOP PUMPKIN CARVING TIPS • Cut an access hole in the bottom of your pumpkin so you can scoop out the insides using an ice cream scoop or similar. (You can reattach the base once you have gutted the pumpkin.)

• Use a plastic scouring pad to clean and smooth the inside of the pumpkin.

• Trace or draw the outline of your design onto the pumpkin.

• Use a fine serrated knife or small carving blade to make detailed cuts.

• Wrap your finished carving in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN PIE Pumpkin pie is a traditional American recipe associated with Halloween and Thanksgiving. So don’t throw away the pulp from your pumpkin carving. Try the following recipe.

Ingredients • One and a half pounds (675g) pumpkin, peeled and fibrous center removed, cut into cubes • 4 oz. (125g) caster sugar • 3 eggs

58 CLUB RUGBY

ity with the Disney Channel, for example, presenting a Monstober Halloween schedule covering the whole of October. Then there’s Cutthroat Kitchen, where spectacular spooky dishes are the order of the day.

Possibly a Gas Mark 7 too far, but there’s scope for thought. Maybe a pumpkin pie competition?

Or pumpkin personality of the year?

Happy Halloween.

• • • • • • • •

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg half a teaspoon of ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons milk 10 oz. (275g) plain flour two and a half ounces (65g) margarine two and a half ounces of lard 3-4 tablespoons water

Method • Place the pumpkin in a colander over a pan of boiling water and steam for about 20 minutes until tender. Then mash and cool.

• Sift the flour and two teaspoons of cinnamon into a bowl then rub in fats until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

• Mix in the water to make a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface and roll. Grease a baking tin (10.5 x 7.5 inches), line with the dough and prick the base. Line the base with greaseproof paper and top with beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes at Gas Mark 5, 190°C (this will keep the pastry flat) before removing the paper and beans. Bake for a further 5 minutes.

• Whisk the eggs, sugar, ginger, nutmeg and ground cinnamon.

• Fold in the mashed pumpkin and 4 tablespoons of milk and pour into the pastry case. Bake at 375°F, Gas Mark 5, 190°C for about 40 minutes, or until set.

• Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

So what are you up to? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pumpkin-pietaster of what clubs around the country are planning for the fright night of the year.

CLUB RUGBY 59

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ASK THE EXPERTS – BONFIRE NIGHT

Remember, remember the 5th of November The nights are drawing in but there are still lots of reasons to celebrate with bonfires and fireworks.

But with great events come potential dangers. Aon’s Andy Kitchener provides the following advice.

C

lubs want to protect staff, members and guests from harm or damage at all times.

Fireworks night has its own particular implications so it’s worth doing a thorough check through your safety procedures as well as being clear where you would stand with your insurance policy if anything went wrong.

To make sure that Public Liability Cover remains fully in force you will need to comply with the policy conditions of your insurance.

Below is a list of tips designed to help protect

you during bonfire and firework displays, but please do check the specifics of your own policy before holding an event.

• Use experts – For category 4 fireworks, and above, you will need to have a qualified pyrotechnic technician to co-ordinate the display. This co-ordinator will need to hold valid Public Liability insurance for that activity.

Otherwise a competent person can let these off; please check with your insurer.

• Keep people at a safe distance – Spectators should be kept at a safe distance from the bonfire and fireworks and behind a rope or other barrier.

• Store safely – Fireworks should be kept in a closed metal box when not being used.

Fireworks should be stored and lit a safe distance from the bonfire.

• Inform the emergency services – The fire brigade and police should be notified prior to any event and if they give you advice then you should comply with it fully.

• First aid – First aid facilities should be provided for the duration of any display.

As always, clubs will no doubt apply common sense to ensure that these events go as smoothly and safely as possible with minimal risk. But thinking ahead could help ensure a successful and stress-free bonfire nigh for everyone involved.

CONTACT DETAILS If you have any questions about this article contact Andy Kitchener, Regional Client Manager, Aon UK Limited.?t. 07714 180 551 e. andrew.kitchener@aon.co.uk.

Aon UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Whilst care has been taken in the production of this article and the information contained within it has been obtained from sources that Aon UK Limited believes to be reliable, Aon UK Limited does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the article or any part of it and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way whatsoever by any person who may rely on it. In any case any recipient shall be entirely responsible for the use to which it puts this article. This article has been compiled using information available to us up to 3rd October 2017.

CLUB RUGBY 61

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ASK THE EXPERTS – TORO

Awordwith...

Andy Brown Toro’s Andy Brown takes time out to chat with Club Rugby about fleet management, buying practices and industry trends.

At what point does it make sense to give up the ghost on maintaining old equipment and invest in new?

Obviously clubs will make decisions based on their own individual circumstances. What we generally find is that, for example, golf clubs which are looking to maintain the standard of their course will probably be looking at changing their machinery once it costs them more to maintain it than it’s actually worth. It does depend on the piece of equipment and machines that are used more frequently – day-in, day-out. Greens mowers, for example, will most likely be changed at about the four-year mark on average.

That’s the point at which the maintenance bills match the value. Fairway mowers and other equipment that is used less frequently will probably be changed around the six-year mark, although it does depend on the circumstances. Then you have specialist equipment which might be kept for longer.

There are no hard and fast rules on this but clubs will often analyse the cost of maintaining equipment against its value. If the products are owned by the club, that becomes an individual decision. If they’ve leased the product over a period of time, often that will be a five-year lease and the piece of equipment will be traded out at that point.

The critical thing is for clubs to take advice from experts in the field, whether that’s their local dealer, representatives of manufacturers, or discussions with other clubs in similar situations.

Every club is unique in the way they operate and maintain their grounds. Their business and accounting practices will be unique to themselves as well and so the decision to buy equipment and machines outright and use a CAPEX procedure or to consider leasing, is very much down to how they run their operation.

With new investment from manufacturers all the time, how can clubs be sure that they’re buying the best machine for the job?

There are several factors at play here. Obviously manufacturers are bringing out new models or vari-

64 CLUB RUGBY

Andy Brown

ations on machinery and clubs will want to see a machine demonstration on their own premises so that they can see it in operation.

It would be very unusual for someone to buy a machine without having tried it first. There’s a lot of advice out there from the main manufacturers as well as other industry consultants. But the majority of clubs deal directly with their dealer or distributor and they would have detailed demonstrations and operation training at the same time so they can see how the machine operates on their own premises.

What about the trade-in market?

If you look at the analogy with cars, if you were buying a new one you’d be looking to trade in your old one to offset the cost and it’s similar with machines.

Unless of course you’re buying a machine to add into your fleet. Trade-in values are important and when you are considering which machine to purchase the trade-in value of a machine after a certain time is important. Most of the manufacturers will offer a guaranteed trade-in value after three years,

four years and five years – that’s obviously dependent on the hours of use and that it’s been maintained to the manufacturer’s standards.

The second-hand market is very important in the UK. We have a lot of clubs that are not always looking to buy new equipment and often look for machinery which is coming out of another club but has good life left in it. You’ll also see machines being taken on at amateur level and being kept going for a number of years. This is very common in cricket where you’ll see amateur clubs purchasing a secondhand ride-on greens mowers, surround mowers or hand mowers to maintain their facility.

If a club has bought a machine outright and an updated version of the machine comes out, it’s not sensible to swap it out, but if that machine is on a lease then it does become more of an option. There would possibly be an increase in the lease payment but often an existing machine can be swapped out for the updated version.

What we would try to do, of course, is to advise clubs about what new models are coming in at a particular point in time and if they wanted to hang on until that particular model became available, then they could do so. Also, machines can be rented for short periods in the interim until the new machine is available on the market.

Biggest issue clubs face when choosing new equipment?

The biggest issue is cost. Greenkeepers are being asked to do more with less resources, whether that’s people or whether that’s machinery. So, over the last decade our focus has very much been on productivity while ensuring that the standard of quality of cut is maintained; there’s no point in managing to cut the grass very quickly if the quality of the cut at the end of the process is not what you’re looking for.

When we design a new machine, we start with ‘what is the quality of cut that is required’ and focus on that first and then we go back and build the machine that allows you to do that in the most productive time that you can. We spend a lot of time talking to operators about what their needs are. It’s

Toro in action at Manchester United, Manchester City and the Roehampton club.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Summary of your career pathway?

I’m Head of Sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa for all of Toro’s golf and sports businesses and municipalities. My role covers golf equipment and irrigation. I’m an Irrigation Engineer by profession and, after University, started my career in the agricultural development world, working in Egypt training irrigation technicians across the country so that they could start growing food in the desert. Then I ran my own landscape irrigation contracting and distribution business, before eventually joining Toro in 1999.

Best thing about your role?

I love the variety of the job, meeting people in different countries and cultures, all trying to do the best that they can in the world they’re involved in, whether that be golf, other sports or parks, etc.

important from both sides – they get an understanding of what we’re doing and also get to put their own fingerprints on some of the things that we’re going to do.

Common problems you witness at clubs?

The most common problem for clubs is being asked to do more with less resources. If a golf club, for example, is not developing the revenues that they need to maintain the standards or to continue to invest, then over time that will build up to a point where they will be starting to lose members, green fees and corporate business because their standards are not being maintained to the same level as their competitor golf clubs. The challenge for the course manager is to make the case. For the general manager and other people in the club the challenge is to understand where the value is and where the priorities lie.

A classic dilemma would be do you buy a new carpet for the clubhouse or do you buy a new greens mower? There comes a point when you have to do both but which is the priority is based on the current circumstances.

What do you see as the biggest revolution in equipment in recent years?

The big issues are fossil fuels, hybrid technology, the move to electric vehicles and machinery. That is happening now at a rapid pace with new models coming out every year trying to resolve the issue and we’re at the forefront of that. Labour is a huge issue for clubs with large ground and there’s a move towards robotics for autonomous mowing. These are areas that we’ve recognised over a number of years but it’s only now that the technology is start-

ing to become available, efficient and cost-effective.

There are a number of robotic solutions which are out there, such as mowers which will mow within a particular area on the same principle as those vacuum cleaners which go around a room.

There are other versions which use GPS locator systems which can be retrofit on a greens mower.

Irrigation technology is also rapidly advancing with the use of soil moisture sensors and weather stations to provide real time data to the central control system, allowing for highly detailed water management.

How can landlocked clubs with residential neighbours combat noise pollution?

This goes back to the question of technological advances in equipment. We’ve developed hand mowers which are fully powered by Ni-Cad Lithium batteries in the past five years and clubs are using them specifically to counter noise pollution if they have housing nearby and need to use them early in the morning. We’re also producing hybrid mowers.

That technology will continue to develop.

What about the issue of fleet management?

When we talk about fleet management it’s basically a strategic plan to manage the investment and maintain the product to the right standard to allow you to produce the results that you need within the restrictions you have. So, if you have a certain amount of staff and a certain amount of money you manage your fleet accordingly to match those parameters.

The key is to plan, to understand what machines you’ve got, what its lifespan is, whether you’re buying or leasing. The key is to sit down and make a detailed plan for your particular grounds.

Worst thing?

Spending too much time in front of spreadsheets and also keeping up with emails and admin, particularly when I’m travelling, which is often.

Important diary dates?

The Open Championship is always a big date in the diary as there will be a lot of industry people there to catch up with.

Going towards the end of the calendar year – October/November – when customers are thinking about what their needs are for the next year.

Sport and government?

I’d like the industry to have more communication with the government so that they understand the value that our world brings to the country.

How do you relax?

Golf, family trips abroad and gardening.

First record you ever bought?

It was the original Eagles album back in the mid-1970s.

Last live event you attended?

The Who at the Royal Albert Hall where my son was working with the sound crew.

Do you belong to any clubs?

Frilford Heath Golf Club.

CLUB RUGBY 65

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business. Completely free to clubs this new service involves no contracts and no costs, just better buying and better club business.

Welcome to HQ Building the Business F

rom utilities and energy savings to procurement and financial services, HQ Building the Business works with your club as a surrogate head office, helping you to boost club business. And by working with carefully selected club-supporting partners and suppliers, HQ Building the Business will save you valuable time and resources in the quest to save your club money, freeing up you and your committee to run an even more efficient club.

You’re just three steps away from saving money.

Step 1 Free no-obligation audit – just call us or email us.

Step 2 Following our audit and discussions, if we believe we can help your club we will source the best deals available.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. What do I get when I become a member?

A: You get a free and confidential audit of your club in those areas where you would like to find savings and efficiencies. This could be anything from utilities to phone bills and from food to club equipment.

Q. What are the costs?

A. There are no costs. HQ is free to join.

Q. If I become a member, what are my obligations?

A. There are no obligations for you or your club and no contracts. All we ask is that when we work with you, you are open about your current supplier situation.

suppliers we need to prove the value of a club to their business, but if we can help we will.

Q. What are your club credentials?

A. We’ve been working in the club sector for over 30 years in various roles. The launch of HQ Building the Business is the culmination of many years working with clubs and suppliers, from brewers and telecoms suppliers, to energy and water companies.

Q. Do I need a face to face meeting?

A. Not necessarily. A lot of the ground work can be done over the phone/email.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Just email enquiries@hqbusiness.com, call 01753 272022 or use the form on the opposite page.

Q. Does the club need to have a minimum turnover?

A. Our services are most suited to clubs with a minimum turnover of £100,000. This is because to secure the HQ Building the Business deals with

Step 3 Your club starts saving money.

This is what we call a win win! So get in touch now and help us help you to make 2017 an even better year for your club and your members. You can call on 01753 272022, email enquiries@hqbusiness.com or use the form opposite.

Ryan Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Aviva Premiership Rugby contender, Worcester Warriors “My role is very much to ensure that the support mechanisms of an efficient stadium and business are in place. I’ve worked with David and his team to assist in delivering savings across the business at Worcester Warriors and I am delighted to recommend the team on a professional as well as personal level.

Energy has been one of the biggest projects, and this procurement is delivering significant short and long term savings. There are plenty of people out there who claim they can do this; this team can.

A large part of my role is about getting things done efficiently and effectively, hence why I value the straight talking, efficient and short sharp presentation of results. No fuss, no salesmanship, just a host of opportunities followed up by appropriate and helpful assistance to deliver the chosen projects; make the most of them.”

• www.warriors.co.uk

66 CLUB RUGBY

MEMBERSHIP FORM Yes I am interested in joining the no-cost, no-contract, no obligation HQ Building the Business club.

Your name: _____________________________________

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Role in club: _____________________________________ Club name and address: _____________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Tel no: ________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Number of members: ______________________________ Turnover*:______________________________________

n All n Other (please list): _____________________________

Particular areas you are interested in?

_____________________________________________

*Turnover - this information is entirely confidential and is not shared with any other companies/agencies etc. It is HQ Building the Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measure as to how we can help you save money.

CLUB RUGBY 67

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our biggest season ever.

Top ight action from the Aviva Premiership as well as the European Rugby Champions & Challenge Cup, BT Sport is truly the home of rugby, letting you show the biggest and best rugby competitions all on one package.

Be There

Join now to show these great competitions in your venue

Call 0800 678 1061

Full Terms and Conditions apply.

Reviewing and Previewing the

CLUB RUGBY 69

Hospitality Social Media Awards

Social media is one of the biggest tools for the on-trade in all its guises, whatever the outlet and wherever it happens to be.

It allows outlets to reach out via an up-to-the minute – and extremely cost-effective – means of communication. Most importantly it’s proving one of the most effective weapons in drawing people out of their homes and into the hospitality arena.

Awards Judges

The Awards were launched to encourage and applaud this, with finalists across all areas of the hospitality industry, from football and golf clubs to pubs, hotels and restaurants coming under one roof to share successes and learnings.

“Every one of our finalists is clearly an ambassador for the use of social media,” said ACP MD Sean Ferris (pictured above right). “But there are many, many outlets that need more help. And we’re hoping that these success stories will become part of that inspiring process.”

To enter the 2017 Awards, turn to page 42

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

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Thank You

DINNER MENU To Start

The first ever Hospitality Social Media Awards were are brought to you with the support of the following:

Heirloom Tomato & Buffalo Mozzarella Salad, Mixed Seeds, Olive Powder, Pea Shoots, Balsamic Vinegar & Smoked Maldon Sea Salt

Main Course Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder Confit, Pistachios, Apricots, Mint, Almonds, Cous Cous, Baby Aubergines, Baby Courgettes & Red Pepper Sauce

Dessert Peach and Lavender Panna Cotta, Toffee Sauce, Berries & Shortbread

And Then...

Freshly Brewed Coffee & Petit Fours

Wines on the Table Crown Cellars presented a number of Pedley’s 2016 Picks selected from the following...

Aimery Merlot, Vin de Pays d’Oc

France

Lyric Pinot Grigio, Venezie

Italy

Castillo de Pedra, Viura Vin del la Tierra Castillo

Spain

Seppelt Moyston Unoaked Chardonnay

Australia

Las Ondas Sauvignon Blanc, Valle Central

Chile

Box of Budgies, Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

CLUB RUGBY 71

Pre - Awards

The Hospitality Social Media Awards are all about engaging, networking and driving business. And behind every Facebook page or Instagram gallery are committed individuals and teams who value interaction at all levels and on all platforms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including face-to -face fun with like-minded peers.

Sport, who Shine on BT h the to join us wit r e v o d e d a he up. ier League C m re P d te e v co ic with this class s e lfi se f o ts Lo by re, followed a rw e lv si f o bit tion and awe p e c re s k n ri ad ainment from rt te n e g in ir insp n chie magicia mystifying te .

Tom London

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

72 CLUB RUGBY

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

CLUB RUGBY 73

Let the Awards Commence!

Welcome to sports presenter and host

John Inverdale...

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

74 CLUB RUGBY

And welcome to our other celebrity guests who joined us on that special night...

Craig Doyle

Steve Cram

Tessa Sanderson

Austin Healy

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

CLUB RUGBY 75

RUGBY CLUB OF THE YEAR Bedford Blues Rugby Club Darlington Mowden Park RFC Manchester Rugby Club Newport Rugby Club Old Reigatian RFC West Park Leeds RUFC

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Rugby Club of the Year!

Bedford Blues Rugby Club

All players are activ ely involved, receiving basic so cial media training, and on m atch days the club live-tweets th e game. Social media is renewing old members, drawing in new on es and increasing merchan dise sales.

e.info@hsma.biz t. 01753 272022

CLUB RUGBY 77 CLUB RUGBY 37

ENTRY FORM The Hospitality Social Media Awards (HSMA) look forward to your entry and/or nomination. From the smallest football club to the largest stadia, we want to hear from you.

Just tick which categories youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in, fill in a couple of details and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do the rest.

INTRODUCTION From websites to Facebook, and everything in between, the Hospitality Social Media Awards will be seeking out those of you who are busy using social media to engage with your customers.

THE AWARDS Info@hsma.biz will get your entry underway. Alternatively use this QR code.

Hospitality

JUDGING PANEL The judging panel includes leading professionals in marketing, communications, advertising and digital communications as well as leading lights from the pub, club and hospitality world.

Football Club of the Year Golf Club of the Year Rugby Club of the Year Community Club of the Year Sport & Leisure Resort of the Year

Name: Position: Business Name: Address:

Sports Club of the Year Bar of the Year Hotel of the Year Restaurant of the Year Club Chain of the Year Hotel Chain of the Year

Telephone:

Restaurant Chain of the Year

Email:

Other - Please State:

Website: Social Media Accounts: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Others:

Deadline: September 30, 2017

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sean

Best regards

Sean Ferris Publishing Director www.hsma.biz | info@hsma.biz sean@alchemymedia.co.uk | 01753 272022

LIVE SPORTING FIXTURES FROM

The best of Sunday November 5, 4.30pm – Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester United A big game for both sides as the reigning champions welcome back former manager Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge for a game that could have far-reaching consequences for the eventual destination of the title. will be closely watched by the United defence.

November promises plenty of ‘must-watch’ sporting encounters, including the autumn rugby union internationals and several big Premier League clashes.

Sunday November 5 2.15pm Sky Sports PL HD

Tuesday November 14 8pm ITV

Premier League: Manchester City v Arsenal

International Football: England v Brazil

City look to be in pole position for the Premier League title but will need to break down the Gunners’ resolute defence in this encounter if they are to gain full points from the tie.

A chance to watch one of the most celebrated football teams on the planet in action agains England at Wembley Stadium in this friendly encounter.

Sunday November 5 4.30pm Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester United

Saturday November 18, 12.30pm – Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur North London derby action from the Emirates and the form book is likely to be thrown out of the window in the heat of battle between these two close rivals. Spurs have been in exceptional form for much of the season but the Gunners have improved hugely in recent weeks.

Former Blues manager Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge at the helm of Manchester United and would dearly love to come away with a win against his old team.

Saturday November 11 1pm Sky Sports Arena/Mix HD

Darts: Grand Slam of Darts

Tuesday November 21, 7.45pm – BT Sport HD

UEFA Champions League: Manchester City v Feyenoord This should be another goal-fest for City after their trip to Holland in their first Champions League opener ended in a 4-0 victory for the Light Blues. John Stones was the key man for City, scoring two goals in a great all-round performance which humbled the Dutch champions in their own backyard and he will be relishing this opportunity.

Action from Wolverhampton Civic Hall as top BDO players go head-tohead with their PDC counterparts.

Dutch superstar Michael van Gerwen has won the past two editions of this competition and will be the man to beat once again in 2017 after some fine recent performances.

Sunday November 12 4pm Sky Sports F1 HD

F1: Brazilian Grand Prix It is sure to be another atmospheric F1 event in Sao Paulo. Last year saw Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finish in 1st and second place, followed by Kimi Raikonnen.

Friday November 17 7.45pm BT Sport HD

Aviva Premiership Rugby: Gloucester v Saracens Friday night rugby from Kingsholm as the Cherry & Whites entertain Saracens. Gloucester have been fairly inconsistent so far this season and will need to deliver a mighty performance to beat Sarries, even if the visitors will be missing their sizable international contingent.

Saturday November 18 12.30pm Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur The North London derby is certain to be another passionate affair as these two rivals clash at the Emirates. In the same fixture last season honours were even with the match finishing 1-1 but Spurs won the return tie 2-0.

Saturday November 18 3pm Sky Sports Action HD

International Rugby Union: England v Australia Action from Twickenham as England take on the Wallabies in the Old Mutual Wealth autumn international.

For latest news and timings on sporting events coming to the club screen, visit Sports4Bars.com 80 CLUB RUGBY

Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s live sport England v Australia, Saturday, November 18, 3pm, Sky Sports Action HD

ALSO COMING UP...

Saturday November 11 12.30pm Sky Sports Football HD

League One: Doncaster Rovers v Rotherham United Saturday November 11 5.15pm BBC

International Rugby Union: Wales v Australia Sunday November 19 4pm Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Watford v West Ham United

Saturday November 18 5.30pm BT Sport 1 HD

Tuesday November 21 7.45pm BT Sport HD

Thursday November 23 7.45pm BT Sport HD

Premier League: Manchester United v Newcastle United

UEFA Champions League: Manchester City v Feyenoord

UEFA Europa League: Everton v Atalanta

A daunting trip for the Magpies as they travel to Old Trafford. In the 2015/16 season, Newcastle actually drew 0-0 in the equivalent fixture and then drew again in the home tie, the match finishing 3-all.

City fans will be looking forward to this Champions League group tie given that their team beat the Dutch side 4-0 in the earlier away tie between the sides.

The Toffees were humbled 3-0 in the away leg of this Europa League group tie and will be eager to make amends at Goodison Park.

Wednesday November 22 7.45pm BT Sport HD

Sunday November 19 3pm BT Sport HD

Aviva Premiership Rugby: Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins Reigning champions Exeter have been in superlative form this season with midfield maestro Henry Slade orchestrating some fine attacking play in the backline.

Tuesday November 21 7.45pm BT Sport HD

UEFA Champions League: FK Qarabag v Chelsea Chelsea racked up a 6-0 victory at Stamford Bridge against Qarabag in September and now face them on Azerbaijani soil.

Wednesday November 22 7.45pm BT Sport HD

UEFA Champions League: FC Basel v Manchester United

UEFA Champions League: Sevilla v Liverpool Liverpool drew 2-2 with Sevilla back in Septemer at Anfield.

This should be a straightforward match for United after they beat the Swiss champions 3-0 in the home leg of this fixture.

Monday November 20 8pm Sky Sports PL HD

Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion v Stoke City Tuesday November 21 7pm Sky Sports Arena HD

Greyhound Racing: Betfred Eclipse Stakes

Friday November 24 8pm Sky Sports PL HD

Saturday November 25 12.30pm ITV

Premier League: West Ham United v Leicester City

Horse Racing: Haydock & Ascot (Betfair Chase)

Friday night Premier League action as troubled West Ham take on Leicester City.

Saturday November 25 5.30pm BT Sport 1 HD

Saturday November 25 5.15pm BBC

International Rugby Union: Wales v New Zealand

Premier League: Liverpool v Chelsea Can the Liverpool defence hold up against a very effective Chelsea attack? It seems unlikely given the Bluesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exploits in recent months which has seen them put some quality sides to the sword.

www.Sports4Bars.com

For latest news and timings on sporting events coming to the club screen, visit Sports4Bars.com CLUB RUGBY 81

Aon Risk Solutions Enterprise | Affinity

Aon Specialist Insurance for Sports and Social Clubs Market-leading cover with 10%* discount for new Aon clients At Aon, we have specialised in arranging insurance for Sports and Social Clubs for over twenty years. Our client managers have an in-depth understanding of the risks that owners and managers of clubs face, and can arrange a policy that caters to a wide range of clubs.

Call us today and we will look to save costs on the price of your current insurance provider by 10%.* Why arrange your Sports and Social club insurance through Aon? • We are confident that we can deliver competitive premiums • Dedicated Client Manager to support you

£100 Material Damage Excess

£2,500 for cover in each gaming machine, up to £10,000 in total Total cover £10,000

Property in the open covered up to £5,000

Engineering cover up to £1,000,000, cooling equipment, boilers, air conditioning units

John Mckie 0345 004 0515 john.mckie@aon.co.uk

• Arrange market leading cover solutions • Get access to exclusive HR and Health & Safety Solutions for Clubs at discounted rates via our partnership with Citation

To arrange a quote contact:

Directors and Officers limit of indemnity £250,000

* New Aon clients only. Must not hold a current policy with Aon. Subject to qualifying criteria; No claims in the last 3 years; Satisfactory postcode check (such as but not limited to high risk flooding areas, theft and malicious damage); Insurance has not been cancelled or declined in the past; Premises are not unoccupied or unfurnished; Business description is a CIU Club, Other Social & Welfare Club, CISWO Club or Sports Club; Buildings are valued at no more than £1,000,000; Stock limit doesn’t exceed £50,000; and do not operate door staff, regular ticketed events or live entertainment more than twice a week. Evidence of competing terms must be obtained from an Insurer that meet Aon’s security rating requirements and cover must be of a comparable basis to the quotation arranged by Aon. This offer can be withdrawn at any time. Terms, conditions and exclusions may apply.

Maven Sports and Social Club Insurance arranged by Aon UK Limited and underwritten by Maven Underwriters which is a Managing General Agent operating under a delegated underwriting and claims handling authority on behalf of Aviva Insurance Limited and Allianz Insurance plc.

Maven Underwriters is a trading name of Aon UK Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Citation Limited is an approved Introducer Appointed Representative of Aon UK Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Monday – Friday 9am - 5pm