Rugby Club Magazine issue 96

Welcome

Welcome to our Champions edition of Rugby Club Magazine and a big thankyou to all our clubs who contribute to our magazine and this great sport of Rugby.

Special thankyou to both of our Irish clubs: Cormac O`Kelly and his guys at Terenure College RFC and Evan Morton who have gone beyond the call to help us present City of Armagh RFC in the best possible way we can. It always strikes me what a special sport Rugby is, a safe place for our children and a learning ground for life where true friendships and connections are made; a worldwide clan! As training starts again and our teams look forward to entering their respective leagues to play one game at a time we can look forward a new season and a mouthwatering RWC in France. Rugby was always an 80 minute meditation for me once a week where my mind would not be thinking about yesterday or tomorrow but ball and the players. I hope you enjoy this special edition of the magazine and appreciate all these great clubs who have excelled this season; I will leave you with a famous quote from the Australian scrum half Nick Farr Jones who said: “He’s the sort of player whose brain doesn’t always know where his legs are carrying him.” …that’s not always a bad thing!

Yours in Rugby

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HEAD OF EDITORIAL CONTENT

Damien Lagan

Martin Morgan

Llandaff

Lutterworth

INTRODUCTION

Terenure College RFC, founded in 1940, on the southside of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, has become an intrinsic part of the Terenure hinterland and the community therein. A community Club of great standing, it has seen its patronage and membership grow over the past number of seasons.

With terrific facilities for both players and non players alike, it has provided a destination within the community for those seeking a meeting place, to sit, have a coffee and chat throughout the week as well as watching or playing a rugby match at the weekend.

With the success off the pitch combined with our fantastic on pitch success (more on that later!) The Club goes from strength to strength, season to season. With close to 2,000 members, the Club has big plans to make further growth on and off the rugby field.

“What an honor it was for me to be president of Terenure College RFC this year, the most successful year in the club’s history winning every trophy available at First team level and eight overall. I simply couldn’t be more proud of all involved on and off the pitch!

We are a large community based club which is growing every year so we are currently fundraising for our development plans to upgrade the club’s facilities to help futureproof ourselves. The future is very bright in Lakelands and I look forward to seeing things develop further and continued success on and off the pitch.”

Tommy D’Arcy President Terenure College RFC 2022/2023

Terenure College Rugby Club

“Irish Club of The Season22/23”

History Makers!

HISTORY

Terenure College RFC was founded on 5th November 1940, when Rev. Fr. Jackie Corbett O.Carm, worried that past pupils of Terenure College were not continuing to play rugby, called a meeting of past pupils in the Hotel Lenehan on Harcourt Street in Dublin’s city centre.

Following the meeting, Terenure Collegians were formed, playing their first game against the Terenure College Schools Senior Cup Team soon after. Collegians became affiliated with the Leinster Branch of the IRFU in September 1943, and soon after played their first match in the Minor (J2) league, which they went on to win in their first season.

Changing their strip to the now famous purple, black and white stripes for the 1944/45 season, the Club went from strength to strength, opening the first club pavilion in April 1947 and winning the J2 league and Metro cup in 1949. The 1950s saw the 1st XV win the J1 league five times, but the Club failed to secure senior status in the Leinster Branch until their 14th application in January 1959.

The 1960s were a glorious period, with the club gaining their first internationals in Mick Hipwell (1962) and Brendan Sherry (1967), a new clubhouse (1962) and back to back Leinster Senior Cups (1966 and 1967). The 1970s saw Mick Hipwell become the Club’s first Lion in New Zealand in 1971, and the addition of the lounge to the clubhouse. A tour to the USA in 1981 was followed by Terenure College RFC’s first President of the IRFU, Mick Carroll, our first Leinster

Senior League and our third international in Paul Haycock, before the inception of the All Ireland League in 1990, and the celebration of the Club’s Jubilee in 1990.

The mid 1990s saw another glory period for the club, with Ciaran Clarke, Niall Hogan and David Corkery capped for Ireland, with Hogan going on to captain Ireland in the 1995/1996 season. During this time, we won our third and fourth Leinster Senior Cups, with the 1995/1996 team, captained by Peter Bruce doing the unprecedented treble of the Kitty O’Shea Leinster League, Leinster Senior Cup and promotion to Division 1 of the AIL for the first time. In the 1998/1999 season, we gained two more internationals, as Girvan Dempsey and Eric Miller pulled on the green jersey.

This year saw the Club represented by Henry McErlean and Fintan Gunne at both Leinster U20’s and

at the Grand Slam achieving Ireland U20’s level. Fintan’s on field performances secured a Leinster Academy ahead of the commencement of the 2023/24 season.

The last few years have seen some great developments in Lakelands, starting with the signing of a historic lease in 2013 on the club grounds. This was secured after many years of negotiation, and the generosity of the Carmelite Fathers. The following season, we won promotion back to Division 1A of the AIL, while our U20s won the Club’s first McCorry Cup, securing the JP Fanagan league title at the same time.

In 2015, the 1st XV reached the playoffs of the AIL, while the U20s repeated their incredible double of the previous season. 2015 saw the opening of state of the art new facilities, with an all-weather pitch, floodlights and new changing rooms. These years also saw the latest Terenure College men to become Irish internationals, with Isaac Boss and John Cooney receiving caps.

In 2021-22, the Club reached its first AIL Final where the Senior XV narrowly missed out, being beaten by Clontarf in the Aviva Stadium, with the final score being Clontarf FC 29-23 Terenure College RFC.

The eagerly awaited Dublin derby drew an attendance of 5,788, a record crowd for an All-Ireland League final at the Lansdowne Road venue since its redevelopment. The previous best for the recent league deciders was just over 2,000.

In season 2022-23 Terenure College RFC won their first ever Bateman Cup (the All-Ireland Cup competition), The Energia AIL Division 1A title as well as the Leinster Senior League and Leinster Senior Cup.

KARMELE MATELLAN, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: SPANISH SCHOOL RATHFARNHAM AND LINGOWORLD UK

I was looking for a local community facility and ended up having a chat with Mark Hamilton and some of the lads at the club who couldn’t have been more helpful. My husband Allan Sweeney had always spoken highly about Terenure College RFC, their membership and the great following they had. Allen knew many of the rugby fraternity having played soccer for Terenure from 2002 to 2009.

Club player Conor McKeon works with Allan at BDO who themselves have a long and positive relationship with Terenure College, many former pupils who had come through the college were and are involved with the rugby club. I recall Allan telling me that as he was a soccer player, he would often receive comments from his friends and colleagues reminding him that he had chosen the wrong shaped ball!

Des McCann and the team at the rugby club couldn’t be more helpful in assisting me with our pitch side Board and the ongoing and proactive support they provided really made a big difference to my business. I know this is true for many other local businesses like mine who feel really looked after by the rugby club; this was very apparent recently on the run up to final day when many local companies carried the purple, black and white colours of Terenure College really getting behind the club.

My Spanish School has now expanded from small beginnings starting with 50 students to over 150 and we have now spread our wings into the UK market as well as offering lessons in French and German. Its with great pleasure that I congratulate everyone at Terenure College Rugby Club on this historic season and to recognise all the fantastic work that they have passionately put into our local community. Best wishes for many more successful seasons!

“On foot of the dedication, hard work and commitment of all of the minis and youth coaches and managers, which number in excess of 120, Terenure College RFC has an extremely vibrant and successful minis and youth section both in boys teams and in girls teams, comprising in excess of 650 players in total. We are always looking for new members to join the club, all of whom will receive a warm club welcome. Our focus is on ensuring that the players enjoy themselves, have fun and make friends through their rugby experience in the Terenure College RFC.”

Shane Mallon Chairman of Minis & Youth Rugby Terenure College RFC 2022/23

THE AIL FINAL

The Club entered season 2022-23 determined to go again but this time to go one step further. The first round of nine fixtures saw eight victories and one defeat (away to Young Munster). Terenure were top of the table at Christmas followed by Clontarf FC.

The second round of nine fixtures saw us avenge our defeat at Young Munster but narrow losses at home to Clontarf FC, and away to Ballynahinch and Cork Constitution saw us finishing second in the table to Clontarf FC securing a home semi-final clash against Cork Constitution.

The Lakelands Park faithful roared Terenure on to their second successive final appearance, which was sealed by a 30-12 victory over Cork Constitution. Caolan Dooley kicked 20 points while Adam La Grue and Jordan Coghlan claimed a try each. Cork Con gave themselves a mountain to climb when falling 18 points behind in wet conditions. Two early Dooley penalties gave Terenure the upper hand, the first coming from a scrum penalty on the 10-metre line.

Nure’s backs gave a glimpse of their attacking class in the 22nd minute when quick hands released full-back La Grue for the left corner. Number eight Coghlan crossed six minutes later, with Con’s defence missing sinbinned centre Niall Kenneally.

Cork Con were unable to convert some late pressure into points before half-time, but replacement James Murphy barged over in the 49th minute – followed by an Aidan Moynihan conversion –to reduce the arrears to 18-7. Nure turned to goal-kicking winger Dooley to settle things down again, his reliable right boot banged over two more penalties to leave 17 points in it with 13 minutes remaining. Con did rally again with a Cathal O’Flaherty try in the corner, but a late brace of Dooley kicks – the last one

OVERVIEW OF RUGBY IN THE CLUB

Whilst the Club had its most successful season to date in 2022/2023, years of hard work, selfless volunteering and commitment to the cause by so many has contributed to these achievements. The Vision 2020 initiative in 2010 was a vital catalyst for Club members and the local community pulling together, it was a big moment in our Club’s history and so many positives were borne from it.

From a Rugby perspective we have a very active and hard working Rugby Committee whose main goals are to ensure that the right operational structures and environment is in place for our teams to thrive. The committee is focused on providing the best in class where our coaching, players and facilities are concerned and Recruitment & Retention is high on our agenda. We have also undertaken initiatives such as our “Team of the Month” which is published monthly and is based on the stats provided by each team. These stats feed into our end of season player awards and our overall “Team of the Season” which contains players from the 1st’s right through to the 5th’s and our Under 20’s sides. Our 3rd team (The Collegians) is another new initiative that we are proud of. This squad has arisen from recognition of the need to provide a clear pathway to senior rugby for young players and late developers with ambition to play at senior level. The “Rugby Review” is a monthly meeting where representatives of every Adult side meet, review their recent games / stats and share learnings and challenges that we are facing. These review meetings promote collaboration between our teams and break down any potential silos. Everyone has

from far out – ensured a repeat of last year’s final.

In front of an Aviva Stadium record AIL final crowd of 8,642, Caolan Dooley’s 30-point kicking masterclass saw Terenure College dethrone Clontarf in a record-breaking 50-24 Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A final win at the Aviva Stadium.

With Adam La Grue, Craig Adams, Stephen O’Neill and Conall Boomer crossing for tries, Terenure avenged last year’s defeat as they won their first ever AIL top-flight title, adding to March’s maiden Bateman Cup success.

Limerick man Dooley, the Energia player-of-the-match, landed eight penalties and

a voice at the meeting, be it a 1stteam coach or a 4th team coach. These meetings have helped to forge a sense of togetherness and camaraderie across our sides. The fruits of this are evident in the support the various teams give each other on from the sidelines, for example a regular sight this season was members of the 1st team cheering the Collegians on in their matches.

The challenge now, and one we look forward to embracing, is sustainability. To achieve this we know that as a Club we have to continue to improve, learn and evolve at every level (Senior, Under 20 and Junior Rugby). The Adult Rugby and the Minis & Youths Rugby Committees plan on working more closely together going forward, so that we are aligned strategically. The growth of Girls and Women’s Rugby is very high on our agenda, and in time we have ambitions to field a Women’s team in the AIL. Our relationship with Terenure College is very important to us and is something that we take great pride in, we meet with the College throughout the season to discuss the best ways of collaborating and supporting each other and this is something we will continue to do. Finally, we take pride in how we interact with our local community, supporting and growing the game, not just in Terenure College but through attracting new players and members from other schools and locations to join our Minis, Youths, Under 20’s and Adult teams, providing them with a positive environment in which to play the game we all love, and catering for all levels!

Will Moore, Chairman of Rugby and Ian “Moggy” Morgan, Director of Rugby on behalf of the Rugby Committee in TCRFC 2022/2023

three conversions, missing just one kick in a superb display of kicking from the tee. A thirdminute penalty from Dooley, from just outside the 10-metre line, opened the scoring.

Clontarf signalled their intent by winning two early scrum penalties, an Alan Bennie turnover briefly thwarting them. Flanker O’Dea led their next surge and Arenzana King acrobatically scored one-handed from Steve Crosbie’s skip pass. The touchline conversion from Crosbie faded wide before a Mick Kearney lineout steal halted Terenure’s progress. Midway through the first half, a neat back-line move had Tadhg Bird bursting into the ‘Nure 22.

Clontarf clinically built through the phases, with Angus Lloyd’s passing putting his team-mates into gaps. Dylan Donnellan carried up close before a big clear-out by Kearney allowed O’Dea to crash over from a ruck.

Dooley’s second penalty quickly cut the gap to 10-6, rewarding scrum half Bennie’s initial break and captain Harrison Brewer’s work at the breakdown. Brewer followed up with another turnover penalty back in the ‘Nure 22.

Brewer and Luke Clohessy continued to frustrate the north Dubliners at the breakdown, and following an overthrown ‘Tarf lineout, La Grue gleefully swooped on a Hugh Cooney pass for his 50-metre run-in.

Although they were struggling to get within reach of the ‘Tarf try-line, Skehan’s charges finished the first half with two tries. La Grue stunned the defending champions with a 35thminute intercept try, and then Adams pounced for another long-range breakaway score, converted by Dooley who had kicked two earlier penalties.

Callum Smith’s kick from deep caused trouble for Tony Ryan, and Adams gobbled up the breaking ball and evaded Cooney’s tackle to

romp clear from halfway. Despite the pressure exerted by Clontarf’s dominant scrum, Sean Skehan’s men cancelled out tries from Aitzol Arenzana King and JJ O’Dea with a late brace of their own for an unlikely 18-10 half-time lead.

A try from Leinster’s Alex Soroka lifted ‘Tarf at 21-17 down, but Dooley’s ultrareliable right boot – banging them over from all angles –kept ‘Nure in control of the scoreboard, leaving it 30-17 on the hour mark.

They cut loose for two more tries, replacement Boomer setting up O’Neill and then finishing off a La Grue-inspired break. The only consolation for Andy Wood’s well-beaten side was the sight of replacement Brian Deeny touching down past the 80-minute mark.

Dooley converted from straight in front and extended ‘Nure’s lead to 11 points early

in the second period, albeit that injury had the influential Brewer sitting out the third quarter.

An incisive Matt D’Arcyled attack, which earned a penalty, allowed ‘Tarf pack to chip away, flanker Soroka having a couple of bites at the line before muscling in beside the posts, with Kearney on the latch. Crosbie converted.

Nonetheless, within six minutes, Dooley had reopened a 10-point lead (27-17) by twice punishing ‘Tarf for no clear release. The title holders’ lineout was also malfunctioning badly, much to the delight of our boisterous and vocal support.

When O’Dea failed to roll away after a tackle, another booming strike from Dooley sailed between the posts. The mistakes kept coming from the table toppers, both at lineout time and with ball in hand.

The fresh-legged Boomer then rampaged clear off the

back of a scrum, showing some excellent pace. His well-timed pass sent O’Neill over untouched in the right corner, with Dooley adding a textbook conversion. It was a try that resonated with the Terenure faithful as O’Neill had missed last season’s decider through injury when he was skipper.

Two more Dooley placekicks rubbed salt into ‘Tarf wounds, the latter of which came from a scrum infringement. Lovely hands from full-back La Grue released Adams down the left touchline with three minutes remaining, Boomer getting in to pick from the ruck, dummy inside Bird and score in the corner. Dooley’s final kick was a beauty from right in front of a throng of ‘Nure fans.

Having conceded a half-century of points, ‘Tarf only had pride to play for in the dying seconds. Leinster

Academy winger Arenzana King beat a couple of defenders, raiding towards the posts before Deeny profited from quick ruck ball to have the final say.

JUNIOR RUGBY

Terenure RFC junior rugby had a very successful year in the 2022/2023 season.

The Club has three men’s teams taking in approximately 80 players ranging in age from from 18 years to 56 years old. Yes you read that right! We have a number of players still togging out week in, week out that have passed the half century mark.

Three of them recently featured in an advertising campaign for Bank of Ireland and Leinster Rugby under the tagline ‘Never Stop Competing’ which saw them (somewhat reluctantly!) on billboards, bus shelters and in bank branches all over the province, for months. The teams play in division 3, 5 and 9 respectively.

Our 3rds, which is mainly a young development squad in the second year since their inception, is called Collegians’. The name is in recognition of the first ever Terenure College RFC Club team to take to the field, back in the 1940s. Despite being recently formed, they won a very competitive league beating Navan RFC in the final this year and now find themselves promoted up to division 2.

Our 4ths squad is again a young development team with one or two experienced players. They play in division 5 and for the second year running they reached a league final only to lose both finals by the narrowest of margins, only

a point or so. Hopefully next year is their year!

Our 5ths team plays in division 9. These are the social boys having fun week after week and just enjoying their rugby. The team consists of players who range in age from eighteen all the way up to 56. They had mixed results but finished strongly after Christmas and ended up mid table. Whilst results are important to these lads, playing the game is what they love. Junior rugby is the heartbeat of the club and we are open to all players of all levels and if you’re coming to Dublin come along and give us a go.

UNDER 20S

This year’s U20’s began their campaign in Premier 2. Starting with a convincing win in a pre-season friendly against Seapoint a week out from the start of the league, things snowballed from there.

The lads played their first game against a very competitive Wanderers side and managed to hold on to a draw that started off their season and they never looked back.

The team went on to win every single game after that and the squad grew week on week with a nice mix of Terenure College players playing their first year of Club rugby following graduation from the school and other players from all over Ireland, as well as one player from South Africa. As each game progressed the squad formed a tighter bond and when things got tough, it was that bond that got them their wins.

The under 20s finished out the season undefeated with 65 points in the league and putting 440 points on the scoreboard in the process.

After the success of the league, the players were hungry for more. They began

their cup campaign against Wanderers RFC again. It was a very tough encounter in Lakelands and the score line did not reflect the battle that day where the lads came out on top with a 40-22 full time scoreline.

Then the semi-final pitted them against UCD, which is never an easy place to go to play a cup game. Once again the lads came away worthy winners to reach the Purcell Cup Final for the first time in the Clubs history. The team they faced was Corinthians RFC from Galway.

The match was played in a magnificent club in North Kildare where the pitch and hospitality were second to none. It was a battle from start to finish and the under 20s left their best rugby for the final. The skill, accuracy and cohesion displayed was something most teams would strive for. The final score was

69-33 to finish off a dream season and bring the Purcell Cup trophy back to the Clubhouse.

The players commitment and work rate throughout the whole season was a credit to the club in every game they played. The Club would like to wish the graduating Under 20s players the best of luck in their Rugby futures and we look forward to the next cohort coming through to build on their success.

It has to be mentioned that the U20s were very fortunate to have the former Ireland and British and Irish Lions bagman with them every step of the way. The under 20s players and coaching staff appreciated every single thing club stalwart Rala O’Reilly did for them.

MINI RUGBY

Our mini and youth rugby program is specifically designed for children aged between six and twelve years old and follows the IRFU guidelines. It provides a platform for children to learn and develop their rugby skills

in a safe and fun environment. We are one of the many rugby clubs in Ireland that offers mini rugby programs for children. The mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is an integral part of the club’s commitment to developing a love for the game in young rugby players from an early age.

The mini rugby program is open to boys and girls between the ages of six and twelve and we currently have more than 600 children attending every Sunday morning during the season to learn and improve their rugby skills. It is run by experienced coaches who have a passion for rugby and a love for imparting their knowledge of the game to the children.

The mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is divided into different age groups, each with its own specific curriculum. The youngest group, aged six to eight, focuses on basic skills such as passing, catching, and running with the ball. The older age groups, aged nine to twelve, build upon these

skills and introduce more advanced techniques such as tackling and scrummaging.

One of the key focuses of the mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is teamwork. Children learn how to work together as a team and support each other on the field. This is an important aspect of our rugby ethos, and one that is emphasised at all levels of the sport. The program also places a strong emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play, teaching children to respect their opponents and the rules of the game.

The mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is not just about rugby skills. The program also aims to develop the children’s physical fitness, coordination, and social skills. Rugby is a physically demanding sport, and the program helps children to develop their strength, endurance, agility, and coordination. The social aspect of rugby is also hugely important, as children learn how to interact with their peers and make new friends through the sport.

Mini rugby at Terenure College RFC is not just for children who want to become professional rugby players. The program is open to all children, regardless of their ability level or future aspirations in the sport. The program is designed to be inclusive and welcoming to all, providing a safe and fun environment for them to learn and develop their skills.

In addition to the regular training sessions, the mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC also offers opportunities for children to participate in matches and tournaments including exhibition matches where the children get to play at half time in the Aviva Stadium or

the RDS where Leinster play. This allows the children to put their skills into practice and experience the thrill of playing in a competitive environment.

The mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is also supported by the club’s senior players and coaches. The senior players often attend training sessions and matches to offer guidance and support to the young players. This provides a great opportunity for the children to learn from experienced rugby players and to be inspired by their passion for the sport as well as getting to meet their local heroes.

The entire program is run by our Chairman of Minis & Youth Rugby, Shane Mallen who puts a huge amount of time into keeping everything running smoothly and attends every Sunday morning session without fail to ensure all the parents, coaches and, most importantly, the players are afforded the best experience possible on a weekly basis.

The mini rugby program at Terenure College RFC is not just a standalone program. It is part of a wider rugby community that includes the club’s senior teams and its supporters. The club encourages parents and supporters to get involved in the program, either as coaches or volunteers. This creates a sense of community and belonging that is an important part of our rugby culture.

TERENURE COLLEGE RFC ‘TIGERS’

The Terenure Tigers special needs team is a rugby team that is a crucial part of our Club. The team was formed in 2014 with the aim of providing an opportunity for children with special needs to play rugby. The Terenure Tigers team is open to children of all ages and abilities, with a focus on creating

a supportive and welcoming environment for all players. The team is made up of children with a wide range of special needs and other intellectual and physical disabilities.

The team, led by Bernard Molloy and Noelle Cadell, is coached by a group of experienced volunteers who are passionate about rugby

and working with children with special needs. The coaches have undergone special training to learn how to adapt rugby drills and games to suit the abilities of the players on the team. They also work closely with the parents and caregivers of the players to ensure that the needs of each child are met.

The Terenure Tigers team trains once a week at Terenure College RFC, where they have access to the club’s facilities including the indoor training hall and outdoor pitches. The training sessions are designed to be fun and engaging, with a focus on developing the players’ rugby skills and physical fitness.

their social skills and build friendships with their teammates. It also provides an opportunity for the parents and caregivers of the players to connect with each other and build a support network.

WOMEN’S RUGBY

The Club is in the early stages of developing its Women’s Rugby structure following on from a successful Under 16s campaign this season. Whilst its early days, the future of Women’s rugby in the Club environment looks very positive.

With many Club members supporting the initiative and a strong volunteer base to help grow it, the Club feel it won’t be long before we join the ranks of senior women’s club rugby.

Incidentally our U16’s ladies team, the ‘Sharks’, were the overall league winners this season, so the future is certainly bright.

The team plays matches against other special needs teams in Ireland, as well as against mainstream teams who have also formed special needs teams. These matches provide a great opportunity for the players to put their skills into practice and to experience the thrill of playing in a competitive environment.

One of the key benefits of the Terenure Tigers team is the sense of community and social interaction that it provides for the players and their families. Rugby is a team sport that requires players to work together and support each other on and off the field. This is especially important for children with special needs, who may struggle with social interaction and communication in other settings.

Playing rugby with the Terenure Tigers team allows the children to develop

The Terenure Tigers team has been a huge success since its formation in 2014. The team has grown in size and popularity, with more and more children with special needs joining each year. The team has also received recognition and support from the wider rugby community in Ireland. In 2018, the team was awarded the prestigious Aldi Play Rugby Spirit of Rugby award for their commitment to inclusivity and sportsmanship. The award recognizes teams that demonstrate the values of rugby, including teamwork, respect, and fair play.

The Terenure Tigers team has also been supported by some of Ireland’s top rugby players and has former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt as their patron. In 2019, Irish international rugby player,

Rob Kearney, visited the team during one of their training sessions. Kearney spoke to the players about the importance of teamwork and encouraged them to keep playing rugby and enjoying the sport.

The Terenure Tigers team is a shining example of how rugby can be used as a tool to promote inclusivity and provide opportunities for children with special needs to participate in sport. The team has been an inspiration to other rugby clubs in Ireland, many of which have formed their own special needs teams.

Playing rugby with the Terenure Tigers team has a positive impact on the players in many ways. The physical activity and exercise provided

by rugby can improve their overall health and wellbeing. Rugby can also help to develop gross motor skills, coordination, and balance, which can be beneficial for children with special needs. Playing rugby can also improve their self-confidence, self-esteem, and social skills, which can have a lasting impact on their lives.

The Terenure Tigers team is a great example of how rugby can be adapted to suit the needs of children with special needs. The coaches have developed innovative ways of teaching rugby skills, using games and activities that are tailored to the abilities of the players. This approach not only makes rugby more accessible to children with special needs, but it also makes it more fun and engaging.

The Terenure Tigers team is a testament to the power of sport to bring people together and to create a sense of community. The team has brought together children with special needs, their families, and the wider rugby community in Ireland. It has provided a platform for children with special needs to participate in sport, develop their skills, and build friendships. It has also raised awareness of the importance of inclusivity

and the need for sports to be accessible to all children, regardless of their abilities.

The team is an inspiration to other rugby clubs in Ireland and demonstrates the power of sport to bring people together and promote inclusivity.

SOCIAL ASPECT

Terenure College RFC is a true community club and the support received from local residents and businesses leading up and after the successful AIL final this year was a testament to this. A record number of 8,642 fans attended the final in the Aviva Stadium. In the weeks leading up, Terenure Village was a blaze with purple, black and white flags and bunting creating a carnival atmosphere that could not be missed. On the day of the final the community certainly made their voices heard, cheering on the Terenure College RFC Senior XV to an historic first AIL win. After the game thousands of supporters descended on the Club, to welcome the team and cup and enjoy the party.

In recent years the clubs executive has worked hard to ensure the social aspects are never forgotten and even during off season the outdoor tables are busy with families

having pizza and enjoying cocktails in the beer garden. The ‘Up @Brews’ coffee shop in the car park and initiatives such as ‘Fiver Friday’ throughout the summer, the Club has become a destination for the local community throughout the year. Incidentally, the coffee shop is owned and run by the Club Captain Harrison Brewer. Another terrific example of Club and community coming together with both the pizza business and coffee shop being seen as great amenities adding to the greater locality of Terenure.

The Club and school also have a unique bond separated geographically only by a small lake, hence the ground name ‘Lakelands’. With the great support of Phillip Wallace, Terenure College Principal, the Club is fortunate to see a steady stream of schoolboy talent, graduating from the school and making their way ‘across the lake’ to continue their rugby careers as part of the Clubs under 20’s panel.

This is something that Club Captain this year, Harrison Brewer, previous Captain, Stephen O’Neill along with Senior XV players Michael Melia, Adam Melia, Levi Vaughan, Adam LaGrue,

Matthew Caffrey and Adam Tuite have done in the past.

We also have Senior XV players Conall Boomer, Colm de Buitlear, Luke Clohessy and Head Coach Sean Skehan who are all teachers in the school. These close ties with the school allow both entities to ‘forge our own tradition’, seeing a huge number of current school pupils and other school staff attending Club matches throughout the course of the season.

This is something we would like to build upon over seasons to come and intend to encourage for the future.

IN CONCLUSION

So if you are keen on playing rugby in Dublin, we are always looking for new players with a team that suits every skill level and every age in the game.

If you are a parent, bring your children down for a rugby run around on a Sunday morning in a safe and friendly rugby environment. If you just want to enjoy the game of rugby as a spectator, drop into Terenure College RFC.

There is always a friendly welcome and we would be delighted to see new members joining up.

On behalf of Sean our Head Coach and all the Coaches and Players of our Senior Squad we would like to thank all our Mini, Youth, U20s, Tigers, Junior Players, Coaches and Supporters for all your support this season and in particular in the Energia AIL Final V Clontarf in what was a fantastic game. Rugby in the Club has been growing at all levels both on and off the pitch and for our Senior Squad to win 5 trophies (4 at 1st team level and 1 for the 2nds) this season is an amazing achievement. Great credit must go to our medical team, physio Richie and our two doctors, Bill Twomey and his son Billy, who work miracles to get the players back fit and ready to go.

This season is the first where we had girls featuring at all ages from U8s to U18s

and our girls U16 team won the Metro League Cup. Over the lads few years the number of girls playing in the Club has been growing year on year which is great to see

Our oldest supporter Mary Morrissey passed away but not before the team won the AIL for the first time, Mary was 103 years of age, Mary like so many other members and supporters of Terenure College RFC have a connection with the Club and the community which is very special. Over the last number of years we have managed to attract Players and Coaches from all parts of Ireland and this has been huge in getting the Club to where we are now, thank you Harrison and all the players for the season, a joy to watch.

Yours in Rugby Moggy

“Frank Keane BMW wishes to extend its congratulations to Terenure College Rugby Club on what was an historic 22/23 season. The club represents an invaluable part of the local community and their achievements have brought great pride to all involved. As longstanding supporters of the club, it is wonderful to see all those behind the scenes and players alike receive the plaudits that they deserve on the back of their achievements. Frank Keane BMW would like to wish all at the club all the best for the forthcoming season”.

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Terenure College RFC (“TCRFC”) is where I went after school to be with my friends and continue to play the sport I loved most. What has happened since is like any other journey. Ups and downs, new faces and old. But what I found in TCRFC was a place that grew. It grew as part of my life, and as my family grew it grew with us. And during all that time it grew among the wider community.

My late father-in-law

John Kennedy was the first member of our family who was a member in the Club. He passed away during Covid, but he was a loyal supporter of TCRFC. He was one of the original sponsors when Spawell were main Club sponsor back in the late 90’s and early noughties. My sons Harvey (18) and William (17) both played all through the mini rugby years in TCRFC, and both enjoyed their time immensely, in fact like me they are both Life Members of the Club. They are both in Terenure College school and love playing for the school teams. I was Club President in the 2018/2019 season.

There was a lovely

symmetry to that because it was also the last year my youngest son William was in the Club as an U13. I was one of the U13s coaches, so it was a busy year, but one I thoroughly enjoyed. I took over sponsorship in the Club 10 years ago following the Vision 2020 initiative. Sponsorship wasn’t really resourced, and it didn’t have a good focus. Coincidentally my wife Caroline Kennedy was also heavily involved after Vision 2020, and she was responsible for redesigning the Club’s brand and brand guidelines. I find it hard to speak for other members because there is so much history and so many members, both old and new, have done so much. But for our family it was such an amazing season. In fact, the past 10 years have been an fantastic journey. We have such a wonderful group of players, who support each other from the 1st XV to the J4s and U20s. They are at each other’s games, and they are so important to each other. TCRFC has become such a family oriented and community rugby club and so the happiness in the community over recent weeks has been great. So many of the members are still walking around with smiles on their faces – it might take a few more months for them to fade!

FRANKIE CRONIN FORMER PLAYER, U6`S COACH AND SPONSOR GRANT

THORNTON

IRELAND

I was born and bred in Dublin and my own journey with Terenure College RFC started with Mini rugby before joinig the Terenure College as a pupil. My playing career continued through U19s & U20s when I played mostly as Prop forward and then progressing onto Junior rugby.

My early 30`s took me to New York for a number of years and family and work commitments put an end to my playing career although I did pull on my boots on the odd occasion while there. By the time I returned to Ireland our twins Luke & Sophie had arrived and I am delighted to say they are now part of the clubs excellent Mini & Junior section playing in the U6s which I coach.

The rugby club has really strived over the years to become an all-inclusive entity and hub for all people in the local community and this they have achieved; a real success story! With over 600 children,

boys & girls, in the Mini & Junior section, and counting, rugby is certain to be played at `Lakelands` for many more seasons to come.

Myself and some of my Partners at Grant Thornton, have children involved with the clubs Mini section and we decided to become a club sponsor for the 2022/2023 season. We couldn’t have chosen a better time culminating in our senior team finishing as Champions of the AIL for the first time in their history. The values that the club hold plus their commitment to local people and the manner in which they have brought the community together are very much mirrored in our own values at Grant Thornton so when it came down to sponsoring this great club it was really a no brainer for us!

Myself and all our staff at Grant Thornton Ireland would like to thank everybody at Terenure College Rugby Club for their tireless dedication and outstanding example in promoting community and rugby throughout Ireland. Well done!

CATHAL O`LEARY LIFE AND CLUB MEMBER, FORMER PRESIDENT, COACH, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: SYSTEMCORE

OUR SENIOR TEAM TRAINING WITH THE TIGERS

Terenure College RFC volunteers and community efforts that went into making sure our Bateman Cup final v. Buccaneers went ahead.

Snow almost made the pitch unplayable but `Moggy` put the word out on the Friday morning of the game and 50+ volunteers turned up to the Club and cleared the pitch to ensure the 7.30pm kick-off went ahead.

The IRFU tweet sums up the overall efforts nicely!

CAPTAIN HARRISON BREWER LEADING OUT THE TEAM ON THE DAY OF THE AIL FINAL WITH TERENURE TIGERS AND A MINI RUGBY MASCOT.

LOCAL BUSINESSES GOING THE EXTRA MILE IN TERENURE VILLAGE TO SUPPORT THE CLUB THE WEEK LEADING INTO THE AIL FINAL.

THE 2ND’S WINNING THE METRO PLATE.

THE COLLEGIANS (3RD XV) WINNING THEIR LEAGUE.

A JUNIOR RUGBY SELECTION WINING THE DP SMYTH WHICH IS AN ANNUAL INVITATIONAL CUP COMPETITION HOSTED BY OUR NEIGHBOURS (AND GREAT RIVALS) ST. MARYS COLLEGE.

RUGBY WINNING A YEARLY FIXTURE WE PLAY AGAINST THE TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY DUBLIN (TUD) WHOM WE HAVE

OUR GIRLS IN ACTION!

THE DOUBLE WINNING 20’S (LEAGUE & CUP) CELEBRATING THEIR CUP FINAL VICTORY.

JUNIOR

CLOSE TIES WITH.

PADDY “RALA” O’REILLY IS OBVIOUSLY A CLUB LEGEND AND ANNUALLY HE HOSTS A LUNCH WHERE LOTS OF THE GREATS THAT HE HAS BUILT LASTING FRIENDSHIPS WITH COME TO THE CLUB AND WE HAVE Q&A’S WITH THEM AND RUN AN AUCTION ETC. JOE SCHMIDT IS A REGULAR AT THIS LUNCH, AND WHEN HE IS IN TOWN HE ALSO REGULARLY POPS DOWN TO THE TIGERS TRAINING SESSIONS AS HE IS PATRON OF THIS TEAM.

IN NOVEMBER TWO OF OUR SENIOR PLAYERS HARRISON BREWER AND CONALL BOOMER WERE SELECTED TO PLAY FOR LEINSTER V. CHILE. THIS WAS BASED ON THEIR PERFORMANCES IN THE AIL AND WAS A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE LADS; AND ONE WE WERE VERY PROUD OF!

SINCE HE RETIRED FROM THE PROFESSIONAL GAME, RALA HAS VOLUNTEERED AS BAGMAN DOWN AT THE CLUB, WORKING WITH THE 2ND’S AND MOST RECENTLY THE 20’S, THERE IS A GREAT PHOTO OF HIM HERE, DOING WHAT HE LOVES.

EVERY WEDNESDAY THERE IS TIP RUGBY THAT IS OPEN TO ALL AND WE HAVE PLAYERS OF ALL AGES PLAYING, STAYING CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AND HAVING FUN.

SPONSORSHIP

We are incredibly lucky to have many wonderful sponsors who generously contribute to keeping the whole show on the road. We are hugely grateful to all sponsors and would like to express our thanks to all those businesses and individuals that give their time, support and financial contributions so readily. We are especially grateful to MJ Flood who is the main sponsor of our Senior XV squad who won the AIL this year, to the Sherry FitzGerald Group and Sherry FitzGerald Lettings who have sponsored both our Terenure ‘Tigers’

and Under 20’s for many years and to Grant Thornton Ireland who sponsor our Minis & Youth rugby program which encourages children of all ages to play the game. Finally, a huge thank you to all of our other sponsors, too numerous to mention, who support the Club by taking side line hoardings, advertisements in our annual yearbook, sponsor our Festival of Youth Rugby or contribute in many other ways to the financial wellbeing of the Club.

We couldn’t do it without them!

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

In 2012 the club approved the establishment of a Development Committee as part of the core administration of the Club. At that time the suggestions and energy of the 2020 Group, led by Sandy Dunlop and Paul Joyce, was of enormous benefit to the Development Committee and there is no doubt that our progress, on and off the pitch, could not have occurred without their enthusiasm and participation. The current members of the Development Committee are John Cadell, Paul Candon, Paddy Fitzmaurice, Donal Hyland, Tom Moloney and Des Lamont and the majority of them have been heavily involved in different aspects of the club’s development over the past decade.

One of the ongoing responsibilities of the Development Committee has been the preparation of our Strategic Development Plans as well as utilising submissions to the Department of Sports for Grants, over the past decade. The proposed infrastructure within the Strategic Plan 2023-2033 will outline the particular facilities which we believe are essential to the development of the Club over the next decade and beyond. The proposals will also include

specific proposals as to how such a Plan will be funded and the timeline for completion of the various elements of the Plan.

Through consultation and external research, the Development Committee have detailed the following areas for improvement / development

• Increase quantity and quality of pitches/playing capacity for all.

• Develop new Gym facilities for players and members.

• Increase quantity and the quality of indoor training facilities for all.

• Improve the quality and variety of Club facilities for all members.

• Improve the sustainability of TCRFC, financially and environmentally

This new plan will see a provision of a state of the art gym, upgraded dressing and medical rooms and extensive extensions to the club’s multi- function rooms as well as upgraded bar and catering facilities. This is in expectation of attracting a greater number of community and corporate events and seminars throughout the week, utilising the club’s extensive facilities and ample parking. These additional resources will ensure that the club remains a destination for both talent and the local community.

“TCRFC is the envy of all Leinster rugby clubs at present and rightly so!”

I started playing rugby when I was 9 years old in Terenure College School. I began my playing career as a hooker but quickly moved away from the rough-and-tumble of the pack and into the backs as out-half or centre. I played on the 1995 Junior Cup Team beaten by Blackrock in the final. I’ve fantastic memories of my time in the college, the camaraderie and lifelong friendships I made were second to none. I joined TCRFC with the class of 1998 and spent two seasons playing for the U20’s.

You could do a lot worse things than take yourself to Lakelands on a Sunday morning to absorb the

wonderful atmosphere mini rugby brings to the club. For me, the most enjoyable part of mini-rugby is creating a safe environment for the kids to play games and have fun. The club has done a wonderful job in facilitating this. Mini rugby is a longterm investment for a healthy, successful and vibrant club.

My son’s name is Jamie Phillips. He is loving his rugby at the moment, maybe it’s because Dad is coaching!

When the sponsorship opportunity arose for MJ Flood, TCRFC had just completed the most successful year in the club’s history with runner-up in the AIL and voted All-Ireland Rugby Club of the Year. There was huge excitement building for the season ahead. I was delighted, as a past pupil of the college and a member of TCRFC, to be in a position to support the club by way of sponsorship. Did I believe at

the time the team would be crowed AIL winners for the 2022/23 Season? Maybe not, but I knew the ambition and confidence was there to be very competitive throughout the campaign.

MJ Flood is an Irish owned family company. It was founded in 1935 and has been successfully operating in the Irish market since then providing Managed Print, IT services and Security solutions to Irish businesses. We employ more than 250 employees nationwide and serve in excess of 6,000 business customers across our portfolios. We are the market leader in our industry, and we like to partner with similarly ambitious and successful organisations. We see many synergies between MJ Flood and TCRFC in terms of culture and values, and on this basis a partnership made absolute sense.

TCRFC is becoming a real community hub in the area.

The club reset its purpose a few years ago and committed to ambitious targets of development and success. It has been the hard-work and commitment of the many fantastic people behind the scenes that have built the foundations, stuck to the plan and delivered unprecedented success to this club on and off the field. TCRFC is the envy of all Leinster rugby clubs at present and rightly so!

MARK PHILLIPS: CFO AT MJ FLOOD, MAIN SPONSORS TO TCRFC

Our Showrooms: Coolock, Robin Hood Ind. Estate, Long Mile Road, Coolmine & Sandyford.

Our family have been members since 2020 and became sponsors this season. We have all been made to feel very welcome from the start. Both our sons play for the club with our eldest Marley for the U10’s, Benjamin playing in the academy and our daughter Esme will join this September.

There is fantastic atmosphere around the club and we all particularly look forward to Sunday morning matches which have a real family feel to them. Many friendships have been developed over the last few years and without a doubt Terenure College Rugby Club plays a huge part in our overall community spirit.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching some senior matches this season and witnessing some great and confident performances. Congratulations to everyone at TCRFC on such a historical season, myself and my family are very much looking forward to being part of the future success of the club.

www.houseoftiles.ie

ALAN CAMPBELL, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: CAMPBELL TILES LTD. T/A HOUSE OF TILES.

“Delighted to be associated with the success of TCRFC”

Leicester Lions Rugby Club `Roar into the History books!`

Champions of National 2 West 2022/2023!

KEN WHITEHEAD CHAIRMAN

My involvement with Leicester Lions RFC began when I finished playing rugby myself. The Lions formed when two clubs merged these being Wigston RFC and Westleigh. After the merger we found ourselves in Midlands 1 Division and the hard work began in earnest. Having the honour of being on the executive committee of both Wigston and The Lions means that my involvement continues to this day.

The difficulties we face as a club are probably the

same as most clubs and that is funding. Following out promotion to National League level funding has and was the biggest challenge. We do have some fantastic members and sponsors which helps but finances have steadily reduced from the RFU which makes things hard, and our costs have risen.

We are lucky to have a fantastic clubhouse at LLRFC which is booked regularly for functions. In the longer term we are keen to develop this further so that out main revenue stream continues to be successful.

On the pitch our next development is around helping with the transitioning of our Mini and Junior players into senior rugby. It has been a while since we were in this position, and as a club it is essential that we get this right! We have a thriving mini and junior section which started 10 years ago and has grown every year. The main focus for these guys is fun, it is so important that they enjoy it, and thankfully they do!

Having a successful first team helps and gives them something to aspire to. The professionalism of the first

team is clear to see, this group of players and coaches have a very tight bond which is apparent. Head Coach Gareth harbours and nurtures this and everyone has bought into his philosophy.

We have good links to other senior clubs particularly Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints who have also provided young hungry players who need to get game time and experience under their belts. We are pleased to say that we feel we have had some input into the careers of some fantastic players. The list includes Billy Twelvtrees former Tigers, Gloucester and England player. Saints player James Grayson and more recently Tiger’s trio Jack Van Portvleit, James Whitcombe and George Martin, with both Jack and George going on to play for England. We hope to build on these links to ensure that the relationship remains positive for all concerned and helps get talented youngster’s vital experience.

This season has gone fantastically well with promotion for the first team being one of the main

highlights. Continuing to see so many youngsters enjoying rugby on a Sunday and having a fantastic social side regularly turning out are a joy to see.

As with all clubs the mini and juniors are vital to our long-term plans. One of the biggest challenges we find is that not many schools actually play rugby these days. Also, with the so many other sports being more accessible it can be difficult to recruit players.

The mood at Leicester Lions RFC is very positive after coming through covid and our players have worked hard to play attractive rugby, which they have done successfully culminating in our club making History and promotion to our highest ever level. It’s a great club to be part of and all our members are very appreciative to have such a good standard of rugby to watch, support and enjoy!

NICK WALE, GENERAL MANAGER

Starting off as a member of the bar team I was then asked to take on a part time role managing events and bookings which then became full time, very extensive “General Manager” role from April 2022. Prior to holding any role at the club I occasionally watched home fixtures with my mate who’s Dad is Ken our Chairman.

I saw a huge, key aspect of my role as primarily being a central point or name known as a main contact for members, volunteers, staff, players and supporters day-to-day. I made sure I was present at the main gate and within the clubhouse as supporters, players and guests arrived on matchdays as well as managing logistics for home fixtures such as the e-programme, match hospitality, staffing, even the music blasting out pitch side during warm-ups and announcing the team line ups. There is an massive job still to be done in developing

the club in and around the local community to take the club out to the people and bring people to the club. We have perhaps the best independent event venue in the area which hosts weekend-after-weekend of family parties, weddings and more as well as hosting big community and charity events like the Leicester Beer Festival and GlastonBlaby music festival.

Every sponsor we gratefully gain plays a huge part in the overall running of the club year after year. Whether a pitch side advertising board, player sponsor, matchday hospitality guest or our headline sponsor Burger King, we are delighted they are part of the Pride here. We have a lot of sponsors who are local companies from within the community so we hope it gives them the exposure they are looking for to benefit as best is possible from being a sponsor. Plus, we have now expanded the commercial opportunities we have for the coming season in National 1.

There are so many people within the club (present and past) who have given such support, time and more, many of whom having played for the club at some point as well. The achievements of this historic season I know have given such joy and delight to all those. I saw the main aim of my role was to try and make things a bit better for everyone within the club and if even one thing I have done off the pitch has improved one thing for a committee member, player, co-worker or supporter then that’s great. What was achieved on the pitch is getting the plaudits that is fully deserved. Something that needs shouting out for all to hear.

A club like this is itself a community, which means a common bond connecting everyone who is part of it. Not everything runs smoothly all the time but the good of the club should always be top, and last season we finished top. Who knows what is to come!

GARETH COLLINS HEAD COACH

I joined the club as a player when I was 21 following the culmination of my studies at Loughborough University. I had previously played Championship and Nat 1 rugby for my hometown club Rugby Lions. I spent 9 years at Leicester Lions playing in National 2 North, captaining the side for most of that time. I injured my ACL in 2013 and, following surgery, decided to end my playing career and start coaching. Following 5 seasons at Melton Mowbray RFC, that included two promotions and two county cup victories, I was given the opportunity to return to Lions as head coach for the 2019/20 season.

We have a very modest budget - for players, coaches, physio etc - so our biggest challenge was to build a

squad capable of challenging at the top of Nat 2. We put together a 5-year plan that was about securing Nat 2 status - the plan was never to get promoted! We focused on setting a good culture and the success just happened off the back of that.

Obviously, the other challenge was the challenge that the other teams in the league presented. National 2 is full of great clubs with very talented players so beating those sides - especially Clifton, Dings, Redruth - was a significant challenge. It took us three years of finishing behind all of those sides to gain the experience necessary to overtake them.

We are realistic about the club that we are and what our main focuses are. We are not financially set up for National 1 but we are an ambitious group and will do what we

can to stay at that level for as long as we can. Our big thing is the importance of culture and that runs throughout the club. Rugby is a vehicle for relationships, experiences and memories and these are the most important things to us.

I have been lucky to spend 15 years at the club as player and coach now. It has always been a friendly place and an enjoyable place to play. No previous season has come close to the feel at the club this season though. The success of the first team built a buzz that has just got better and better all season and has filtered down to the minis and juniors. Match days this season have been incredible, and the atmosphere definitely helped with performances.

We do have links with both Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints so typically will get a couple of

players on loan each season. This season we had one from Tigers - Chester Owen, and one from Saints - Aston Gradwick-Light. Many young Tigers and Saints players have played for the Lions on loan and gone on to play Premiership and even international rugby including Billy Twelvetrees, George Martin, James Whitcombe, Jack Van Poortvliet and James Grayson. We also work with local sides in the leagues below to ensure our own development players get appropriate rugby - specifically Syston, Nuneaton and West Bridgford this season.

Obviously this season has been incredible for the first team - 25 wins out of 26 games. More importantly the manner in which we won some games, coming back from sizeable deficits, will live long in the memory. The social side is the lifeblood of the rugby club and the fact we are also able to field a social side is very important to the club.

We are realistic about what type of club we are. We are not financially set up for National 1 but we are an ambitious group and will do what we can to stay at that level for as long as we can. Our main focus is to retain national league rugby and be as successful as we can be.

Mini and junior rugby are very important to us, our senior coaches and players are actively involved with our mojos and juniors. We are riding a wave of success as a first team, but the minis and juniors are the future and the lifeblood of the club. Hopefully the first teams success this year will provide motivation and something to aspire to for our mini and juniors’ players.

We are 100% all about local people and aim to offer our community as much opportunity as possible, and equally we are also supported by our local community. Whether it is providing a club for children and adults to play rugby, a place for supporters to watch good rugby, or a place for local businesses to advertise - it is 100% a club ran for and by our local community.

Leicester Lions as a club was only created 25 years ago when the decision was made to merge two clubsWestleigh and Wigston - in an attempt to build a National League club in Leicestershire. Both those clubs have such a rich history. Many notable Leicester Tigers players came through those two clubs including Martin Johnson and Louis and Brett Deacon. We are all aware of and very proud of that history and the effort that went in

to forming a club. What the club has become - an established national league club - is testament to so many people that made that merger happen. Our club has great facilities and it’s an outstanding place to watch a game of rugby. It is a club built on ethos and full of good people!

HISTORY

Leicester Lions is a rugby club who played in National League 2 West (2022/3), having just won the league and will next year be playing in National League 1 (2023/24) – at tier 3 of the English rugby union system (2023/24). The Lions are a leading amateur club in Leicestershire and along with Loughborough University and Hinckley, who are the senior clubs in Leicestershire after Premiership Rugby side Leicester Tigers.

The club was formed as a result of an amalgamation between two local clubs in 1998, these being Westleigh RFC (established in 1904) and Wigston RFC (established in 1946). These two clubs were situated about two miles apart in the south of Leicester and decided to amalgamate to enhance their future as a joint club. They are a members club who have recently greatly improved their facilities with a new club house. They are based at Westleigh Park, Lutterworth Road, Blab,

Leicester LE8 4DY, the previous home of Westleigh RFC

Since the formation of the National League structure Lions have played in National League 2 (in divisions North, South and West at various times). This has involved much travelling around England, as Leicester is in a central English position – visiting clubs including Tynedale, Blaydon, Preston Grasshoppers, Newport (Salop), Caldy, Worthing, Redruth, Guernsey to mention few.

Leicester Lions boast several high-profile names amongst their former and current players and coaching staff. Jason Aldwinckle, the former Leicester Tigers’ hooker is the forwards coach, while the former club captain and England Counties outside back Gareth Collins has taken over as head coach. During the 2022/23 season Lions have produced an outstanding all round performance, winning the league with only one defeat, including doing the double over local rivals Hinckley and Loughborough Students. There were notable away wins at Clifton and Dings Crusaders.

Notable former Leicester Lions, Westleigh and Wigston players include England World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson, England lock Louis Deacon, Tigers back-rower Brett Deacon and Gloucester and England centre Billy Twelvetrees.

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CLARKE, SUPPORTER

SHANE

AND SPONSOR: SML EUROPE LTD

I live locally to the club and my family have always been great rugby fans although I became the Blacksheep and chose to play football!

My son Archie must have had rugby in his genes and from the age of 5 wanted to play and is now an U15`s player. Being very quick on his feet he is also a competitive runner having ran for our county and this season played inside or outside centre for the club. His grandad Mike Clarke, a formidable No.5 and 2nd row forward in his time, played pre-club amalgamation, for Wigston RFC before the merger with Westleigh RFC in 1998. Both clubs had gained many honours and much respect in their own right over the years and amidst much sadness had to amalgamate. This season I feel has now gone some way in repaying the debt to all the former players and members of these two great old clubs.

My business SML Europe Ltd are proud sponsors of the clubs mini & junior rugby section. Being part of a rugby club, turning up for training, matches and tours, you get to see the very real differences that team sports can make to people’s lives. Non more so than our children and their friends. Although I am a fan and advocate of all sport, particularly team sports, and although I am foremost a footballer, I can`t speak highly

enough about the benefits of rugby. I would say preparing our children for life’s inevitable knocks and arming them with the values needed to navigate their work and relationships won’t get of to a better start than in a mini and junior section of a rugby club.

As parents, coaches and mentors we may sometimes have to insist that the kids relinquish their mobile phones for a while. The results can be astounding especially in a situation that offers face to face interactions with their friends; an experience I was witness to whilst on tour and seeing a miracle of interaction, fun and camaraderie being born was something to behold!

Like success in business Rugby Clubs are essentially about the people. Products can be copied but people can’t. Leicester Lions Rugby Club is blessed with many great and inspiring individuals whether its our Chairman Ken Whitehead or our Head Coach Gareth everyone has added that special something and contributed to taking our club into new unchartered territory.

Over the past 10 years Leicester Lions Rugby Club has emerged as a leading club in Leicestershire, which is already a hotbed of rugby. It has been the unity amongst parents, members, coaches, players and fans that have created this identity and kept their interest alive. Well done to you all on an outstanding season, long may it last!

MIKE HOWKINS –FOURTH OFFICIAL AND PRESS OFFICER

Mike was born in Gloucester, a strong rugby playing area, and showed no great interest in rugby until he reached the Sixth Form when he had grown to over 6 feet tall and was dragooned into the school first XV. Also when he was not playing for the school on Saturday, he was introduced to senior rugby at the school old boy’s team, Old Centralians. Whilst at university he played a couple of seasons of rugby, but gave that up in his later years and as a research student.

On leaving university he obtained a position as a maths lecturer at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Monfort University) he decided that a return to rugby would be the thing to do. On the advice of one of his students he joined Westleigh RFC as it was close to his home and the clubs reputation. At the time Westleigh ran six senior teams and made his way through the club set up, although never securing a place as a regular first XV player. Mike was bar chairman of Westleigh for a few seasons.

Knee ligament problems led to the end of his playing career but after a yearlong recovery period he turned to rugby refereeing. After over fifteen year of refereeing a variety of reasons lead to retirement from playing rugby.

He assumed that he would now be able to concentrate on some other activities

on Saturday afternoon, but it did not turn out that way. No doubt because of his refereeing and maths experience (being able to add up the scoring properly!) he was ‘invited’ to become the clubs Fourth Official, which was augmented by developing the role of Clubs Press Officer – roles which he has carried out for over ten years. Initially the fourth official position was carried out by himself, but with the introduction of a large number of replacement opportunities for the two teams, this has become a team activity carried out with the club’s fixture secretary, Malc Wright.

Mike is not really a game spectator, but thinks that this is an excellent way to stay active in rugby and contribute to the organisation of the club.

LE8 4DY

0116 277 1010

www.lionsrfc.co.uk

CONTACT THE CLUB

Lymm Rugby Club

“History Makers!”

A POTTED HISTORY BY ANDY LEACHCLUB TREASURER

Based in leafy Cheshire, The Lymm Rugby Club of today dates back to 14th January 1960, when at a meeting in the Spread Eagle Hotel in the village, the club was formed – arguably more as a drinking than a rugby club!

From this inauspicious beginning the standard of rugby gradually improved - helped no doubt by the decision of the local grammar school in the mid-1960s to

replace football with rugby union as its winter sportplaying numbers increased and social activities went from strength to strength.

Early successes included reaching the Cheshire Cup Final in only our 10th season in 1971; taking the odd ‘scalp’ of senior clubs of the era such as Birkenhead Park, Wilmslow and Otley; and being able to celebrate the very occasional county representative honour.

However, it was with the introduction of leagues that Lymm, like many other junior

clubs, was able to broaden its fixture list and venture further afield to test itself against hitherto unknown opponents with similar ambition.

After many years of participating in the league system, Lymm was finally promoted to Level 5 in 2010, where we played consistently for the next 12 seasons – up to the current season, when we topped the league, securing promotion to Level 4 for 2023/24 – the highest level we will have played at through our 63-year history.

However, rugby has been played at Lymm since the early days of the Union. Reports of matches played by a Lymm team in the 1870s have recently surfaced and Lymm is listed as one of the founding members of the Cheshire County Union in 1876.

Lymm’s first significant representative accolade occurred in 1979 when Tony Wright played his part in the North of England’s victory at Otley over the touring All Blacks. Whilst playing for Sale at the time, Tony had only moved there at the start of the 1979/80 season from Lymm where he had played from being a Colt. Tony returned to Lymm a few years later then playing out his rugby career in the Vets team and subsequently undertaking a two year stint as Club President.

More recently, former Lymm Colts and first teamers Dave Strettle, Cameron Redpath and Alex Mitchell have gained international honours whilst Ross Harrison has been a stalwart of the Sale Sharks front-row for around 11 years.

In the Championship former Lymm players James Mitchell (Alex’s brother) and Lucas Titherington are currently plying their trade with Jersey and Coventry respectively and there are also currently a number of our former players representing clubs in the National Leagues.

ADAM FLETCHER DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

It’s been a long journey. I first started playing in the M&J and Colts, then into the 1st XV. I was privileged enough to captain the team for 4 seasons. I have headed up senior rugby for the past 8 seasons. The club means the world to me and has played a massive part in my life.

It’s not so much a coaching philosophy that we have at Lymm but I do want to give the players the most

professional experience possible whilst remaining an amateur club.

On the field we’re all about creating an environment for the players to enjoy themselves. We aim to play an attractive brand of rugby with the emphasis on all of the players being able to pass, carry and exploit space.

We do not pay players so we are under no illusions how tough the test of next season will be. We believe we have the ability to survive in this new league, then hopefully thrive.

Lymm RFC is a real

community club. The vast majority of our squad are either former Lymm High pupils or products from the M&J and Colts section. This really promotes a sense of belonging. All the players want to play for the team and have the club’s well-being in their heart. It is a very special place!

ANDY DAVIES HEAD COACH

The main challenge we face in navigating our squad into the position we enjoy today is the organisation of the attacking shape we play. It is not a simple shape to understand and there are a lot of moving parts. This is why when it works it looks brilliant and is hard to defend against. But it requires a lot of work and repetitions which is why we spend most of our time on it.

With the 1st XV winning the league, having only lost three games, and gaining promotion to the clubs highest ever level, I would say it has been pretty special. Along the way, we had some very memorable wins which will put us in good stead for next season. For the 2nd XV it has been up and down, with a very strong beginning and end to the season.

The league that we are in for the 2nd XV is the highest possible and is very

competitive. The 3rd XV, I do not have an input in, but they have done amazingly well. They finished 2nd in their league which contains other clubs 1st teams!

The current mood at our club is brilliant! That final home game of the season, even though we couldn’t celebrate winning the league waiting for Blackburn’s result as they had a game in hand, the club was bouncing. I’ve never seen it so packed. It is also amazing to hear from varying members of the club how the atmosphere at the club between all senior teams and Mini & Juniors and Colts seems to be the best it has been for a long time.

Lymm Rugby Club is truly a special place, and a place I am lucky enough to have been a part of for so long. It is welcoming to all and everyone there is supportive and just wants to help the club keep on improving. I feel it has the perfect mix of great rugby on the pitch with an amazing social side off it.

And all of it wouldn’t be able to occur if it wasn’t for the hard work volunteers put in behind the scenes. Whether that is the groundsman throughout the week or the panto cast on the stage. It all comes together to make one brilliant club.

DAVID SIMPSON CHAIRMAN

Mini, Junior and Colts rugby is really important to our club but what is vital is the number of these players who progress and transition to play senior rugby.

With the establishment of our Colts Academywhich embraces a similar playing philosophy to, and shares coaching staff with, our senior teams - we have endeavoured to build a oneclub approach to address the challenge of transition.

The stats are really positive in supporting this approachover the 12 seasons that Lymm has competed at Level 5, 76% of the almost 5,600 match day appearances have been made by “home grown” players.

Because we do not pay players, the funds we generate can be invested back into the infrastructure. Over the last few years we have been developing the club into a multi-sports facility for the wider age groups across the local community. This includes squash, hockey and tennis, as well as rugby, because we see this as an important growth area, as well as being important for the local population.

Four new tennis courts are being laid in our beautiful Walled Garden currently,

PAUL WIDDRINGTON, FORMER PLAYER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: DSIS SOLUTIONS

I became a player at Lymm Rugby Club around the age of 12 when I joined their junior ranks. Like many club members I came via Lymm Grammar School and Lymm Coaches Peter Cornelia and Madoc Jones who brought many of us along to the club. My rugby career, mainly as Hooker, went from juniors through to Colts rugby before I move on due to work and played for another club. Unfortunately, injury curtailed my playing career and at aged 28 I hung my boots up; however, both my sons, Jordan and Jake kept the family rugby going starting in Lymm`s mini & junior section and progressing through to senior rugby. Jordan was tight head prop for the 1st XV for 14 years (300 plus games) and played a little this season for the 1sts and 2nd XV but work and family commitments took its toll on his time to train although I’m sure we may see him fully back for the 2023/24 campaign.

My early, and fondest

memories of Lymm Rugy Club were of course the rugby itself and the friendships and camaraderie, lifelong many of them, but the club Disco`s as a teenager were always outstanding to me and thoroughly enjoyed by all; it is also where the early days of my drinking career started! My proudest memory was being involved in the running of the Colts Side that won the National Colts cup in 2007 against Exeter Chiefs Academy Side. Many of these players are still involved today at Lymm.

This season has been very special for our rugby club. The extremely high standard of play and competition just made supporters want to return, at times much more enjoyable than some televised matches I watched.

As a company we have always enjoyed sponsoring and helping the club out in any way we can. I would like to take the opportunity to recognise the great efforts of all the many volunteers who have made Lymm Rugby Club into what we see and experience today and I would like to congratulate the club on everything they have achieved in this history making season!

part-funded by the Lawn Tennis Association, and will be ready to play on in the current summer season as we integrate Manor Road Tennis Club into the offering.

As a summer sport this will make the club a year-round sports facility and hopefully attract current family groups across from rugby, squash and hockey, as well as new families.

The old Manor Road site is to be developed for housing, alongside existing land we have available, including the old clubhouse, and this will help fund the building of a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse we have planned. This will be sited alongside the Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) which the RFU installed in 2019, and this has really

enhanced the rugby side of the club for all age groups. There is great energy and momentum within the club at the moment, boosted by winning the league and gaining promotion to Level 4 in National League 2. Combined with all the new initiatives and development we have planned, the immediate future is very

exciting at Lymm Rugby Club. We also have very active fund-raising activities, all contributing to our ongoing ‘Lymm Grass Roots Clubhouse Appeal’. This includes the infamous annual Lymm Panto - eight shows in December - which has been running for over 30 years, and the relatively new summer ‘Vaudeville Show’, now in its eighth season, performed by the same troupe, all to packed houses.

In addition we hold Quiz Nights, car washes, summer marquee events, comedy nights, yoga, member anniversary parties and a host of complementary fundraisers to keep the kettle boiling, and much-needed cash coming in.

Our new club manager Alan Troy, and his wife Lydia, joined us recently and are fast growing the club’s reputation for top class catering. The Vaudeville Show for example, offers preshow dining for VIP’s, including a three course meal and the best seats in the house.

Lymm RFU Club President Neil Kelly perhaps expresses what this club means to him and many of the members

‘My rugby club is like an old friend and in many ways ‘she’ shows me this; always welcoming with a friendly face, great conversation,

good for a joke and always seems to have your back, whatever the weather or circumstance.

‘She has always been there for me, and we continue to grow old disgracefully together, surrounded by love and laughter!’

President Neil Kelly with former Lymm player and England international David Strettle at a recent Old Players Reunion

LYMM RFC PRESENTS THE

SHOW

Featuring the world-renowned Lymm Panto Cast Thurs 15th, Fri 16th, Sat 17th June 2023

Pre-show dining, incl Show admission: Ticket £49.95

Three course menu incl. Fizz reception and best seats in the house. Open for pre-show diners at 5pm

Show admission only, pre-allocated seating: Ticket £25 From 7pm, bar till 11.30pm

Curtain up 8pm

Limited capacity 140 per night, to book visit: https://tinyurl.com/2kt7j7dh

PHIL ROBINSON SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR:

AIRSPACE AVIATION

–MANAGING DIRECTOR

My wife and I moved to Lymm around 5 years ago, and decided after the return to activity following the pandemic, that we would like to sponsor some local initiatives with sport foremost in our minds, closely followed by the not to be missed Lymm Beer Festival. After engaging with a few clubs in the region, who unfortunately were not the right fit, Lymm Rugby Club appeared in my mind whilst walking our dogs in the village. My wife Debbie and I have

As I said to David, regular communication, connection and marketing are a huge part of our company model and as a family business dealing in international air cargo services, we have a desire to help others and felt that our sponsorship could provide a healthy amount of exposure for the club.

I have often witnessed Rugby as a passionate sport that teaches many great values including friendship, discipline, respect of ourselves and others as well as self-control and selfmanagement on and off the field of play. It is evident that the members of Lymm Rugby Club epitomise these core values.

Myself, Debbie and all our staff at Airspace Aviation Solutions would like to offer a huge congratulations to the Champions and everyone at Lymm Rugby Club on this History making season. The invaluable efforts and overall contribution the on and off field club members made to our local community has really paid off and is continually making a difference to our community. Well done team Lymm!

JACK WEBB FORMER PLAYER, MINI`S COACH, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BEECHWOOD ELECTRICAL

My Dad grew up in Manor Rd next to the club and my Grandad Les was the sponge boy from the 60`s through to the 80`s which was the beginning of our family’s involvement with Lymm RFC.

My own connection with the rugby club was through working there for 7 years during which time I was encouraged to turn out for the 3rd XV for three seasons who were promoted twice in that period!

These days you can find me coaching my son Harvey`s, now to be U6`s team. We both have strong rugby connections in our family with my father-in-law Richard Thackray, a well-known

and formidable player in his day who played for Warrington Wolves and the GB team. My wife Molly also played for Bridgwater High school and my cousins Ewan, Joe and Finlay Murphy having all played at Lymm with Ewan having just signed a full time contract with Sale sharks. Its my intention to take Harvey to Sale Sharks and get him a shirt with Ewans name on it and as our latest arrival Violet appeared last November perhaps our plans to introduce girls and women’s rugby at Lymm could prepare the foundations for Violet when she is older.

My Dad Ian started Beechwood Electrical over 40 years ago and so its great to see our name associated with the club especially with all our family connection there over

many decades. Myself and my dad like to help the club out whenever we can and we are passionate about supporting particularly the younger teams who ensure rugby continues to supply the next generation of players to our senior squads.

It has really been a fantastic season at our club with our senior side making history. A majority of our champion winning squad came through our M&J section which speaks volumes about the dedication and passion of all our coaches from minis to seniors. Special mention must also go to our hard working committee who have tirelessly kept all the parts involved in running a successful club moving. Congratulations to everyone at Lymm Rugby Club on an outstanding 2022/2023 season!

"" Congratulations to everyone at Lymm Rugby Club on an outstanding 2022/2023 season!

THE JAMES HUTCHINGS CHARITY

We have great pleasure in announcing that the Lymm RFC Colts Academy will be sponsored by the above Charity. This will be for an initial period of 5 years from 2023 and will help finance the coaching and development of our young players from U16s to Senior Colts.

James was a Founder Member of the Club and our 3rd Club Captain for the 1962/63 season. Better known as ‘Gentleman Jim’, he retained his interest in the Club’s development, becoming a Life Member and a generous Club Patron. Although moving to Birmingham in 1974, he kept in touch with the Club and was a regular attendee at our annual Players’ Reunions.

Sadly, James died in 2021. Before he died, he had set up his charity to support a range of causes close to his heart: in education; sailing; culture and sport. After discussions with his Club friend, Peter Cornelia, his family and the executors of his trust decided that James would approve of Lymm RFC being a benefactor of his charity and it would keep the memory of ‘Gentleman Jim’ very much alive at Lymm RFC.

We are most grateful for the support of James’ Charity. At an appropriate time at the start of next season, we hope to welcome his elder brother Lewis, his sister-in-law Judy and his friend and Trust Executor, Charles Barwell, to visit the club and to formerly celebrate the launch of –

The Lymm RFC Colts Academy supported by the James Hutchings Charity

If you would like to read more information about James, his Lymm RFC Obituary is on the Club website, www.lymmrfc. co.uk. Click on Latest News> Categories> Obituaries then scroll through to Charles James Hutchings.

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“Another brilliant feature is the headland management system that can be set to automatically disengage the PTO on lifting and re-engage when lowering, making turning at the end of runs so simple. This makes such a difference when aerating large areas and numerous runs. All these features and then, most importantly, the comfortable air con cab means the staff have no problems working with this machine for long periods of time! The purchase of our ISEKI TG6507 IQ was an obvious choice.”

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MAKES LIGHT WORK OF AERATING

Dover Rugby Club

MARTYN BEAUMONT

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

I started my life as a minis player, joining the club at the age of 6 and playing through all age groups and became 1st team as captain up to the age of 24. I then left to play national league rugby with Canterbury 1st XV for 7 years, captaining them for a season also before returning to Dover as player / backs coach in the January of 2017

LITTLE BIT OF OUR HISTORY

Club was established in 1873

Recent History 2000 - 1st XV played in Kent 1 and 2 for many years until a meteoric rise in 2006, being promoted 6 times in 7 years due to the magic age group of players who came through the ranks under the expert guidance of Graham Tonks, strengthening the club. The club reached London 1 and narrowly lost a national league promotion play off final in 2010.

The club continued to ply its trade in London one for two more years until an eventual decline into London 3. The last two season has seen the first team finish 5th and this season as Champions!

where Dover were already on the verge of relegation and eventually did get relegated from London 1. That summer I took over as 1st XV head coach with the role eventually turning into a Director of Rugby, overseeing all rugby at Dover RFC.

On returning to the club we were struggling for player numbers across many age groups and missing a number of age groups and our senior

playing numbers were in free fall. The culture and ethos of the club had declined, and it needed a complete overhaul to get back to its glory days so a solid 5 year approach was implemented. This could not have been done without the tireless efforts of all our volunteers but especially Chris Lucas (was 1st XV forwards coach and manager joining in 2017, Now Head of Club Development and still 1st XV manager). Paddy McAdam - Official title is juniors coordinator but his role has expanded hugely, and he

turns his attention to many aspects. Lucy Sedgewick who is our minis coordinator has also been instrumental in all that we do. There are many more I could mention, committee members such as Dave Allen and Nathan Cotter, coaches and our team admins, all who have helped turn the club around to where we are today.

Covid was obviously a huge issue for us as we were; as it was for many clubs, but especially difficult as we were working on rebuilding and just as restrictions were lifted we were faced with a catastrophic flood in Feb 2021 that decimated all our changing facilities and clubhouse, leaving us technically homeless until January 2022. However, this helped galvanise us further and the club is now in a great position with every age group filled, our first colts age group coming to fruition and two senior teams and a vets team all enjoying rugby.

At senior level we recruited a new forwards coach two years ago, Steve Doughty, who has had a massive impact in all aspects of the squad. We also enlisted the help

“A unique family club that is inclusive and unmatched!”

of long term injured players such as James Bowman and George Smtih to ensure our 2nd Xv we well support. We have developed a strong leadership group within the team, driving high standards of culture and playing. With a group of myself, Steve, Chris and our leaders the 5-year plan ended in the success we have had this year. I could not be prouder of the players and everyone in the club that has made this happen.

Ambitions on the pitch are to continue to rise in numbers across all our age groups and teams. Ambitions off the pitch are to develop our clubhouse and facilities to be fully inclusive and fit for the 21st century. The rebuild from the flood updated our clubhouse but we are now looking for grants for a new clubhouse.

Our philosophy is very simple at senior rugby, play fast, attractive, exciting, running rugby. This has led to us being the highest points scoring team on all measures this year,

NEIL RIX, SUPPORTER AND LONG-STANDING SPONSOR: N.T.RIX

I’m originally from Dover and my association with the rugby club started with my son-in-law Ricky, who was courting my daughter at the time whilst being a player at Dover RFC. Ricky had a positive influence on my son Ben`s decision to play rugby and join Dover RFC which he did aged 12. Ben, a front row and prop forward, has been a player ever since although an ankle injury unfortunately hindered his playing career last season.

I had never previously played rugby myself however I was encouraged to turn out for a few Vets games, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and have been a long-term fan of the club over the last 20 years.

Last season I attended most home games and a bunch of away fixtures and was privileged to see our team perform at a very high standard culminating in finishing the 2022/2023 campaign as League Champions. The dedication of Martin Beaumont and Ricky’s previous involvement coupled with a great team of volunteers, players, coaches and members has contributed to an unbelievable atmosphere at Dover Sharks! The hard work of previous years, 6 promotions in as many seasons, has truly paid off.

including try bonus points and attacking points scored.

Junior rugby is all about working hard, enjoyment and values. Teaching our players to be good human beings both on and off the pitch Club attitude, ethos and culture are in a fantastic place at the moment, there is a real feel good vibe.

We have produced a number of national league

players over the years but most successful player connections are currently: Mathew Gilbert ex Bath and Gloucester number 8 and Harry Sayers - Currently playing for Hong Kong on the world 7s series.

This season has been the best we have had for some time; excellent rugby display, best points totals across lots of measures. I could not be happier with it.

We will be looking to consolidate our league position next year, aiming for a minimum of mid table while we adjust to the new challenges of a higher league.

We have a girl’s team that are known as the East Kent Viagos. This is a combination of girls for local clubs who

come together to train and play matches. We also have 3 girls currently representing Kent at U16s.

Junior rugby is absolutely the life blood of the club and we would not be the club we are today without them. We have a small catchment area (half being the sea!!) so we have to rely on home grown talent to keep us going. Not only that, providing rugby for the local area is extremely important to us, rugby is a sport like no other with the values it teaches players.

As a community club we are situated within the heart of Dover and provide rugby for all age groups from U6 onwards. We have ran charity days, support local businesses and events with our facilities

One of my Businesses, N.T.Rix Scaffolding, has been a proud sponsor of the club for many years. I have always enjoyed doing what I can for local sport and investing in the local community by sponsoring my grandson Ricky Junior`s go-carting club (RJM Racing), White Cliffs Boxing, N.T.Rix FC and East Langdon Cricket Club. Folkestone Scaffolding (the sister company of N.T.Rix) sponsors the local cheerleading club Vista Twisters, our Office Administrator Poppy is a member of the squad and recently visited Florida to compete in the World Championships and they placed 5th!

Dover Sharks RFC are an outstanding club to be part of they really know how to look after each other. It’s the little touches that mean the most to me like the time they gifted me with a club coat to keep me warm on the touchline during the winter months as a thank you for my sponsorship. The club’s dedication to our local community and the investment they make in the club’s future is visible throughout the success of Mini & junior Rugby. Huge congratulations to everybody on this season’s success, it’s been a pleasure to travel on this journey with you and support you!

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and have a close relationship with the local food banks, we periodically run food bank drive collections at the club (in connection with Alkham Valley Garden Centre) to support the community.

Without our sponsors we quite simply would not be able to survive and again would not be the club we are today. We are incredibly lucky to have a core of very loyal local business who understand what Dover rugby all is about and support it fully. Empire Motors have been our shirt sponsor for 18 years solid. Motis, NTrix Scaffolding, TDM, Flooring Solutions, Burgess and Hodson, MCU to name a few but there are many more. We are incredibly grateful for all the support provided by our sponsors.

Dover Rugby Club is such a great club to be a part of as it is unique, inclusive and provides an unmatched family club feel for all that have been fortunate to be a part of it.

LONG TERM SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: EMPIRE MOTORS

Yes, I am a local lad and first became involved with Dover Rugby Club through my friend Wayne Matcham who was a 1st team player back then so I would regularly go up and watch the games

with my daughter Grace who was only a baby at the time. Wayne had mentioned about sponsorship opportunities that were available and initially I was thinking about sponsoring the teams’ socks, but it transpired that if I was willing to invest some more then the 1st XV shirt sponsorship was

available! The rest is history as they say, and I became main shirt sponsor for the 1st XV. I suppose, and as I began to support the team on a more regular basis, I became drawn into the club and started to appreciate the high standard of play which became quite addictive. I remember Martin Beaumont was 1st team captain at the time and Martin and Ricky MackIntosh amongst others were helping the team climb through the leagues at an astonishing pace reaching London 1 which was a great achievement for a little club like Dover. Graham Tonks was around then too helping develop the younger players and bringing them through to senior rugby. It was quite an amazing journey back them and as I sit here in my office, I’m looking

at a picture of the 2008/2009 winning team and deliberating on the incredible progress the team made back then.

Unfortunately, due to other commitments; I’m rebuilding a house at the moment, I haven’t been able to get down to the club as much as I would like although I have still managed a VP lunch and a few matches’ last season. Being a local boy, my support and loyalty has always been with Dover Sharks RFC and it’s really great to see the team win the league and finish as champions. Now that my house is nearly complete, I look forward to supporting the club in person for the new campaign in Kent 1 during 2023/24 season. Congratulations to everyone at this great club who have contributed to making this all possible!

DEAN HOLMAN

MICK COLEMAN SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR. MCU LTD

My connection with Dover Rugby Club came mainly through my son Aaron`s involvement. Aaron started playing aged 14 and was part of this seasons Champion winning side. He is 27 now and a very versatile forward, able to play in any position, mostly front and 2nd row, and was part of an excellent squad who lifted the Kent 2 title this season!

My family, and my mum Joan Durrant, who sadly passed away some years back, were Dover born and bred and our family were well known in the regions building industry. Understandably, I have always had a love and close association with the area, and it has been a real joy to see our local rugby club do so well this season and compete so well against much larger clubs.

Martyn Beaumont and many other unsung heroes have really brought the best out in our players and got the whole club revved up! Of course, many past club stalwarts contributed over the

TIM DIXON FORMER COLTS PLAYER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: MOTIS

years bringing the younger players through the ranks and growing the club’s talent from within. Amongst them Trevor Hopper and Andy Allen deserve a mention!

I have travelled around a lot watching and supporting the lads and my business MCU Ltd have enjoyed sponsoring the club too.

Work commitments have meant I haven’t managed to attend all the games I would have liked to, but enough to see our teams play some great rugby at a very highperformance standard. Dover Rugby Club is a fantastic place to be part of you won’t find a more welcoming bunch and as a club they have always held onto the true rugby values and ethics which make rugby such a special sport. Well done to everyone on an outstanding season!

Services

640820

RFC,

I had the privilege of playing for Dover Colts in my teens, then managed by Neil Rankin who is still often seen around the club today. I still have very good friends at Dover like former club captain John Mercer and my old neighbours Gareth Jones & Mike Horne who is the Club President who always keeps me up to date on club happenings. My own journey in sport took me down a different path and I became as a professional footballer firstly with Southampton FC under tutelage of Lawrie McMenemy for three years, then onto the League of Ireland with Waterford United where I had the honour of winning a League Cup winner`s medal before much success over 10 years with Dover Athletic. Unfortunately,

after breaking my leg twice, as well as my ankle, plus a challenging ACL injury meant I was no longer able to play at such a high level and after competing at a lower level for a while where I enjoyed some success before moving into Management which I continue to do with Faversham Town FC. I sometimes reflect on what would have happened if I would have chosen to stay with rugby, but it wasn’t to be.

Around 7 years ago I joined my current company Motis who themselves are great followers and supporters of sport in fact one of our directors’ sons plays for Ballynahinch Rugby Club who have recently won Irelands

Senior Cup beating Queens University 32 to 15! So as a company with many rugby fans, Motis who were heavily investing in South East Kent at the time wanted to give something back to the Kent community and decided to look for a local club who were passionate about their people & region and Dover RFC was an obvious choice ticking all the boxes! The VP lunches, welcome & hospitality you receive at Dover Sharks that Motis have enjoyed over the past 7 years is second to none.

Like any club they have had their ups and downs over the years but the rebuilding process covering the last few seasons, with the help of many

club stalwarts, including many unsung hero’s in mini, junior and women’s rugby sections have taken the club to a position where it is thriving once again. A tremendous win by the 1st XV against a formidable Canterbury opposition in front of a huge crowd and Dover following away from home, all but sealed the club a fabulous end to the season ultimately being crowned champions!

Myself, our Directors and Staff at Motis would like to say very well done to all those in front of, and behind the Club, who have collectively made this such a memorable year for Dover Sharks Rugby Club! Well done everyone!

I can`t speak highly enough about the people who make up Dover Sharks Rugby Club! Their commitment to their local community coupled with an all-inclusive attitude allows anyone wishing to connect with this family club the opportunity to try their hand or support this great sport of rugby football!

TOM MORRIS

SPONSOR: (MD OF TDM RECRUITMENT), FORMER PLAYER (PROP) AND SUPPORTER

Rugby is in the blood. My Dad, John Morris, is an ex-player (wing or centre) and coached at the club for many years. While, my brother, Simon, is a current player (centre) who was part of the 2022/2023 season’s leaguewinning side.

For both Simon and I, our childhood was centered around rugby. When I was young, I started playing in the Mini & Junior club and saw my way moving up the ranks until I was 18. Even at university, I continued to play and then re-joined the Dover club once I left my studies. I competed up until I was in my mid 30`s but made the decision to stop when a couple of onfield incidents caused me to reassess my decision. By then I was also Managing Director of my own business and I reasoned that it might be wise to hang my boots up.

Despite not running around on the pitch anymore, I continue to love the club and enjoy supporting the team on the field, and as a sponsor through my business tdm recruitment. In fact, some of the tdm team are active players, coaches, and fans of the club including Chris Lucas, and George Sayers. Then there are also great players, like Martyn Beaumont, who through the years I’ve known him is still an outstanding

player (even if he may have lost a few yards). All of them however have led from the front with passion and have helped kept the clubs’ best interests at heart.

Rugby, its values and teachings, have certainly helped and influenced me in establishing my recruitment business. My focus as a business leader can be traced back to my rugby years. I have worked to create a culture that sees our small team work collaboratively, with individual skill sets nurtured and developed. Effectively, I choose to look after my team now in the same way that I was looked after during my rugby career, honing my teams’ resilience, while praising their victories.

Speaking of victories, Dover Rugby Club have had many, and deservedly so. One of the great things about Dover Rugby Club is that `they know who they are’ as a club. They honour their amateur status as well as their ethics and advocate for paying players who enhance the club’s culture.

For the most part, Dover RFC grows their own talent and has for the most part got it right. They have a great group of people directing the club, with integrity, to ensure the continuation of rugby at Crabble Road for many more years to come. Congratulations to the Champions and everybody at the club on an outstanding 2022/2023 campaign from myself and the tdm team!

Hemel Hempstead (Camelot) RUFC

2022/2023 Season, The most successful in our clubs History!

RICHARD WOODARD

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

My dad and uncle started playing for Hemel in the 1960s through the 70s and into the 80s. I grew up in the rugby club as my grandparents and parents played various roles on the committee during the 80s and 90s. In the late 80s my sister and I were part of the kids that attended the first mini session. I have played for all the junior teams, vets, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nds and 1st XV and was an unused sub in the 1s this season.

My son now plays for the U15s having started playing in U8s. I currently coach the U15team, and I am the DOR

for the Seniors.

Senior rugby wise is about ensuring we have a competitive 2nd XV week in week out. The 1st XV has won the league and county cup this year.

For the current U15s it’s all about keeping the boys enjoying the game and learning new skills. We have been very successful over the years but this season others have closed the gap.

Everyone is welcome to come and take part in rugby here. We are a community club, and everyone has a place at Camelot and will be valued.

The club is rocking at the moment the 1st XV success this season has been felt by the

whole club. Sam Townsend our club coach has done a great job of supporting mini and youth coaches throughout the season. There is a real oldfashioned club feel to Camelot.

We have close connections with Drummoyne Rugby Club, Sydney Australia, many players have spent a season or 2 out there and Drummoyne have returned players. Hopefully now the pandemic is over we can start to utilise this relationship again.

A number of players go on to represent Hertfordshire at age group and senior level.

James Issac currently Saracens England U19s.

In the 1970s we had a selection of players playing for England Colts - Kim Knight, Jim Temperley and Dave Kent all have photos in the bar.

This season has been our most successful since the start of league rugby in the 80s. We have achieved the highest league status the club has achieved and won the county cup for the first time since 1974.

Mini and youth rugby is flourishing with a stream of new players and the more able players making it into various county sides and pathway programmes.

We are a community club and are involved in the organizing of local events such as fireworks night and have

very good relations with our sponsors who are massively important to us; they are always willing to step up!

Hemel Hempstead Rugby Club has an undeniably real family feel to it which you experience as soon as you come through the door; new and old members rarely leave and remain connected to the club. The number of families that have kids and parents, grandparents playing and/or volunteering is huge, which speaks volumes for this great club that I am proud to be part of!

NICK HOYES

CLUB CHAIRMAN

I first visited the club in September 2006 when I took my 6-year-old son Jamie down for his first rugby session. Having played rugby at school and early adulthood I quickly became involved in coaching the age group and carried on in this role until the end of their U14 season. In 2011 I also somehow ended up ‘acquiring’ the role of Director of Mini Rugby alongside the coaching. As the age group moved into the Youth section, I too moved from Director of Mini Rugby to Director of Youth Rugby, whilst still continuing with the coaching.

My younger son Dan then saw the light, returning to rugby from football, so I dropped down to help coach his U11 age group team. I then continued to help coach this age group all the way up to U16s whilst continuing with the Director of youth Rugby Role.

Throughout my time in the Director of Mini and Director of Youth roles I’d played an active part in the club’s exec committee but not really

had much to do with the senior sides other than be an interested spectator or occasional 3rd team / Vets team player. This changed though as the boys both made there their debuts for the Camelot 1st XV at the age of 17. This gave me a different view of the club and as I started interacting with those players.

In the summer of 2019, I became Chairman of the club. Within a few months the role took on a very different feel as we entered the Covid-19 lockdown and a halt to all rugby activity.

These days the biggest single challenge we face as a club are recruitment of players, both seniors players and especially young children. The football scene is massive in Hemel and dominates, then on the senior side we play in an area where there are 5 or 6 clubs in a 6 to 7 mile radius of us. We have to get into the schools early or rely on existing players bringing friends down.

Our rugby pitches are leased from two different landlords, the local council and Boxmoor Trust. We are currently negotiating a longer lease on the land owned by the council. With this longer lease we will then hopefully be in a position to start looking for grants and begin fundraising for a new clubhouse facility.

From a coaching perspective, and across all levels, It is primarily about enjoyment. As a Grassroots club it’s very important we remember that.

Our club is really vibrant

at the moment. Not only has the 1st XV won a league and cup double in what is our most successful season as a club, this was achieved with a squad of players where 80% plus came through our own mini and youth section. The team was a nice blend of older lads together with younger lads and even a couple of Colts pushing for selection in the second half of the season.

Numbers are good in the youth and mini sections. The mini’s have enjoyed a few local festivals and attended the Bournemouth Youth & Mini festival for the first time since the pandemic. That’s an event we used to attend regularly and have many fond memories of families and friends, making it an extended weekend of fun and friendships.

As well as our 1stXV success this season our U14s team won the County Plate final to cap of what has been

a really exciting season. In fact, the number of games played across the youth and mini section has been superb. Particularly nice to see so many happy smiley faces after games on Sunday mornings.

At the moment we’re trying to get women’s rugby going and have a small band of ladies who train at the club. Just need to increase numbers so they become a

viable team.

We’re also talking and keeping a watching brief whether to offer girls rugby at U13s. With so many clubs in a relatively tight proximity to each other we are playing catch-up and the current feeling is there may not be quite enough girls interested for another club to start up in the local area without severely weakening those clubs already playing. We are keeping the dialogue going with the other clubs and as soon as demands are high enough will look to get things moving.

Junior rugby is absolutely crucial to our club. Between our 1st & 2nd team squads of home grown players the overall figure would still be 75% plus.

With the help of Saracens, we regularly host local schools coming to the club to play in touch and tag rugby festivals. With our land also being leased from Boxmoor trust we’re also seen as an open space for families to come and use our pitches in the close season.

Hemel Hempstead Rugby Club is very much a homely grass roots club. Once you come through our doors you don’t tend to leave, so much so that we have several generations of families, and their friends, enjoying our club making Camelot just a great place to be!

HISTORY OF CAMELOT RFC FOUNDED 1919 REFOUNDED 1951

Just after the end of the Great War some friends were sitting at a large round table in their local pub, The Swan, in Hemel Hempstead. They got to talking about how much they missed playing the game of Rugby that they had enjoyed so much at school. After a lot of discussion, and a few more beers, someone proposed that they start their own team. Searching for a name which would reflect their approach and the spirit of the game itself, one bright spark pointed out the shape of the table. From there it was a short step to the birth of Camelot. They recruited from their old school, Berkhamsted Boys, and the emphasis was always on playing the game.

Within a few months, and with the benevolent understanding of a local farmer, they had a pitch at Wood Farm and a barn in which to change. They often had to clear the cows from the pitch before they played a game. The sum of sixpence a game was all that was needed to provide tea and a bun for themselves and the opposition.

They continued to play like this for some time until, in the late 1920’s, the Club was merged with a bank side from Sunbury. But things were about to change as once again Europe was plunged into War. As it was to be for many other clubs, Camelot became dormant in 1939 when many of its players joined the forces. At the time it had £9/17/6d in the bank. It was later decided to donate £5 of this to the Gazette Spitfire Fund.

In 1949 Ray Fisher, the son of the farmer who owned the field that had once been Camelot’s home ground, phoned Jack Marshall with the view that it was high time that the Club started playing again. This came to pass following a meeting for new players at Boxmoor Hall. Camelot was officially reconstituted in 1951. Initially matches were played at the Clubs former ground at Wood Farm. With the assistance of the Borough Council, the Boxmoor Trust and the New Towns Development Corporation the current ground at Chaulden Lane was secured.

The present clubhouse was planned, financed and built over two years, the first phase being completed in 1953. Further development took place until 1957 when it was officially opened. The improved facilities enabled better hospitality for members and opposing teams and the start of a more active social side to the Club.

Playing success varied throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s with a particularly good showing from the mid-1970’s to the early 1980’s. The Club won the Herts President’s Cup in 1975 and has been runner up on three separate occasions. In 1975, through the Cup success, Camelot qualified for the finals of the Middlesex Seven’s tournament at Twickenham. In 1996 we once again got through to the Semi-finals of the Herts Presidents Cup.

In 1970 the Club’s original name of Camelot RUFC was changed to incorporate the name of its town and to reflect the growing support it received from the District.

Hemel Hempstead (Camelot) RUFC formed its Colts section in the1960’s as the result of the amount of Rugby being played in local schools for boys aged between 16 to 19 years of age. This Section was extremely successful in the 1970’s and were winners of the County

Cup Competition. In 1989 the Club formed its Mini Section, introducing Rugby Football to boys and girls in the local community from ages 7 to 12 years. The following year the Junior Section was added for 13 to 16 year-olds, some of whom did not have the opportunity to play the game at their schools. Camelot now has one of the largest Youth Sections in the county. New players and their parents are an area of significant growth within the Club.

As part of the Club’s 75th anniversary celebrations Camelot hosted the IX Herts County Mini Rugby Festival in 1995. Over 1500 young players and their supporters crowded Camelot Field for a Sunday of great sport and sportsmanship. That the Club’s very beginners at the game, the Under 7’s, were joint winners which was the icing on the cake. The Club’s resources were tested but prevailed and, for the first time in a long time anywhere in the County, the event actually showed a profit. The overall feeling was the desire to do it again soon - which we did, in 2016, again with great success!

Socially the Club has a number of associate members, not all ex-players, and hopes to expand this section over the coming years. Regular social events are held at the Club and better facilities will give us the opportunity to both expand and focus these. Improved conditions will attract greater numbers of people from all parts of the community who may not presently consider the Club to be their natural social home but who we hope will be pleasantly surprised.

PETER CLARKE, FORMER PLAYER, COACH AND MAIN SPONSOR: THE

STEEL TEAM

My dad was a diehard footballer, so I didn’t get to see sight of a rugby ball until I was a few years older. My own sporting journey took me to Rugby League initially before Union, always playing on the wing, although I did eventually make my way to union and pulled my boots on for Camelot about 10 years ago. I reengaged with the club through friends and a sponsorship invitation and as a company `The Steel Team` are also sponsors of Colchester RFC.

More recently my second oldest son Taylor picked up the oval ball and therefore it was inevitable that I would become next seasons U`9s coach. As of yet my other sons Rylee, Teddy, Noah and Grayson are either too young or didn’t initially take

to the sport; though there is still plenty of time for that to change. I have always been a huge advocate of rugby and have had a special admiration for Camelot Rugby. Over the years I always held a lot of admiration and respect for the unity and camaraderie they demonstrated both on and off the pitch.

Unfortunately, due to work and family commitments, plus a season ticket at Saracens, I didn’t get down to many games last season. Its great however to see the club thriving and finishing as champions whilst picking up the cup double with 2022/2023 being the clubs most successful season ever. As a former player and supporter, I know most everyone at the club and I can say with confidence that the teams, coaches, players and club, as a whole, will continue to thrive and go from strength to strength.

This coming season and the attitude of our experienced player coaches in the 1st XV ensures that we are in great hands for the challenges of the higher leagues. I have had the privilege of being involved and playing rugby with many great people and friends over the years and its easy to see the dedication and appetite that our club has to ensure rugby is played at a high standard at Hemel Hemstead for a long time!

It’s been an Honour to be Main Club sponsor at Camelot and I thoroughly enjoy helping out whenever I can. Everybody and I at The Steel Team wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued fun and success for many more years to come!

expand this section over the coming years.

Socially the Club has a number of associate members, not all explayers, and hopes to

Goole RUFC

One Club and a Fantastic Season!

LEE MARWOOD

CHAIR

I became involved with the Club as a player through school. A charismatic games master called Tony Heath lived and breathed rugby and was also an integral part of the rugby club. The pathway from schoolboy rugby to club rugby was already well-trodden by many quality players and I followed it. My involvement in the management of the Club started about 14 years ago when I was asked if I would consider undertaking the secretary role. I tentatively accepted and a couple of years later was Chair. It has and continues to be hard work but the rewards more than compensate. There is a quality group of individuals who make up the Club Committee and continue to take the Club forward.

Covid was a major challenge for the club, and it took some time to undo the damage that the lack of rugby caused. Our performance on the field took a hit, as did player numbers and building back took an extended period.

From a development perspective, on the playing side, we are working with local schools to promote rugby and increase participation in our Mini & Junior section whilst looking to re-start girls’ teams at the Club. We are also working to improve the pathway from junior to senior rugby. Off the

pitch, financial sustainability is central as we aim to improve facilities at the Club and the wider site. A key challenge for us is changing room space and we are currently fundraising for a project to extend our changing facilities.

Goole has a ‘one club’ philosophy in that we want our approach to the game, and style of play, to permeate from the 1st team right through to the Mini & Junior teams. We have introduced ‘coach the coaches’ to support this aim.

This season, the mood is buoyant – numbers for membership and spectators are up, and they have been treated to some exciting rugby both home and away throughout the season. The atmosphere in the clubhouse is as good as it has been and that, in no small part, is down to our excellent steward come groundsman, Andy – he is simply brilliant!

We have had a fantastic season with the 1st team winning the league and gaining promotion and reaching the quarter final of the National Counties 1 Cup. Putting 3 competitive teams out has also been a great achievement and testament to the great work done by our coaching team. Our seconds reached the East Yorkshire Merit Table final, U17s Yorkshire Plate final and the Club won the plate at this year’s Pocklington 7s tournament.

Come the end of this season we will have a

presentation event and AGM in May, get the pitch maintenance sorted then a short rest. Mid-June, we start to prepare for next season to do it all again, I can’t wait!

The Club had girls and women’s rugby several years ago and we are in the process of trying to restart it. Put simply, the M&J section is the lifeblood of the Club and we recognise the need to attract and nurture the next generation of senior players. We also run a popular weekly O2 touch session each Thursday.

Goole RUFC is at heart a community club. Players are primarily homegrown and a product of our investment in that community. We have won the Contribution to the Community award at the Goole and Howdenshire Business awards, and continue our support, helping other sports with facilities and providing a hub for everyone. We even host a local gardening group!

A rugby club is an expensive undertaking, and we wouldn’t be financially viable without the generous support of our sponsors. We

are lucky to have such a great group of sponsors who have committed their support over a long period and continue to help us promote rugby in the area. We are extremely grateful for everything they do.

Goole Rugby Club is routed in our town and that is reflected in its membership. We are a diverse group from all walks of life with a shared passion for rugby and all the positives that being in the rugby family brings. The club offers a warm welcome to all and above all it is great fun, we have never lost sight of that!

CLUB HISTORY

The port of Goole, founded in the 1820’s, is situated in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The rugby club was formed in 1927 as Goole Grammar School Old Boys and became affiliated with the Yorkshire Rugby Union in 1929 earning a good reputation throughout the county in the early years. This early success resulted in winning the Yorkshire Shield in consecutive seasons before the ultimate achievement for a small club in 1956 when they won the Yorkshire Cup. Since then, however the trophies have been limited to regional and 7-a-side successes and the Yorkshire Silver Trophy in 2013/14 as Goole stuck to its 100%

amateur status being historically made up of local players.

As the club expanded it outgrew its old ground with the development of a thriving Mini & Junior section and subsequently moved to its current location in 1996 as part of a multisport development. The club currently runs three senior teams and junior teams from Under 18’s right down to Under 7’s. In 2000/01 the club achieved its highest league position and finished third in North Two East (Level 6); however, since then, have slipped down the leagues. This year we have had a great season to win Yorkshire 1 to return to Regional 2 North East and level 6 rugby.

ALAN NEAL

1ST XV FORWARDS AND COLTS HEAD COACH

My name is Alan Neal (42), I am the first team forwards coach along with the head coach of the U17 Junior Colts who I have coached for the last 10 years, culminating this season. I have been involved with the club since I was 5 years old playing mini rugby at the Old Murham avenue ground where my father ran the mini & junior`s and my mum ran the club kitchen. I played all the way through to U13s but unfortunately the mini junior section folded. I returned at 18 years old, having played for the county and other local clubs, to play senior rugby for my home side. Captaining the first team and played until I was 40 years old before turning my hand to senior coaching, I was asked by Greg Bone (Director of Rugby) and Wayne Warren (Head Coach) to become the forwards coach and assist with the general coaching of all the senior teams while integrating the Colts. This season has been extra special with the first team winning the league, the second team reaching the merit league playoff final and the 3rd team having played 25 games just mising out on the playoffs. in addition to the Colts side finishing 4th in a very competitive league along with finishing runners up in the Yorkshire plate final. From this talented Colts side we have 4 players selected for the Yorkshire Counties U17 representitive side, one of who is my son Ashton.

In relation to challenges, in terms of the Colts side, it’s been keeping a side together, we have only missed 1 game this season due to unavailability and have maintained a healthy squad of around 18 player (we have a fully fit squad of 22). what I feel has kept this side

together is the intergration into senior rugby, every 2 weeks we combine the colts with the senior squad, this has resulted in the seniors mentoring the lads and coming to support them on a Sunday along with the Colts having a feeling pof belonging at our wonderful club. We have 14 players keen to transition into the senior side next season and cannot wait for preseason to see them deveop further and transition and suplement our senior sides

Our plan is to retain players and further develop the club, we have been at Westfiled Banks for around 25 years now, numbers in both the senior and mini/ junior sections have increased massively, changing room space and parking facilities are key to maintaining the

rugby experience at the club and enhancing our reputation throughout the county.

‘Give it Back! - Goole Rugby Club has given me friends for life, I have been mentored by some fatastic players who really personify the values of rugby. I have been really fortunate to also

coach some wonderful children who have become respectable, well rounded young people who I consider to be family and will be there for them for support and advice in rugby and in life. Having been brought up to believe you get out what you put in, I have got a lot out and have put a hell of a lot in and have loved every minute and look forward to assiting others in the future. Our club is absolutely buzzing at the moment, I cannot recall a time when the club has been so together!

Innovation

JON WILCOX, FORMER PLAYER, COACH, COMMITTEE MEMBER AND SPONSOR: LEVEL BEST

My dad Billy took me down to the club when I was still in my pram so it was inevitable that I would one day play for Goole RUFC. Billy Wilcox was a well-known and formidable No 8 player in his day who won an international Cap for England Fire Brigade and was part of a magnificent team who famously won the Pocklington 7`s Trophy in 1973.

Touch Rugby! Another nice advantage was that Abbie came t realise that her dad was not that bad of a player himself.

Very proud sponsors of Goole RUFC!

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PHIL JONES

SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: LINK AGENCY

I suppose my earliest involvement with Goole RUFC was as a junior player around 1984 when the club was based at Murham Avenue. I was already playing rugby for Goole Grammar school at the time and our coach, a club member himself, encouraged us to go along to the club.

My eldest son Robson joined the club’s Mini section around the year 2006 and my wife Suzanne and I attended every game. Five years later his brother Thomas made the same journey and joined the club too. I`m immensely proud that both my lads have returned to play for Goole culminating in them both, aged 23 and 18, competing in senior rugby this season. Robson, who a few years previous was playing County and Academy rugby, recovered from a serious ACL injury and came through a difficult time. He played in the Stand Off position, in this seasons league Champions winning side, who lifted the illustrious Yorkshire Counties

1 title in style! The team also had a great run in the Papa John`s Cup but luck was not on their side in the quarter finals. Tom & Robson both played in The Pocklington 7`s team lifting the plate, whilst the 2nd XV reached the final of their Merit table where Tom, playing on the wing, was part of an excellent squad, many pressing for first team places. Its testament to our club and coaches that we were able to put out 3 senior teams during the 2022/2023 campaign with the great majority of our players being home grown.

My business Link Agency are delighted to have sponsored the club for over 20 years and very much enjoy giving something back to a club that has given our family so much.

I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with Goole Rugby Club, including the committee, players, coaches, stewards and fellow supporters for making this season such a memorable one. On a personal level this has been the best season, across any sport, that I have had the pleasure of supporting and enjoying, It has been amazing to be part of it!

My own career started aged 6 and continued until 2017 when work and family commitments took precedent. I played mostly standoff over the years before migrating to 2nd and back row. After I stopped playing, I was cajoled into coaching our U15s which turned out to be a magnificently refreshing and enjoyable experience not dissimilar to the excitement I use to feel at work on a Friday night knowing I would be taking to the field of play on Saturday. This coaching opportunity had the added benefit of helping my daughter Abbie into rugby, who is not playing at the moment due her college workload but is still very much a member of the club and part of our excellent Bar Manager Andy Thurlow`s team! It also led to Abbie playing rugby for Ionians girls and we both had a lot of fun playing

My dad and I attend most matches; I always say it’s the only time we don’t argue lol! Seriously though the 2022/2023 campaign can only be described as outstanding; the two games we lost were really ours for the taking but nevertheless we finished as Champions! I Have to say that we have enjoyed the whole seasons experience; many of our rival teams in our league couldn’t have been more sociable and welcoming with many nice touches when we visited their ground.

Hawky and I lead up the Sponsorship Committee and we are just a few of the many amazing volunteers, members, parents and players who: collect subs, maintain our club, sort out the kit etc. that helps our whole club function so well.

Our club is all about teamwork on and off the pitch we don’t have any big ego`s. Even the best of players wouldn’t be guaranteed a position in our squad as the ability to be a team player is primary and we know is vital to our success. For me you won’t find a better place or group of friends than at Goole Rugby Club!

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Eccles Rugby Club

A bond of community, camaraderie and identity; Eccles is a Clan!

CHRIS GAFFEY

CHAIRMAN

“Eccles is a friendly, down to earth, inclusive community club. I first became involved in 2013 when my son joined a junior team and like many other parents, I immediately felt at home and welcomed. I took my coaching qualifications and went on to coach the colts for 6 seasons which lead to me joining the club committee in 2017 and was elected Chairman in 2021. Eccles RFC is located in the City of Salford, Lancashire, in an area that was historically populated with coal mines and cotton mills. True to our industrial heritage, we believe that all things grow and flourish

with effort and we take great pride in developing and cultivating our own ‘Home Grown’ players.

The disruption of COVID did significant damage to our playing strength. Many adult and age-grade players did not return following the lifting of restrictions. We recognised the game had changed and our club needed to change to appeal to the new rugby community in order to thrive and grow. We are not positioned in an idyllic rural setting, nor do we benefit from having a monopoly. We have 8 Rugby Union clubs and 4 Rugby League Clubs on our doorstep so we have to compete to ensure our facilities, culture and coaching

are as attractive as possible. We recognised the decline in adult participation long before the hammer blow of the pandemic landed and put in place a plan to improve our retention and recruitment of senior players and improve the transition of youth into our senior teams. The success we’ve enjoyed this season is the fruit of the groundwork we put into building sustainable growth. We’ve worked hard in the past 2 years to recover and broaden our rugby offer. This season we’ve fielded 3 men’s teams, 2 Ladies teams, a Colts team and 12 Mini and Junior teams. The club now has 507 active members,

which is an increase of almost 40% on our pre-Covid numbers; So we are headed in the right direction.

For our Men’s section, this season’s achievements, with our 1XV and 3XV teams both winning promotion and a league and cup double, have been a milestone marker on our journey back to where we want to be. Our last 1st XV League title was achieved in 2013/14, earning promotion to North 1 West (Level 6). However, Eccles suffered back-to- back relegations in 2017 and 2018 taking us from Level 6 back to Level 8. Sam Simpson, a former Eccles homegrown talent who had

previously played National 3 (Level 4) rugby with Fylde and Championship rugby (Level 2) with Sedgley Park, returned to Eccles in 2018 in a Head Coach and DoR capacity. COVID and the RFU league reorganisation of North West Rugby stalled our recovery but this season, with Sam supported by Attack Coach Kevin Raynor and Defence Coach Andrew Selby, our 1XV showed good form winning 18 out of 22 fixtures to claim the silverware.

We are delighted to be champions of the 2022/23 Counties 2 Lancashire & Cheshire division and equally delighted to retain the Lancashire Plate Trophy, the first time we’ve achieved that honour in our 125 year history. We’re looking forward to promotion to Counties 1 and returning back to Level 7 next season. We also looking forward to fielding a new 4XV team, the first time we’ve achieved I think in a decade.

The general mood at the club at the moment is very positive, buoyant, ambitious. Our Women’s section have weathered a difficult couple of years and this season have begun to see a turnaround in their fortunes, with increased numbers and a reinviogtiated partnership with Salford University allowing them to re-establish a Ladies 2XV. A thriving Mini and Junior section is essential to our future as a rugby club and over 50% of our membership are age-grade players. The are no schools in Salford who play Rugby Union, so we funded our own community rugby coach to improve links with our local high schools and have encouraged them to use our facilities for midweek schools fixtures. This has certainly helped with recruitment of teenage boys and we’ve also supported the initiation of a Girls Rugby network in Greater Manchester to promote and grow the girls game.

Over the summer we will begin work on improving our clubhouse entrance and social spaces for our members and visitors to enjoy a better match day experience. Rugby clubs are community hubs, and if possible we’d like to improve the sense of pride Eccles residents have in their local club. Each year we host a summer festival, now in its 10th year, which provides an opportunity for our local breweries, distilleries, food vendors and musical performers to showcase their talent and products.

Sponsorship from local business is of course vital to our continued ability

to provide activities and facilities for our community.

By engendering greater links we hope we can help to create a tighter community spirit. Although that sense of community has been generally diluted in society it’s something we are trying to rescue and foster at Eccles.

It’s difficult to put it into words why Eccles Rugby Club is such a great place to be part of. I guess we are a gathering of families who share a common affinity for the values of rugby union and we offer a bond of community, camaraderie and identity to those who want to belong. Maybe Eccles is more of a clan than a club! “

OUR CLUB HISTORY

In 1823, Salford lad William Webb Ellis, with a healthy disregard for the rules picked up the ball at Rugby School and ran with it. The Eccles Rugby Football Club took a little longer to find its feet with the game. In October, 1878 Eccles played its first recorded fixture

against Rossendale at Higher Bentcliffe Park, Eccles and continued to play fixtures there for several more seasons. In January 1881 Eccles won a cup competition organised by Swinton Lions and joined the Lancashire County Union in 1886 with membership of the RFU lapsing in the late 1890s. During these turbulent times, it wasn’t uncommon for a club of this district to cease its activities one season, only to revive the next. Following the great Northern Union divide in 1895 (the beginning of what would become Rugby League) Eccles reformed in 1897.

In the years before WWI, Eccles RFC played at different locations around the town and at the outbreak of war had a ground situated on the North bank of the Manchester Ship Canal near the famous Swing Bridge at Barton. Visiting opponents included clubs such as Sale, Manchester, Vale of Lune, Preston Grasshoppers, Harrogate, Nottingham, Waterloo and Birkenhead Park. Following WWI Eccles was forced to

start afresh with practically nothing remaining other than its reputation from before the war. In October 1919 an Eccles XV played a Fylde XV adopting our now traditional navy blue and white hooped shirts in tribute to fallen comrades in the Salford Pals Battallions. In 1925 the club moved to the South bank of the ship canal and remained here until the outbreak of WWII when the ground was taken over by Royal Artillery Anti Aircraft Battery in an attempt to protect the bridge and power station from Luftwaffe bombing.

The club was reinstated after the war and in October 1948, we moved to a new ground at Gorton Street, Eccles where we’ve remained ever since. Our Home Grown principles were sown with a first colts team in 1962, we established a Mini and Junior Section in 1991 and a Ladies team in 1997. In 2015 William Webb Ellis returned home, in the form of the World Cup Trophy when Eccles was invited to host its promotional tour ahead of the tournament. With more than 125 years of Rugby behind us, Eccles RFC remains resilient, ambitious and charging forwards.

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SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: DHI LTD

I`m originally from Doncaster but have lived in the Manchester area for over 20 years now. I have three children Isabella, Alfie, and Oscar have all tended to play football, however Oscar’s physical approach to sport led me to Eccles Rugby club.

We headed of to the rugby club and the whole experience from arriving in the car park, to stepping onto the pitches, and then into the club house, were all in themselves a great revelation to me. Coming from a footballing background I had not previously witnessed the vast number of willing volunteers on full display in one club. Car park attendants, coaches, parents, and then onto the clubhouse 2 or 3 organising breakfast, 3 or 4 on coffee duty and the same behind the bar; there could not have been less than 50 volunteers in view.

The small army of children playing on the pitches with senior players involved in helping and coaching, mostly single lads, giving up their time to contribute to the club they were part of, was a new and inspirational experience also. Oscar took to rugby like a duck to water and made many friends who are still his pals today as they continue on their rugby journey together. I sometimes look back, as I see the friendships and camaraderie particular to rugby, wishing I had played this great sport also and

benefited from the special relationships I have seen!

Its bee 16 years now since I started my business and so it was an honour an opportunity for my company DHI Ltd to become a sponsor and give something back to this club that serves its members and each other so well. One of our employees Neil Williams plays for the club too, unfortunately Neil was out last season with a leg break. Our senior sides have excelled this 2022/23 season which always adds to the clubs already good atmosphere, the women’s team are expanding, and the mini & junior sections are thriving!

House, 134 Liverpool Road,

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I have thoroughly enjoyed the various events held by the club over the years where they have put on a dance with a band and a very good meal in the marquee. Often there are special awards recognising the outstanding contributions made by club volunteers; one particular event, where myself and around 10 colleagues had a table, stuck in my mind and epitomised the community that Eccles RFC are. I have always had a soft spot for people that give up their time freely to help out and an older lady at this particular event was presented with a bunch of flowers in validation of her tireless work for the club. You couldn’t hide the joy she exhibited and looking in her face it was plain to see that this simple gesture meant the world to her and was felt more deeply than if she had been given a million pounds!

“It’s great to be back here at Tabley for the Cheshire Forest Point to Point. I have been a supporter of both The Cheshire’s and Point to Point racing for many years, so I’m delighted to be able to continue our sponsorship. We hope everyone has a very enjoyable afternoon”

Steve Evason Managing Director Contract Services Ltd R&R Ltd

STEVE EVASON, FORMER COACH, CHAIRMAN OF JUNIORS AND SPONSOR: CONTRACT SERVICES R&R LTD

I am a local lad brought up in Salford. I played my rugby at Ashton-On-Mersey RUFC before business commitments got in the way of my rugby career.

Contract Services is a unique contractor in the North West construction market. Our reputation has been built on the back of over 35 years of experience in the industrial and commercial sectors. No other contractor offers the same range of services, enabling you to engage with one team in the knowledge we will deliver quality and value.

Mini’s tournament. He could just see over the hand rail as he held the Cup aloft! He’s been with me ever since!! He’s now 31 and a senior site manager for my company, having joined as an apprentice aged 16!

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In the early 90`s a gang of 6 or 7 parent groups and their kids, including myself and son Seb, descended on Brian Williamson & Dave Nichols at Eccles Rugby Club, looking for somewhere our children could play rugby!

• Manufacturing & Production

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Construction

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Seb started in the Minis and continued up until he was 15. He was a great little centre for his team back then but unfortunately, he lost interest. Unlike Chris Wilson who joined my under 7’s side at 6 years old. I gave him the job of picking up the winners trophy at a Broughton Park

• Pharmacy

• Retail

I was invited to become Chairman of our Juniors for a few seasons and had the privilege of organising a Mini’s festival which attracted around 1000 children, who descended on the club. Extra pitches were commandeered from an empty field the other side of the railway tunnel which boarders the club and prepared to play on and accommodate the influx of juniors; I believe they are still used today!

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As my business became more established, I was able to start sponsoring Eccles which, as an inner-city club, need’s all the help it can get! Having said that, the club has always been blessed

Lonza Project

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Jackson House

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Cadishead, Manchester, M44 5DD

“Very proud of our association with Eccles RFC!”

CARMEL CAMPBELL, TEAM MANAGER (U9`S), SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BE SUSTAINABLE LIMITED

My husband and I are originally from Northern Ireland and are both sports fans, although my initial leanings were more towards Gaelic games, in particular Camogie which I played, more than rugby which I had little experience of.

Having two boys, and their dad being an Irish rugby fan, it was he who was initially keen to encourage our boys into playing rugby and benefit from the advantages the sport offered. Sebastian our eldest will be playing in the club U12`s this coming season, usually in the Scrum Half position, and Augustine our youngest will play in the U10’s, the team which I manage. They both absolutely love their

rugby, allowing them to make many friends at Eccles outside of their schoolmates. The postmatch hotdogs are naturally a huge attraction for the boys and their friends!

My introduction to becoming more involved at Eccles started during the pandemic by taking the Covid register which led to me becoming a Team Manager. Volunteering at Eccles has been a very positive and rewarding experience for me! I have made numerous friends and felt part of the fantastic rugby family at the club. I tend to deal with team organisation such as training, fixtures, festival bookings and player

attendance. My photography skills have definitely improved! I have always found Eccles Rugby Club to be a very safe and relaxed environment for young and old alike; and everyone else in between. All the members are so supportive and friendly from the volunteers and parents I have come to

know as well as many others who all work as a team to keep our club thriving! The hard work and committed efforts over the past few years have led to an outstanding 2022/2023 season with Eccles RFC.

“Keep striving forward you are all fantastic!”

with outstanding and driven individuals who gave there all and more. Andy Brunt, former Chairman, is one of those guys; a successful businessman in the construction industry who retired through ill health but was still able to focus all of his energy into making Eccles what it is today; an inspiring man who deserved a knight hood !! I don’t say that lightly! Others like Mark Dutton and current Chairman Chris Gaffey have worked tirelessly and carried the baton forward!

I am absolutely thrilled to see that the work started at our club 25 years ago is still being carried on today, with great intelligence and organisation. So many former players and committed members have produced excellent results both on and off the pitch, so it truly is Onwards and Upwards for Eccles Rugby Club!

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TOM WEEDALL, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BLAZEHILL

Eccles is a fantastic local rugby club that both my boys Harry and Parker have attended from the age of 5. Harry will be moving into U11`s this coming season with last season being his introduction to contact. After some encouragement and understanding he realises that it’s better not too hold back so much in his tackling and is now truly off and running. Parker, whose U7s team I help coach is really involved and there is no stopping him. Both boys are part of two very good sides and have made some great friendships.

It is a very inclusive family orientated club that allows the kids to get out on a Sunday morning, keep active, improve their social skills and play with friends. The coaching setup is first class, they strike the right balance between fun and teaching them the core skills of the game. As they move through the age groups the rugby becomes more competitive and its certainly helped teach our sons some core values that they can carry through life, such as determination, teamwork and respect.

I am a big fan of sport but find that rugby is that little bit special in that they offer and inspire unity and camaraderie at the highest level. The company I am a director of, Blazehill, offer secured lending for complex situations, providing fast and flexible debt funding to the UK Mid-Market. We are very proud sponsors of the club and thoroughly enjoy giving a little back to help out.

As the parent of two children who attend the club every Sunday I am very grateful for the other parents, coaches, players and members who provide my boy`s with so many life skills they may not otherwise have received. Dan Nicholls and his passion stands out; from the U5`s to our 1st XV and everyone in between you don’t feel there is much needing to be changed at Eccles Rugby Club!

Originally from Devon and grew up playing club rugby till my mid-teens, and now living in Eccles, all three of my kids have been involved with the rugby club over the last few years. My introduction to the club was through my son`s friend who held a rugby party and, whose dad, Simon, also played for the club’s 1st XV. Before I knew it, I was helping coach my eldest in the U6s,

along with Simon, Martin and Steve (all dads who wanted to help!). I finished a year with the U7s before being asked to head up the new U7s coming through, whom my daughter, Holly, was part of. After a successful year with 28 children, I’m looking forward to continuing the journey as the U8s`s coach this Autumn. My eldest, Charlie, is going into the U9s this year, and with build like his dad, it’s likely to see him continue playing for some time. Oliver my youngest, managed to stay engaged through U5s and U6s, but was more interested in watching the trains and aeroplanes go by than the rugby- one to pick back up in a few years!

I quickly got to meet some new friends at the club, and even committed to do the Manchester half marathon in 2022 to help keep fit during the summer break; you need to be in reasonable shape to coach so many kids! I was approached by Sam Long regarding player sponsorship for him in the 1st XV, and then soon after James Wright got in touch to sponsor the entire Women’s team. As a company, Revolution have a mantra, `Do good, feel good, change the world`, and I thought why not do some good in relation to helping out these teams and helping them continue to enjoy sport, so we decided to sponsor the club both Sam, and the full Ladies squad.

Eccles Rugby Club is without doubt a special club with many exceptional people. In the hospitality profession that I am part of I have come across many super dedicated and driven people over the years. However, I have never met anyone who could match the commitment of Danny Nicholls in his drive to make the mini’s and juniors section the best in the country. Congratulations and thank you to all the volunteers’, players and supporters that have helped make our club such a great place to be part of!

ANDY SPRATT U7S COACH, SUPPORTER AND WOMEN’S TEAM SPONSOR: REVOLUTION BARS

Burntwood RUFC

50 Years of progress!

Our main focus for the next 5 years is to cement ourselves at level 7 for our 1st XV and level 10 for our 2nd XV. It’s important to us that we`re providing as much support to our players as possible, and improving training facilities, clubhouse areas and wellbeing support is also high up on the list. Like with a lot of clubs now, there seems to be a demand for a women’s rugby side, which we do have aspirations of setting up.

section is also looking strong, with a new Colts XV coming through, as well as a growing U9/10 age group! This Season couldn’t have gone better!

BEN HOLT CHAIR

I became involved with Burntwood at the age of 10, being invited down to train with the newly formed U12’s. 22 years later, I am still at the club in both a 1st XV player and chairman capacity. I naturally found the social aspect and camaraderie of Rugby addictive, and especially at Burntwood Rugby club where it was high up on the agenda. There have been some tough times, both on the pitch and off it over the last 15 years mainly, but as a club we feel like we’re in the strongest position we have ever been in, having just had both 1st XV and 2nd XV promoted, and the 1st XV winning the Staffordshire

Intermediate cup.

Burntwood is a medium sized town, and over the years we’ve produced some really good players, and very good teams. However, sometimes the lack of junior’s through into the seniors has delayed growth. Both high schools in the area use to have a good pedigree in Rugby, but now neither play at all meaning that our junior player pool seems to be shrinking. If you couple that with training facility issues, in general our player participation numbers have shrunk across the last 10 years. Over the last 2 years, we have really focused on integration of Colts XV players into the senior set up, to avoid unnecessary dropouts, which seems to be working!

Our philosophy at the club is really: Work hard, Play hard! We pride ourselves on our social experience as a club, and we try to instil that in all age groups. We’ve worked hard over the last few years to try and integrate our Colts XV better with the seniors sides. This season, 80% of our 2nd XV is made up of last year’s Colts side which is excellent.

An excellent 50th anniversary year has ended with both 1st and 2nd XV winning their respective leagues, and the 1st XV winning their first cup in 12 years! There is a lot of optimism for the coming year, we hope to cement ourselves in Counties 1, and spend 2 seasons at level 7 for the first time ever. Our junior

As a club we have been up into level 7 a few times, but never remained there, getting relegated as soon as we’ve been up. The plan is to secure ourselves at that level and look to go for promotion again in a few seasons! Our 2nd XV have applied to join the league system, so will hopefully be competing at level 10 next year. To remain there, fulfil every game and finish mid-table would be great for a team mainly comprised of 18-year-olds with some old heads scattered in for good measure!

We’ve always tried to improve the integration of our mini and junior teams into the club, but it’s become even more apparent over the last 5 years that minijunior throughput is essential for the club. We had a few years gap between Colts XV transitioning into Senior XV, and we noticed the detrimental effect that had on the Senior squad. Since we’ve had a good crop of Colts XV

”

A family club who work and play hard and where many individuals have put their heart and soul into making it what it is today! ”

come through, which started together at U12’s, the sSenior teams are flourishing.

We are absolutely a community club. Not only do we host rugby, but also events for community, such as charity events and business meetings. We’ve learnt that social media can be a powerful tool, so making sure our social media channels are up to date, and current has been essential to engaging the community. We rely on local businesses as sponsors to help us achieve our goals, and by ensuring they get the airtime and exposure has been a priority for us over the last 3 years.

The sponsors we have now are all local businesses, some big and some small. All of them have contributed to the latest success from our club. We’re really big at the moment on making sure that our sponsors get the most exposure possible, whether across our social media channels or our bi-annual patrons’ day. Without them, we simply wouldn’t be able to function.

Our club is a fantastic place to be! We have just finished our 50th season, and

we are in a strong a position as ever. The club is a family, and there are individuals and volunteers that have put their heart and soul into the club to make it what it is today.

We work hard on the pitch, and then play hard off it, and our social side, and welcome to our club is one of the best in the county. Here’s to another 50 years!

This season, the clubs 50th, both 1st and 2nd XV have won their respective leagues. The 1st XV also backed it up with a victory in the Staffordshire Intermediate cup, beating Stafford RUFC for the first time in our history.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

A couple of people to shout out that make it happen.

President and Director Rob Forsyth, Club Captain Adam Tuckey, Head coach Steve Harris, Claire Jarvis (Mini & Junior Treasurer), Directors Jim Davies and Andy Dodd, Treasurer Paul Turton, and LTD treasurer Gerry McGann. Senior Captains Josh Canning, and Craig Seedhouse. All of the life members of the club including active committee member Mansell Thomas, Paul Rogers and Allan Jarrett, and Ray Gleave Patrons secretary. Fixtures and Match secretary Andy Macey, and also Hon. Secretary Dave Jarrett.

Junior coaches Ollie Whitehouse and Marc Bailey (U9’s), Michelle Carter (U10 & U14s), Andrew Pinnington (U12’s) and Andy Allport (U14’s), Shawn Woodcock and coaches (U16’s), Mark Boswell, Leon Hughes, Carl and coaches (U17’s/Colts). First aid lead Sally Perrins, Safeguard lead Vicky Sonderlo and all organised and supported by Jan Sonderlo, Mini & Junior Chairman.

Burntwood RFC is a partner club of the Wooden Spoon Charity and continues to raise funds throughout the year!

Club handyman Ian Grey, Bar and events manager Chloe Grey and all of the bar and kitchen staff.

And all the people that make our club such a great place to be!

POTTED HISTORY

The history of Burntwood Rugby Union Football Club begins at The Drill public house on 20th November, 1972. Months of discussion about the viability of starting a rugby club led to its creation on that date by Founder Members Harry Cooper, John Brown, Norman Leyshon, Derek Morrish and the pub’s landlord Olly Moseley at an open meeting.

The Founder Members formed the club’s first committee with Harry as Chairman, Olly as Secretary, Derek as Treasurer, John as Match Secretary and Norman as Fixture Secretary. They decided on the club colours of red and green hoops which represented the green of Staffordshire and the red of Warwickshire. The white of England was added in season 1992-93.

With support from Tamworth RUFC and Walsall RUFC, Burntwood RUFC affiliated to the Rugby Football Union and the Staffordshire Rugby Union and played its first game on Boxing Day, 1972 which finished 11-11 away to Lichfield Canons. The first victory came on 14th

April, 1973 away to Trentham 3rds 14-9.

With The Drill as its HQ and playing home matches at Chasetown Comprehensive School (now Erasmus Darwin Academy) the club entered its first full season in 1973-74. The season also featured a 2nd XV and a colts XV. The following season a 3rd XV entered the field and a 4th XV followed the season after.

The club moved from the school pitches and set up two pitches on land just off Ogley Hay Road (now adjacent to Junction T6 of the M6 Toll Road) and played there from 1979 to 1983. From 1983 until 1995 the club’s main pitch was at Burntwood Recreation Centre with a second pitch at Brownhills School. In 1995 the club moved to its present grounds on the North Shore of Chasewater.

The club’s HQ also changed with stints at The White Lion (1978-9), the Meeting Point (1979-86), Chasetown FC (1986-1990), Chasetown WMC (19901995) before finally locating to the North Shore in mobile classrooms which were refurbished and furnished by

club members in 1995.

The current brick built clubhouse was officially opened in September 2002 after funding was provided by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the Burntwood Chase Partnership, Staffordshire Environmental Fund, Burntwood Town Council and its own club members. The clubhouse was extended for season 2010-11 to provide three function rooms with two separate entrances and four changing rooms.

There are three rugby pitches, two of which are floodlit – the first set of floodlights being installed in 2004. The excellence of the facilities has seen the club successfully host county

cup finals, county U20s and county seniors’ representative fixtures. It has also been recognised as an RFU Coach Education Centre.

Alongside the provision of rugby for adult players, the club also has a mini/youth section to provide a supply line of talent to the senior squads. Many have gone on to earn county representative honours and one player, Ryan Mason, became the first player from the club to play for England U16s. The RFU Seal of Approval was awarded to Burntwood in March 2006 to be followed by the club subsequently becoming an RFU Accredited Club.Immediately prior to the Covid lockdown in March 2020 Burntwood U14s won the county cup by defeating Wolverhampton in the final at Stafford RUFC.

Burntwood seniors’ first trophy was in the county’s Owen Cup Final in 1985. The next was not until ten years later despite some near misses but the club then hit a purple patch with seven cup wins in the next fifteen years along with four league wins and several league promotions plus four merit table wins for the lower XVs.

Whist the club is always looking to establish itself at the next level of rugby it is proud to have begun the rugby journey for many players who have gone on to play at higher levels of rugby including national league rugby. It is the club’s 50th Anniversary in season 2022-23. It has come a long way since those formative days at The Drill and has much to celebrate.

I moved to Burntwood 30 years ago with my wife so i would have 28 when a friend seconded me from my then club Lichfield and asked me to help out coaching at Burntwood Rugby Club.

I helped with our seniors and back then we had three teams playing each weekend. It was only a matter of time before I started playing too, usually as No.12 a positioned I maintained up until I hung my boots up aged 46. There were many memorable occasions over the years both coaching and playing; one of them was 21 years ago when I had the honour of being part of a great and talented squad who, up until this season, were the last Burntwood team to complete a league and cup double. This season I helped coach our 2nd XV made up of last years colts and a smattering of old heads. We finished our league as Champions and t’s been a great season for Steve Harris and our 1st XV too who completed the double. It’s particularly nice for those

lads who were around when we weren’t having so much success, but kept turning up, so for us to be back on a roll is great! Being part of a rugby club is all about commitment and teamwork; coming home after a day’s work tired and then having to go down to the club to train in the rain requires a determination to show up for yourself and others. Once you have one person committing then another joins you and before you know you have three committed members. And teamwork; as I say to the lads when coaching, we are teams within teams; the front row is a team, 6,7,8 are a team, 15 and the tight head are a team and so on and so forth.

My company Jed Property Services have been a sponsor of the club for many years now, and I enjoy giving something back to a club that has given me so much. Burntwood Rugby Club cater for everyone and is a level playing field for anyone who wants to be a part of us. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a bricklayer, plumber or doctor etc everyone’s welcome to come join our team!

JIM DAVIES, EXPLAYER, COACH, CLUB DIRECTOR, SPONSOR: JED PROPERTY SERVICES.

KEN SCOTT-CLEGG, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: CHASE ACCOUNTANTS

My own rugby playing experience was through school and although I never continued playing much after that I have always been an avid watcher and lifelong fan of the sport. My parents lived at the back of Walsall RFC, and we were always down at the club on weekends, and I feel this must have contributed greatly in me towards becoming such a big fan of rugby!

As an adult Birmingham Moseley RFC was really the club I first came to be connected with and that was ignited through being a member of a canoeing club close to Moseley and a pitch side business meeting there where I was able to fully experience grassroots rugby at its finest!

Birmingham Moseley would often have friendlies with other clubs, sometimes professional sides and fixtures with the likes Worcester fixture and Munster, and after being asked along to various other matches I quickly discovered that I could watch and enjoy most any rugby match that I attended and not necessarily feel restricted to following just one club. This led to me to many new experiences including international matches both men and women!

We decided to sponsor Moseley and advertised in the Burntwood programme leading to becoming a club sponsor for them too. My wife Bex is a player at Birmingham Moseley Ladies, and we have

always enjoyed supporting and helping both clubs out In any way we can.

The experience of a rugby club on matchday is something I believe everybody could benefit from and find it hard to not enjoy. On one occasion my sister and brother-in-law, who live in Torquay, were our guests at Sandy Park for an England V New Zealand match, and they were both quite amazed by the freedom of the experience. Seeing people walking about in a very fun and relaxed atmosphere with a drink and taking selfies in the crowd and post-match in the bar was something unfamiliar at the football matches hey had attended and they were suitably blown away to say the least!

Rugby has always impressed me with the unity I have experienced, not only within the clubs I have connections with, but with many other clubs, supporter and matches I have attended. In the colder months, and usually spotted wearing my Birmingham Moseley RFC supporter’s beanie, conversations have struck up with others rugby enthusiasts and followers who were familiar with a past player they remembered at Moseley or who they had memories of competing against; the friendly family feel of rugby has always been a joy and pleasure to me and is part of what makes rugby such an inclusive and great sport!

Burntwood Rugby Club are blessed with fantastic facilities, and I have often spotted a lone dear grazing as I have cycled past; such images are often quickly

posted on FB! On the pitch this season’s league and cup double winners is a testament to the effort and hard work that all the members have put into making their club so successful throughout this 2022/2023 campaign. With the many great mentors, the club are fortunate to have to guide the younger players forward at Burntwood, I am confident the club can build

on what they have achieved in this their 50th anniversary season. My wife Bex and I would like to wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued success and we are certain that this historic season will be the foundation of ensuring rugby will continue to be played at The Sportsway for the next 50 years! Well Done!

I played rugby at school, and we were fortunate to have a sport teacher who was mad keen on rugby so many of us ended up at Burntwood. I played for the club, usually as scrum half but on occasion as flanker, up until Colts level and had the honour of captaining the team. Work commitments put an earlier end to my career tan I would have liked but nevertheless I really enjoyed myself and made some great friends.

My dad Keith, a selfconfessed ` dirty horrible flanker ‘played for Burntwood and Lichfield and these days lives in Spain; back in his days many Lichfield players came through to play for Burntwood. My brother Dylan, also a director in our company, was a powerful front row prop for the club.

My son Jack Johnson played 2nd row in this seasons Champion winning side and Coach Steve Harris, who

EUAN GRANT, SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS: CHASETOWN CIVIL ENGINEERING

I am originally from Ayrshire, Scotland and a huge fan of rugby. Work took me all over the country, and I played for various clubs, including teams in Leeds and Jersey, up until I was in my early 30`s before moving into coaching when my children came of age. My connection with Burntwood RFC came about through my wife Aisling and her family business. As a company Chasetown are very keen to support local sport particularly Rugby, Football & Boxing, and as a lifelong fan of Rugby and Burntwood RFC being on our doorstep, it was inevitable that we would support and sponsor the club.

Chase Town Civil Engineering have been club sponsors for over 7 years

I played with and Steve`s brother, navigated a masterful season which started with the blooding of some younger players before really taking off and becoming pretty unstoppable. Steve was able to bring some very intelligent plays to the squad which on more than one occasion saw the team secure victory; his overseas travels and experience really paid off in his coaching this season. He was able to bring the best out in our players and that unity and reliance on each other is really what made the difference.

Burtnwood Rugby Club is a real community club in the truest sense. They are forever opening their arms to local people and supporting any and all initiatives. I honestly don’t think you’ll find a more welcoming and friendly bunch of people than down at our club. Myself Darren and all our staff at Johnserv Ltd and The Nelson Inn wish everyone at the club huge congratulation on the great success of the 2022/2023 season and for many more seasons to come!

now and although I don’t get down as often as I would like I have enjoyed the competitive nature of the team and how they performed and succeeded this season.

Winning the league and cup double is a great achievement and continuing to bring young people into this great sport speaks volumes for their community efforts and involvement.

Myself and all our staff at Chase Town Civil would like to congratulate everyone at Burntwood Rugby Club on a great and historic season as they celebrate 50 years of providing community rugby for local people. As a company we are not far behind them celebrating our own 50th next year! Best wishes and continued success to all the members, players and supporters at the club for the next 50 years!

www.chasetowncivil.co.uk

DARREN JOHNSON, SUPPORTER, FORMER PLAYER, SPONSOR: JOHNSERV LTD AND THE NELSON INN.

“Proud to sponsor Burntwood RUFC in their 50th year”

Birmingham Moseley Women`s Rugby

“Where every member treats each other as a sister!”

BEX SCOTT-CLEGG PLAYER, CHAIRPERSON AND SPONSOR: CHASE ACCOUNTANTS

I first became involved with Birmingham Moseley Men’s team; I was asked to attend the club on a match day to meet up with a mutual party in relation to a project I was involved with combining Birmingham Canoe Club and Birmingham Rowing Club and their facilities. I then started watching the Men’s team on a regular basis and became a sponsor for the men. I discovered that they had a Women’s team and was really intrigued about this, as I knew the difficulties of Women in Sport due to my previous years of WhiteWater Kayaking and usually being the only female paddler. Knowing there was a Women’s team I sought out some of their fixtures and began to watch them, secretly thinking I would love to learn how to play, One of their matches was a very bad day as the team consisted of

14 “forwards” and 1 “back” with no substitutions, at this point I discussed with my husband about going to potentially train and be a sub if they needed it, as I was still fairly fit, I just couldn’t get the courage to talk to them.

A few months later at “Burns Night” held at the club, I was introduced to a couple of the players as they needed some sponsorship to purchase some new playing kit in a Women’s fit, after discussions I agreed to purchase the playing kit on the condition I could get to train and potentially play for them. They were really excited as the team was in need of recruitment for “backs” and they were confident they could train me to be able to play. So, at the age of 41 I began to train ready for the 2019/20 season. I played my first game in September 2019 in a “Cup Match” against Lutterworth Ladies, It was only 10 minutes but I was elated.

At the beginning of the 2019/20 Season Birmingham Moseley Women recruited enough players for almost a second team, this was great for the team as it meant any players who were either starting out or needed further experience could play “friendlies” which were arranged and as a team we won all our matches and were granted the opportunity to apply for the second team to be part of the league system.

For the 2020/21 Season Birmingham Moseley Women had a team in tier 3 (Women’s Championship Midlands 2) and tier 5 (Women’s NC 2 Midlands (North West)). Unfortunately, this season was disrupted by Covid-19, both teams were moved into the 2021/22 season and both teams finished 6th out of the 8 teams.

I am still currently playing, normally as “Full Back” but as I am classed as a “utility back” understanding the game and majority of the positions the backs roles undertake within the game, I can be placed anywhere within those positions, occasionally I also get asked to play in the “flank” position.

For the 2023/24 Season I have also been asked to take in the role of Chairperson for the Women’s section, I was voted in by my fellow players in May. I feel highly honoured that my teammates feel I can take on this role and have a vision to move the Section forward.

Our main challenge that we face every year is recruitment, this was evident in the 2021/22 season, we

were all set for the 2020/21 season with enough players to field 2 teams comfortably but when Covid-19 hit and we weren’t allowed to train or play we found that players were finding other ways of keeping fit or thrill seeking, this had a knock on effect to our teams, due to losing players who just didn’t feel the passion for Rugby any more we struggled through the 2021/22 season fielding teams with just 15 players, which meant most of us were playing with injuries and feeling spent on a weekly basis, but we manage to keep both teams in their respective leagues.

Our other challenge is that our Ladies first team was playing a very high standard of Rugby and some of our players in the second/feeder team felt that they just weren’t good enough to play at this level and this has caused many to find alternative clubs which have started up in the area over the 2022/23 season, as players went elsewhere at the end of the 2021/22 season either to further their career in Rugby or just to play at a social level we were no longer able to field two teams. We notified the RFU that our second team would be closing, and we would continue with a single team in tier 3 we stayed positive and played every game with passion, we just couldn’t keep our morale up to stay in that league. For the 2023/24 season we have dropped down the league structure and will be playing in tier4

(Women’s NC 1 Midlands).

Our ambition over the next 3 years is to build ourselves into a team that is well driven, successful and moving up the league structure to tier 2, with a very passionate Coach who believes we all are capable of achieving this goal.

There are development plans with the main club and our Mini & Junior section to build a “girls” section which will compete in all age grade leagues just like the male section we already have. As a section ourselves who know how difficult our favoured sport Rugby is for girls to access through the regular school curriculum, we are hoping to send some of our players on coaching days so that we can help with this transition as women coaching girls would be fantastic, hoping the girls would feel more comfortable.

We have just instructed a new Coaching team for the coming Season, the new team are bringing along a philosophy, that has proven to work with our “Colts” section at the club. The philosophy was fundamental to our Colts improving over the last two seasons.

The overall mood within Women’s rugby is on a high after the Six Nations and the success that all the home teams are receiving, especially the full-time contracts that are now being issued to Women. This is a talking point within our team how fantastic that Women are now on a similar trajectory to the Men. As a team we would love to think if we could get a “girls” section, there is a possibility that one of these girls would become an international player.

During the 2022/23 Season we had a player join us who is a Welsh International, as she had moved to Birmingham for work. Also, at the beginning of the season we had many Coaching sessions with Heather Fisher, we are hoping that we may be able to facilitate this again for the 2023/24 season. During the 2022/23 Season 5 of our players were selected to play for “North Midlands RFU Women’s Senior XV” this is our county team. The Team Manager for NMRFU started her playing career at Birmingham Moseley, I believe she was in her late 30’s when she started playing.

So that we do not have issues in trying to accommodate two teams, we have a link with Five Ways Old Edwardians Women’s team, so any of our players who wish to try new positions or get further experience and confidence they can

have additional game time. We also have links with “Birmingham University Medics Women’s team”.

The 2022/23 season did not go very well for our teams on the pitch, we had to fold a team due to lack of players and the team we had was inexperienced at the level of rugby they were playing, there was also little consistency in players every week. Although the season didn’t go well the team feel that it was a great lesson on where we need to set our aspirations, for the forthcoming season. We have managed to weather the storm of 2022/23 and 90% of us are staying for the 2023/24 season so we know how hard we have got to play.

Birmingham Moseley Women’s Rugby is a great team to be involved with, every member treats each other as a sister, we will always look after each other on and off the pitch, our social events are always fun and accommodate for all, teams we play against say we are “too nice”.

When I became involved I didn’t just gain a handful of friends/ acquaintances, I gained an extended family and we always say once you put on the Black and Red, you will always be a member of the family wherever your rugby takes you.

We have a great new Coaching Team, they have been running sessions throughout May and June, so we can keep our fitness at a good level before we start into the pre- season for 2023/24. We have new action plan for our season, we are building as a team, our training sessions are hard work but are always made fun. We are an allinclusive team, beginner to highly experienced, we will work with everyone to make them the best Rugby player they can be. I know this first hand, I had never touched a rugby ball until I was 41, now I can’t wait for the 2023/24 season to start and enjoy my new passion!

If you want to be part of an historic club and play the best rugby, with your best friends, come down to Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club, Billesley Common, Yardley Wood Road, Billesley, Birmingham, B13 OHN.

Our Women’s section trains on a Tuesday and Thursday 7-8.30pm. We would love to see you. Pre-season starts 4th July, but we are out for a social event 1st July message us for details.

We are on all social media networks

Facebook: Birmingham

Moseley Women’s Rugby

Instagram: moseleywomensrugby

TikTok: BMWRFC

Email: birmingham.moseley. women@outlook.com

Harlow RUFC

Outstanding on and off the Pitch!”

Undefeated Champions of Counties 1 Essex!

PAUL TUCKER CHAIRMAN

I first became involved at Harlow Rugby Club in 2003 the year England won the World Cup. Whilst I did not play Rugby to any great level my eldest son became active at the club following England’s success. I have no doubt that the euphoria around this win introduced a lot of new blood to the game, I guess including me, albeit just a spectating Dad to begin with. My 2 sons and 2 daughters played out their early years within the Minis and Youth Sections with my 2 sons graduating through the ranks to Senior Rugby. My first hands on involvement was when I took up the role of team Manager with my youngest sons team. I managed this team through to and including Colts, with my

eldest son being one of the team coaches. Unfortunately, both my sons had to retire form the game at an early age due to ongoing injuries. No early retirement for me though as I was encouraged to take up the role of Fixtures Secretary and what we called Rugby Support Manager now known as Club Coaching Coordinator. I was nominated to join the Club Executive as Chair of Rugby and in 2021 was also appointed Club Chairman. I work in the Financial Services Industry as a Reinsurance Broker and pride myself on finding a way and being a doer!

THE CLUB

Located at the award winning Latton Park, Harlow Rugby Club was established in 1955, is a Government registered Community Amateur Sports

Club open to all, for all. The club’s aim is that each and every player, coach, volunteer and supporter embody the RFU Core Values whilst ensuring we all have some fun. We encourage players at every age to be the best version of themselves that they can be both on and off the rugby pitch. Our club is an open club an encourage new players of all ages and experience to join our rugby family.

As a community sports club giving back to the local community is very important to the club. We have supported many good causes over the years including weekly donations to Harlow Foodbank and an annual auction in support of the Poppy Appeal and the Harlow branch of The Royal British Legion. Our Ladies also support Sands, saving babies’ lives. Supporting bereaved families.

We are inclusive, diverse and maintain the highest safeguarding and anti-bullying standards. We are very proud of our record on these issues.

Our club is located in the centre of Harlow with first class state of the art facilities including a wide range of flexible banqueting facilities including a 670sqm outdoor terrace, which is licensed for 650 people, a 70sqm balcony, a large function room which can seat up to 200 and a smaller function room that can seat up to 50. We have three bars, including one outside,

and free parking for 120 cars. Harlow Rugby Club is also a licensed venue for civil marriages, civil partnerships and other civil ceremonies. We also boast 4 rugby pitches (3 floodlit) an additional training area, 2 sports therapy rooms and 8 self-contained changing rooms

We currently run 16 squads across 12 age groups from under 6 to under 18 comprising over 350 boy and girl players and a mixed ability group. 3 competitive male senior sides and 1 competitive female side, in excess of 140 senior players. Club membership totals over 650 players, volunteers, friends and families.

THE JOURNEY THROUGH COVID AND BEYOND

Our 2019/20 season was rudely interrupted and prematurely brought to a close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as being unable to complete our matches the end-of-season left us all with an ‘empty’ feeling and some un-finished business. As the RFU worked through the implications of ending the season early and a process to ensure fair and balanced outcomes for the game we began planning for the 2020/21 season, putting it at the top of all our committee agendas. We were immensely proud of the way our team(s) pulled together to support each other during ‘lockdown’. The

far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and humanitarian crisis started a very public discussion about the idea of a “new normal” that we all had to adapt to as we moved forward. I looked around our club and saw our team(s) choosing a “new better.” Better ways to work together, better ways to serve our players, and a better path forward that includes all our club.

At the start of the season our 1st XV objectives were clear as we set out to gain promotion to London 2 North East. With the premature end to the season with 5 games yet to play this left this very much in the balance and the wait to find out how the RFU would conclude the leagues was painful to say the least. Unfortunately for us we missed out on promotion by 0.16 of a point which was by far and away the smallest margin in any League. Sadly, the RFU council ratified the process by which the tables were finalised and as such there was no process for appeal, we did try!

The 2020/21 rugby playing

season was also a total wipe out and whilst the RFU set out plans and their Return to Rugby Road Map in the Community Game it was a long and painful process as we waded through the Do’s and Dont’s; Can’s and Cant’s; Yes and No’s. We initiated our own roadmap; we introduced socially distanced training; we introduced revised training schedules; we trained through the summer; it’s not as we would have liked but we just got on with it.

The Senior squad played one game under adapted rules; the 4th Team played two; our Ladies, Youth Boys and Girls played none; and our 2nd Year Colts played their first and last game only two weeks ago, before the majority go off to university. Outside of our mainstream training activities we welcomed Mixed Ability Sport to the Club on a Saturday morning; hosted Essex County Boys; hosted the UR7’s Girls Academy; hosted Essex County Girls.

We launched JOCA, ‘just one click away’ to promote

general well-being and offer support to anyone with mental health issues, and we adopted PROACTIVE, an online webbased accident reporting and risk assessment app. To the extent that we didn’t play a competitive game we were extremely busy. It felt a bit like a season that never started, but also never ended.

The great news is that for the most part our 2021/22 season was uninterrupted with all our teams; senior men; ladies; youth and minis rising to the challenge. Of particular note our 1st XV finished runners up in London 3 Essex being promoted to the restructured Counties 1 Essex (L7) League for 2022/23. We were also finalists of the Essex Intermediate Cup. With a few new signings we had high expectations for 2022/23 and targeted promotion to Regional 2 Anglia (L6). Our standards were set high, our performances were outstanding and we achieved our goals not only in securing promotion and winning Counties 1 Essex as Champions, played 22 won 22, scoring over 1,000 points

for and only 100 against and in the 2023/24 season we will play in London & SE Division - Regional 2 Anglia, playing L6 Rugby for the first time in over 16 years we also reached a National Cup Final at Twickenham. The manner in which this group of players and coaching staff have conducted themselves can only be described as “exemplary”, they have proven that dedication, attention to detail and meticulous preparation reaps rewards and highlights the one word that reflects the true values that we at Harlow have always thrived upon TEAM! The current group of players, coaches and support staff has given the club its mojo back, they are the talk of the town!

RUGBY LANDSCAPE

The Rugby landscape is changing which impacts us all! The RFU is still dealing with a challenging financial period and is making reductions in investment across both the professional and community game. As a consequence, we are expected to do more and more for ourselves as the RFU

delegate their authority – it puts more strain on us as a club and our army of volunteers.

The RFU talk about Strategic Priorities; Protect, Engage, Grow, Win. They promote a “balanced rugby club approach to sustainable development” which involves 3 key elements and 6 key drivers. If all are in balance and working then a club should be sustainable and able to develop successfully.

We need to focus on People, Business, Environment. We need to drive and

1. Recruit new players

2. Retain, re-engage, develop players

3. Recruit, retain and develop high quality coaches, referees and volunteers

4. Effective and efficient management and governance

5. Effective and efficient facilities

6. Integration with the Local Community

Whilst we still have plenty of work to do the good ‘news’ for

us is that we are ‘self-starting’ and have been incredibly successful in already realising a number of these objectives ….

Since we moved to Latton Park in 2017 we’ve seen a 60% increase in players since our final year at Ram Gorse growing from 305 to 488 in 2021. The overall increase in Minis and Youth has gone from 203 to 352 (+73%), with the increase in Girls alone rising from 7 to 41 (+485%). It hasn’t gone unnoticed that this is largely down to the army of volunteers that give up their free time to be involved. It’s also a testament to the generosity of our corporate, section and team sponsors!

SPONSORS

We cannot do any of this without the many Club Sponsors who assist us financially, we look to

Pentagon Tiles has been established since 1978 and the company moved to Harlow in 1997. Many of the Pentagon Team live in Harlow and watch the local rugby. As a result, when the decision was made to give something back to the community the Rugby club was considered. On visiting the club to discuss options, the immense voluntary support was very evident. The club is filled with passionate helpers and players alike. The facilities and wholesome vibe of the Harlow Rugby club made our choice easy, it just needed to be decided which age/gender to sponsor. As a parent of daughters, I know the importance of encouraging girls to remain in sport into their adulthood (friends made through sport often remain with you through life), plus I noticed the girls were wearing the boys second hand kit! Our decision to sponsor the girls exclusively has paid off; The pride on their faces wearing their new kit, the cohesiveness of their game, the utter respect for the coaches/ competitors is all evident and the huge growth in female players has been a pleasure to see.

work with individuals and companies that share our values and our love of sport, creating a partnership that supports common goals, values and objectives. The support from our clubs sponsors is invaluable and I know is really appreciated by the players and the club. I for one am very proud to understand the longevity of our many relationships. As a Club with a rich history, we are ambitious on the rugby field, but to support this moving forward we need to have a commercial outlook that is equally ambitious and only by exploring, exposing, and exhausting the untapped commercial opportunities will we truly meet our on-field ambition at every playing level. We are in a wonderful facility, that if managed with a commercial eye, can support the development of rugby at every single level.

DAN HUGHES

SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: PRINCEPS ELECTRONICS LTD

I`m born and bred in Harlow and to be honest I have always been a football fan but knew about the rugby club and some of the guys working here at Princeps where players/fans of the sport. When they moved to their excellent new facilities it was clear that Harlow RFC were genuinely community focused, it wasn’t long before the relationship with the club and its members developed, we would often visit the club for a pint after work on a Friday.

Princeps became a club sponsor in 2018 and the impression left on me by the club is one of awe as I started to witness the internal workings and got to meet many people involved in the club players, coaches and members. Over time I increasingly enjoyed watching the team’s performances and keeping a keen eye out for their results. I appreciated the high level of skill and commitment amongst the players. A few trips to

Twickenham and being able to enjoy a beer or two was another highlight of the sport!

This season has been exceptional for the 1st XV! To have gone undefeated in such a competitive league is no easy task. The dedication to mini & junior rugby as well as the development of women`s rugby makes Harlow an all-inclusive community driven Hub ran by local people for local people. It has often crossed my mind that if opportunity had knocked, I would have loved to have played this great sport and benefit from the great camaraderie and friendships I see at Harlow.

I have always been made to feel most welcome by everyone at the club and it’s great that they are deservedly receiving this recognition in Rugby Club Mag. I wish everybody at Harlow Rugby Club all the very best of continued success for many more years to come. A particular well done from myself and our staff at Princeps for everything you have given to the town of Harlow!

ROBERT DEAR, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: GWC ACCOUNTANTS

Our relationship with Harlow Rugby Club started with one of partners David Geiss who played for the club. My own involvement was really through our clients who were friends of the club. Once the club built their excellent new facilities it became a truly great place to take our clients. We have also enjoyed supporting the club through sponsorship whenever possible.

I was originally a footballer but having spent a lot of time amongst rugby people it has now developed into becoming my favourite sport. The high level of performance and the professional attitude amongst players and coaches alike have really served the club well this

season culminating in finishing the league as undefeated champions. The cup final at Twickenham was a great day out that I shared with my daughter Lauren who also had a lovely time. One of Lauren`s friends also plays for the club.

I cant speak highly enough about the commitment and effort I see from Paul Tucker, Alan Price and the many unsung heroes, over at Harlow, they really make you feel very welcome anytime you visit the club.

Myself, our directors, staff and of course Julia, who has close family connections with the club through the Clarke family, at GWC Accountants would like to congratulate everyone at Harlow Rugby Club on an outstanding season and thank them for their great contribution to the people of Harlow.

Neil Stebbings, Sales Development Manager for Greene King Brewery said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to sponsor Harlow Rugby Club this year. Their new facilities are fantastic and have made the club a real hub for the community of Harlow. We’re also proud to supply a number of our beers, including Greene King IPA and Level Head to the club, which are proving popular.”

“Greene King are passionate about supporting organisations that hold similar values to ourselves. Finishing any league as undefeated champions takes some doing, but in rugby it’s always inspired by unity and friendships off the field and this is something Harlow rugby club do so well! We would like to congratulate everyone at the club on such a great season and best wishes in the higher leagues next season!”

GTDS is a specialist high voltage electrical engineering company providing design, engineering, installation, testing and commissioning services to the Electrical Generation, Transmission & Distribution industry.

courses available for coaching

and things like first aid are very people of Harlow!

www.gtds.co.uk

Llandaff Rugby Club

Promoted and Absolutely Bouncing!

ENDAF WILLIAMS

CLUB SECRETARY

I first played for the club, for a short spell back in the nineties, during an university degree placement in Cardiff. My boss at the time played for Llandaff and invited me down and I was welcomed with open arms and selected to play for the Druids team on the following Saturday (the

Druids were a collection of younger and veteran player and it was a great introduction to the style of rugby at Llandaff RFC). I played outside half in that first game, and remember putting in a fantastic spiralling kick from our own half that bounced into touch near the oppositions 5 yard line; only to receive a rollicking from the captain

who promptly explained to me that Llandaff played running rugby! I didn’t dare kick again that season, but we scored a number of flowing `length of the field tries.`

I then went back to University to finish my degree course and got on the career path in the Finance industry, which often meant working away, so rugby had to take

a back seat for a few years. My re-connection happened in 2009, when my son at the age of seven said he was interested in joining a local rugby team, and the obvious choice was Llandaff having been welcomed so warmly back in the nineties myself. I got in touch with the Mini & Junior Secretary and his response was “Yes - as long

Beverley Wookey is Sales

Director for Redrow in South Wales. She said: “Llandaff RFC have had an excellent season and it has been particularly encouraging to see so many younger players taking part in the game and learning new skills. As the leading premium homebuilder, we’re really proud to be supporting such a great club in the heart of the local community.”

as you’re prepared to help out with a bit of coaching” .. I was re-connected and have been hooked ever since. I gained my requisite coaching badges along the way, and also took on the Team Manager from the Under 10s to Youth. My connection with the committee was purely by chance when the then Vice Chairman asked me to help out with the odd finance task during club choir practice. Rugby club management has changed beyond recognition in the last 10 years. There is a huge shift in increased compliance, governance, health and safety, financial management, technology advances and lots more, so finding people with the right skills to make sure we’re running the club responsibly is a huge ongoing challenge these days, and that’s before you start talking about the changes in rugby and rugby culture.

At Llandaff RFC we pride ourselves by establishing a whole club approach. Rugby is at the centre of everything, but we have to remember we are in the entertainment business, so making sure our facilities are up to scratch has been a priority for the last 6 or 7 years. We have already refurbished and reconfigured the club function room (the design was done by a Laura Ashley designer) to attract party bookings for birthdays, weddings, christenings and more. We have also upgraded our Audio Visual and connectivity systems to attract business bookings, and in the last year we invested heavily in new modern changing rooms and showers. Our philosophy is to re-invest into club facilities whenever we can.

On the field our coaching philosophy is to be totally inclusive. If you want a rugby experience, then there’s a format for you at Llandaff RFC or Cardiff Chiefs Rugby. We operate a policy where everyone gets to play, and that goes from the Under 7s to the First Team, without exception.

Our club is bouncing at the moment. Player numbers are at their highest for a couple of decades with over 80 senior players and 300+ players involved in the Mini & Juniors from Under 7 through to Youth and even though a significant proportion move away to University for a period of time, many return to the club at the end of their studies.

The First team have just secured promotion to WRU Division 3 East Central as league champions of Division 4 East Central. The second team (known as the Athletic) also finished as champions in their league and secured the Harry Parfitt Trophy (for the most tries scored in the season). The Athletic also finished runners-up to a very good St. Peters side in the final of the Ron Lucock Cup that was played recently at Cardiff Arms Park (home of Cardiff Rugby).

One of our most recent success stories is the

stratospheric rise of Louis Rees Zammitt into the Welsh Team, who played for the club through the Mini and Junior age groups. We are very proud of his recent success at international level as well as the success of all our past and present club and international players. We also have club links with a team in the South of France - Digne les Bains, and we have recently been invited to be the representative side from Wales to compete in the inaugural Amateur Rugby World Cup to be held in the South of France over two weekends in September 2023 (23-30th Sept). We are placed in a pool that mirrors the actual Rugby World cup, so will play against our counterparts from Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.

We have set up a Women’s team during the 2022-23 season under the mixed ability team - Cardiff Chiefs, from a standing start, numbers are already increasing and the women’s team have played a few friendly games against local opposition. We look forward to continuing the journey in Women’s rugby.

Touch rugby plays an important part of club activity during the summer close season. Whilst the coaches start to plan pre-season, the players organise their own touch sessions and enter the odd touch tournament to stay together in those down weeks. Touch is also a crucial part of making Mixed Ability

POTTED HISTORY

Llandaff RFC was formed in 1876 by Cambridge graduate Illtyd Thomas and our first Wales international player was Leonard Watkins, an Oxford Blue graduate. These links are still reflected in the team colours to this day. Llandaff is one of handful of teams in Wales to still play on its original ground, the infamous Bishop’s Field under the shadow of Llandaff Cathedral.

What’s more remarkable is that the club has never owned the pitch and has been leasing it from the Church in Wales throughout our history. Like many clubs, we stopped playing during the World War years and we pay tribute to our fallen players displayed on a plaque in the clubhouse. The club was instrumental in forming district Mini and Junior rugby in the 1980’s through the foresight of a Llandaff Rugby legend Ron Jenkins (who still serves on the club committee to this day)

Llandaff is one of handful of teams in Wales to still play its original pitch, the Bishop’s Field. What’s more remarkable is that the club has never owned that pitch and has been leasing it from the Church in Wales throughout that time. the club stopped playing during the First World War, but then reformed after the war only to lose WRU status due to an administrative error, only to be regained in 1948.

The club were instrumental in forming district Mini and Junior rugby in the 1980’s through the foresight of a Llandaff Rugby legend Ron Jenkins (who still serves on the club committee to this day).

Clubhouse improvements in the 1990s and more recently have seen the club continue to develop its facilities for members and the community.

rugby work. Touch players play alongside contact players in friendly (but competitive) matches, enabling everyone the opportunity to enjoy a true rugby experience.

Llandaff Rugby Club also plays an important role to bring our community together. The majority of our players, young and old, come from the community around us, but just as important we also play host to a number of other sports, including Le Croupiers Running Club, the Cardiff Panthers Aussie Rules team, two local cricket teams, numerous skittles teams, the district referee’s society, School of Hard Knocks and a local choir. We partner closely with the Local University, the local Schools and the WRU to

provide a training venue and we arrange a range of rugby, music and food festivals for the community.

The recently upgraded function room is available to book for parties, weddings, engagements and more to bring in the additional income needed to manage the costs of running the club, and whilst run a tight ship, it is the support of our many sponsors and grant givers that truly enable the success of the club, enabling us to kit out and provide excellent facilities for our teams and to put events on for the local community. Llandaff Rugby Club is a fun and happy place to be at the moment. Our Head Coach has created a wonderful joined up culture throughout the club and we continuously strive to look at ways to

improve the connections right across the club. The club is forward thinking, and we aim to constantly anticipate changes in the world around us and adapt - as long as we continue that mantra, then we will continue to thrive, be relevant and provide a great range of rugby and non-rugby experiences to the players, our members, and to the community and visitors of the club.Without sponsors, we simply wouldn’t exist. We manage a tight ship and bring as much income into to support the costs of running the club, but its the support of our sponsors that enable us to kit out and provide rugby facilities for our teams and put events on for the local community.

Llandaff Rugby Club is a fun and happy place to be. Our Head Coach has created a wonderful joined up culture throughout the club and we continuously strive to look at ways to improve the connections across the club. Most of all the club is forward thinking - we try to anticipate changes in the world around us and adapt - and as long as we continue that mantra, then it’ll continue to thrive, be relevant and provide a range of rugby and non-rugby experiences to the community and visitors to the club.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Touch rugby plays an important part of club activity during the summer close season.

NATHAN HARKUS, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: NJ HARKUS CARDIFF PLUMBERS

I live in walking distance of the club and am a huge sports fan. As my business developed I was looking for a club that had the same values as my business and were passionate about helping people in our local community. I had sponsored other clubs and sports before but didn’t feel the connection was right and that I have now experienced at Llandaff. The atmosphere and family feel of the club is second to

none and the quality of play across all levels of the club has been magnificent to see this season.

My stepson Jacob plays at the club and my son Mason plays for another local club that enjoys great relations with the Llandaff.

It’s fabulous that Llandaff Rugby Club are deservedly receiving such great recognition this season and myself our staff at NJ Harkus Plumbers wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued success for many more years to come.

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PAUL KEMP, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: KEMPOWELL

Although my business is situated in Herefordshire, we carry out a lot of contacts in Soth Wales and Cardiff. As we spend so much time there, we felt that it was only right that we also support the local community. We were looking for a club that held similar values to Kempowell; were keen to be the best they can be and provide a 1st class service to local people.

Llandaff are a very famous club in their own right and with the reputation they had we were keen to connect with them. After speaking with Paul and others at the club we were so impressed by their commitment and attitude to

their community and passion for helping local people, young and old, we decided we would like become a sponsor.

The 2022/2023 campaign has been nothing short of outstanding at Llandaff and across all levels with both senior teams winning their respective leagues and a thriving junior section which ensures that rugby will be played at Llandaff for many years to come.

It’s been a pleasure to be a sponsor of a club who are really carrying the flag for grass roots sports. I would also like to thank the club for their friendship and example, wishing you all the very best of continued success during the 23/24 campaign and for many more years to come!

GARETH COLES, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: COLES FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Being an independent, family run business in the city and a Cardiff Man myself, I have always felt that supporting our local community and giving back, especially to our young people, was very important to me and all of us at Coles.

As a lifelong fan of rugby, I’m aware of the tremendous and much needed service that clubs like Llandaff provide through mentoring, support, friendships, fitness, and the mental health advantages it provides to our young people.

Llandaff Rugby Club have always had a very good reputation in our region as a well-run and organised hub for local people. It was however the passion that the club demonstrated that really impressed us at Coles and we were inspired to get involved and help in any way we could.

As a local independent business, Coles does not have endless budgets for sponsorship like larger corporate companies but the budget we do have, as a family, we are passionate about supporting grass roots sports and the many advantages it offers our communities.

It’s fantastic to hear that Llandaff Rugby Club have been recognised as `Welsh club of the season 22/23` and all of us at Coles are proud to be sponsors and we wish everyone at the club, continued success for many more years to come. Well Done!

CARDIFF, DACIA AND ALPINE

It was really through my brother-in-law that I first became involved with Llandaff Rugby Club. An invitation to go on a club rugby tour to Canada in 2009, which was a great experience, started my relationship with the club.

These days you will find me down at the club most Sunday mornings with my sons Elijah (aged 7) and Isaac (Aged 5) who both started at the beginning of last season in the club’s excellent mini section.

The 2022/23 season can only be described as outstanding across all levels. With both senior teams finishing as champions and a m&J section which is thriving surely ensures rugby will be played at Llandaff for many years to come. The commitment and dedication of the parents and mini & junior coaches as well as senior players, bar staff, supporters and members just creates a fantastic atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.

As a sponsor of the club, I very much enjoy supporting the teams and appreciate how

well organised club they are in providing a safe and fun environment for local people. September will see the club embark on another tour and hopefully we can take in a few Welsh fixtures in France.

The success of Llandaff Rugby Club on the pitch really comes about from their family spirit of it and it’s great to see that they have been chosen as Welsh club of the season 2022/23, well done to everybody!

KEVIN CANHAM, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: RENAULT

KEVIN TAYLOR MBE,

SUPPORTER

AND SPONSOR: INDIGO

It was really through my son James that I became involved with Llandaff Rugby Club. James started in the club’s

youth section and made his way through to senior Rugby, usually playing in the scrum-half or centre positions. These days his rugby is played down at Exeter where he is at university.

This season has been

outstanding both on and off the pitch. There are a lot of moving parts to running a rugby club successfully which requires the dedication of many volunteers to keep everything functioning and ticking along. At Llandaff, and at many other clubs, these individuals are very often unsung heroes. Grass roots rugby, and sport in general, is something we have to look after and keep developing, ensuring current and future generations have the opportunity to participate.

Indigo is delighted to have become sponsors of the club recently and very much enjoy contributing to growth of sport in any way we can.

The high standard of play during the 22/23 campaign was a joy to watch and its great news to hear that Rugby Club Magazine have chosen Llandaff RFC as their `Welsh Club of The Season 2022/2023!` Congratulations to the Champions and everyone at the club on such a successful campaign and best wishes in the higher league next season!

City of Armagh RFC promoted to top division after remarkable 12-year journey

City of Armagh RFC is one of the oldest clubs in Ireland having been established in 1875 and the club is looking forward to celebrating 150 years in 2025. The club only rejoined senior rugby in 2011, with the past 12 years being a memorable journey.

Promotion was achieved with one match to spare when the Palace Grounds side defeated University College Cork 24-20. Commenting on the day of the victory, Head Coach, Chris Parker, said: “It’s been a fantastic day for the club. The journey it has been on, these past 12 years, from junior rugby to Division 1A is an unbelievable achievement. I am so proud of the whole squad.”

The story of City of Armagh’s rugby journey began back during the 2010/2011 season, when Armagh won the Junior League after pipping Belfast side, Cooke RFC and gaining

promotion into the Senior All-Ireland League. That year they were also awarded Ulster Club of the Year, which was surely a sign of things to come for the budding small rural club.

Armagh’s debut in senior rugby in 2011/2012 got off to a strong start, with the club having progressed to fielding four adult teams. Club PRO, Evan Morton commented, “Back at that time, there were 16 clubs in each league and City of Armagh finished a very credible 6th place in their first season. Remarkably, the team finished in 6th place for three years in a row. That’s what you call being consistent!.”

At that time, Armagh were in Division 2B, the lowest tier of the senior league and a long way from Division 1A. Due to restructuring by the IRFU into leagues of 10 teams, Division 2C was created in 2015 and that same

year, City of Armagh bagged their first promotion, staying in Division 2B alongside Ulster clubs, Rainey Old Boys, Dungannon and Banbridge.

Evan added: “That year, we were also runners up in the Ulster Senior League, which was a credible achievement for a club of our stature at the time.” In the same year, history was made at the Club when they appointed the first female President in their history, Shirley-Anne Donaldson. The following year, even more milestones were attained, as not only did the Club win promotion out of Division 2B, but they also won the Ulster Senior League for the first time ever. Evan credits this success to the Club’s strong youth policy, with the Under 18 boys team winning a cup and league treble that same year.

“That set the foundations for our younger players coming through to play for the senior teams,” he explained.

The following season, 2017/2018, was probably the most successful season in recent history with success for teams throughout the club. The First XV secured promotion for the second year running, making their way into Division 1B of the AIL. On top of that, they also won the Ulster Senior League again and the Ulster Senior Cup for the first time in their history, defeating Ballymena narrowly in the final and once again City of Armagh was named Ulster Club of the Year.

In 2018/2019, the club made its debut in Division 1B and with five out of the 10 teams from Ulster, there were some terrific derby matches.

“That was another tremendous season for us,” Evan said. “We won the Ulster Senior Cup for the second year running and we also qualified for the final of the All-Ireland Bateman Cup for the first time in our

The 2022-2023 rugby season will go down in the history of City of Armagh Rugby Club as one to remember, with the First XV securing promotion to Division 1A of the Energia All Ireland League, the highest tier in Irish club rugby.

The 2022-2023 City of Armagh senior squad with the AIL Division 1B trophy.

City of Armagh’s Palace Grounds with the original Archbishop’s palace in the background.

history, which was a major achievement. The boys were real underdogs for the final, but gave Munster 1A side, Garyowen a really competitive match. That season, our Second XV won both their leagues while our u16s boys won a cup and league double. Firm foundations were being laid with our u14 boys completing their league programme undefeated. We had also seen our girls section expand through the hard work of our coaches and volunteers”. Off the pitch, that year also saw planning permission granted for a major clubhouse redevelopment and fundraising had commenced

over several years to fund this.

By the 2019/2020 season, the First XV were in their second year in Division 1B and won the Ulster Senior Cup for a remarkable third year in a row, defeating Ballynahinch in a thrilling final, 38-34!

The arrival of Covid saw a halt to rugby activities, but the club committee took a brave decision to commence building work on phase one of the clubhouse redevelopment, with a major extension that provided two new changing rooms, a lift for disabled access, toilets and a new entrance foyer. This was a substantial development, which was 80% funded by the club itself and is a great credit

to the members who worked so hard to make it possible. After the pandemic, rugby returned to relative normality in the 2021-2022 season, with Armagh’s First XV finishing mid-table, in 6th place.

This incredible 12 year journey then came to an amazing climax on April 1st, 2023, with City of Armagh completing an undefeated season at the Palace Grounds. The team won the league title with one game to spare, due to neighbours Banbridge holding nearest rivals Old Belvedere to a draw in Dublin. For the final match of the season, the team travelled to the early pacesetters in the league, Buccaneers and defeated the Athlone side, 24-31, to finish the league programme with 14 wins from 18 starts. This means that in the 2023/2024 season, City of Armagh will be competing in Division 1A, the highest tier in the All Ireland League.

PRO Evan Morton continued, “It’s been an incredible journey and credit to the coaches and managers in particular and especially the players who have displayed great dedication and commitment.”

At the end of season, Energia AIL Awards, City of Armagh collected two awards. Head Coach, Chris Parker won the coveted Coach of the Year Award and Ryan O’Neill won the Division 1B Player of the Season Award. 2022/2023 was also the first season that Armagh managed to get allocated Ulster-contracted players, including Shea O’Brien, a homegrown Armagh boy. “Our four Ulster players were a big boost to the team although James McCormick missed half the season with a serious shoulder injury”.

“The club’s success is all down to our volunteers. We have a very hard-working

committee and over 100 volunteers across the club. Running a rugby club is a huge financial commitment and we undertake a lot of fundraising. Every club in the country has been under financial pressure due to huge increases in energy costs for clubhouses and rising travel costs, but we’ve been able to cope and we’re reaping the awards on the pitch.”

Many will put City of Armagh’s success down to their strong youth provision, starting with a hugely successful mini section with 275 registered players. The p7 boys have just returned from a tour to Barcelona and our end of season blitz had 1400 children participating. Our boy’s teams continue to be very competitive and our U16s won their provincial league. We hosted a large touring party from New York state at the end of the season playing two underage matches. The club’s girls’ section, in particular, has also grown extensively in the last number of years and this season our girls won the Ulster U18 Cup and the U16s won the Ulster Plate. Former Ulster Rugby coach Brian McLaughlin was brought in as a consultant to assist with youth coaching and development, which has been a huge benefit to the club.

“City of Armagh is a real family club. A lot of the players’ fathers played for the club and now we see three generations in the club, with grandchildren playing in the minis as well. We’re very cross-community focused and we have children from up to 30 schools in the local community that come to our mini section and these kids mostly stay and move into our youth section.”

Evan added: “The club also plays an important

First XV players, Paul Mullen, Evin Crummie and Shea O’Brien who have graduated from the U18s.

The First XV celebrate at the end of their victorious league programme at Buccaneers.

City of Armagh U16s, Provincial League South winners 2022-2023.

role in the local business community and we have a terrific group of sponsors. Without their help, we simply couldn’t survive. Our main club sponsor, concrete specialists, Taranto, is based in Tandragee and has been our lead sponsor now for seven years.”

When asked if the club were looking forward to the challenge of playing at the top level of Irish rugby, Evan said: “All Ireland Rugby is extremely tough and competitive and you don’t have any easy games.”

He added: “When you’re travelling to clubs in Cork

and Limerick, you certainly have to battle for every point. This season the guys have completed their league programme undefeated at home, which is a tremendous achievement. It’s going to be very challenging, there’s a lot of excellent teams in 1A but everyone at the club is excited by the challenge. We’re delighted that we’ll be playing Ballynahinch as the only other Ulster club in that league. It’s great for Ulster Rugby that there’s now two Ulster clubs in the top division. “It’s great for Ulster Rugby and great for the City of Armagh in particular.”

City of Armagh U18 girls collect the Ulster U18 cup.

The P7 mini tour squad before their departure to Barcelona.

Club President, Tom Galbraith with Seamus O’Neill and Chris Parker at the Energia AIL Awards night.

Lutterworth Rugby Club

CAT HIRST CHAIR

Whilst I’ve always enjoyed watching rugby, either down at Welford Road cheering on the Tigers, or in the pub with friends for the 6 Nations, I started playing rugby somewhat later in life at the age of 35. I was bored with the gym and wanted a new challenge that encompassed fitness and a greater social connectivity. The power of Google led me to Lutterworth RFC and I have never looked back.

From my very first training session, I was made to feel welcome and part of the Lutterworth family, it was something special and I vividly remember wishing I had joined sooner. Alongside playing, opportunities arose for me to learn and become more involved with the running of the club. Initially I took on the role of safeguarding officer in 2019, then in the 2022/23 season myself and Hannah Faulds were made Chair and Honorary Secretary respectively, the first time in the club’s 150 year history that these positions had been held by women.

Lutterworth RFC is celebrating it’s 150th year this season, a momentous achievement for a communitybased sports club, making us the oldest club in Leicestershire. With over 800 members, and 20 teams spanning U6’s through to senior men’s and women’s sides, Lutterworth is going from strength and I am immensely proud of everyone involved giving up their precious time to keep this stalwart of Leicestershire thriving.

There have been a number of significant successes over the years regarding player progression, most recently we have had 3 of our women’s senior side being selected for England deaf, the men’s senior section have been victorious in both the Clonmell Cup against

Newbold RFC and the Papa John’s North Shield Plate Final against Percy Park RFC not to mention several Lutterworth players being selected to represent Leicestershire in the various county campaigns across the ages. And what is wonderful to see is that the vast majority of these senior players came through the ranks of the junior teams, so there is a real sense of club honour and pride.

But Club success doesn’t happen without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and the generosity of our sponsors. Rome was not built in a day! We have a huge mini’s and junior section that train on a Sunday morning, Hannah leads Didi rugby on a Saturday morning for children aged 18months – 6 years and we are working in collaboration with Leicester Tigers to host mixed ability rugby over the summer, it really is a hive of activity and long may it continue!

To end what has been a phenomenal season, we are hosting the Club Summer Ball in June. This will be a spectacular event where current and past players, supporters and volunteers will be able to let loose and celebrate everything we have achieved so far.

If any of this as inspired you to dust off your rugby boots, or maybe even buy your first pair…please get in touch!

OUR HISTORY

By the time Leicestershire RFU was born Lutterworth RFC was in its teens. It is well[1] known in the county that Lutterworth is the oldest club in Leicestershire, the second oldest in the Midlands, and is now 150 years old. The Rugby Advertiser of 14th

December 1872 reported that “The Lutterworth Football Club have commenced play for the season” and invited challenges from neighbouring clubs. Being well situated between Rugby, the birthplace of the “handling game” and Leicester, Lutterworth arranged matches between clubs from both places, and the first recorded match was at Lutterworth against Rugby Crusaders on 28th December 1872. The teams consisted of twenty players and although Lutterworth scored a goal, the actual result of the match is not known. By March 1873 about 70 clubs and schools were enrolled under the Rugby Union standard. During this year one of Lutterworth’s opponents was Leicester Athletic, one of the first clubs formed in the City. In 1880 Athletic amalgamated with Alert and Amateurs (the three

A’s) to form the Leicester Tigers Club.

By the early twenties

Lutterworth was back to normal and on 26th September 1923, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a match against Leicester Tigers. Leicester won by 18 points to 12. Mr T H Crumbie, secretary of Leicester Tigers, was the guest speaker at the Jubilee Supper, held at the Greyhound Hotel after the match. During the 1922/2 3 season, Lutterworth won the Rolleston Cup for the first time, defeating Oadby by 8 points to 3 after extra time.

The match was played on the Welford Road Ground. Lutterworth’s captain was Reg Elson, another player who devoted many years to the club. The people of Lutterworth were so delighted by the club’s success that the Town Band met the team at the station. They then

150 Years Old, a momentous achievement for a communitybased sports club, and still a Family!

marched to Auburn Place, the home of the president, George Spencer. In the 1923/24 season Lutterworth and Oadby again met in the final of the Rolleston Cup, Oadby were the victors this time. But in the 1924/25 season, Lutterworth were again winners, beating Aylestone Athletic by 4 points (a dropped goal) to nothing, on the Leicester Ground at Welford Road.

It is interesting to note that a dropped goal was worth four points in 1925. By the thirties the problem of a permanent ground was again uppermost in the minds of officials and players. The cricket pitch had once more been used between 1918 and 1922, but then Major Heseltine, who owned or leased the Cherry Orchard, agreed that Lutterworth could use this land. We still played on the Cherry Orchard after the death of Major Heseltine in 1932 until 1936 when the land was purchased for use as a school playing field.

The search was on for a new ground and for two years Lutterworth played on part of the town recreation ground. This piece of land is now also used for school soccer. In 1938 we transferred to the “new” recreation ground and played there until we were in the happy position of being able to purchase our own land. Throughout this period teams still changed at the Greyhound Hotel and in the early thirties a bath was installed (probably by the brewery) in one of the outhouses. The bath was enormous and it was the job of the groundsman of the day to light the huge copper in the outhouse and to fill the bath with hot water for the comfort of the players. For

this task he was paid 10/-, a fortune back in the thirties. By 1946 the going rate for the job was 3/6d - a reduction of 6/6d! This bath and the changing facilities were the envy of many visiting teams of the time. As I have said, the bath was huge, and being four foot deep, needed gallons of water to fill it.

Players got in and out with extreme caution! I will now briefly mention the Second World War, when the club had to make do, as senior members either volunteered or were called up. Derek Woods, a stalwart of the club for many years along with Harold his brother, kept the club ticking over by forming a Colts team. The team played on the Grammar School playing field.

By 1944 the club was once more fielding a senior side and in the 1947/ 48 season celebrated its 75th anniversary. At the close of the season in April 1948, Leicester Tigers sent a team to play us and the result was a draw - 20 points each. This was a good result for Lutterworth because the Tigers team differed by only five people from the team which was to play Blackheath on the following Saturday. The match was well attended by Lutterworth supporters and the Anniversary Dinner which followed was held at the Town Hall.

Among the Lutterworth players that day was T G Williams - “Woofer” - who was to play Rugby for many years both for Lutterworth and Rugby Lions, and is still playing today. Five years later at the 80th anniversary celebrations, Mr Sid Packer, Leicestershire RFU secretary recalled “the old days” in a toast to the Club. In December 1954 we purchased a clubhouse for £700. This was formerly the Baptist Chapel in Chapel Street, only yards away from the old bath in the Greyhound yard.

The new place needed a lot of renovation and decoration and much of that work fell on two club members, Vic Wheatley and Terry Hancock. In May 1955 the new Clubhouse was formally opened by C F “Squib” Burton, then President of Lutterworth and a past player. The 1958/59 season proved to be the best season since the Second World War.

Out of 30 matches played by the first team, 22 were won, 5 were drawn and 3 only were lost. Points scored were 412 for, 82 against. There were three regular teams with many

notable players. Brian Wigley, a Lutterworthian, played during this season. He then went on to play for Leicester Tigers and the County for a short while before leaving England for Kenya. While in Kenya he played for East Africa against the All Blacks. The first team captain in this successful season was J Turner, a former Cambridge Blue and Tigers prop.

The “Swinging Sixties” passed by quite uneventfully as they must have done for many county clubs. Our colts won the County Sevens Cup in 1965. In 1967 we made the headlines in the dailies by enlisting the help of a lady at training sessions. Christine Pontefract was a PE teacher and wife of Lutterworth player Bob Pontefract. Socially the club was very successful with dances, discos and whist drives to raise funds. However, on the playing side the matches were mediocre.

This was hardly surprising since, as a result of the 1958/59 successful season,

COLTS

Colts fortunes have varied over the years from variations in teams at Junior levels into the early 90’s as it often wasn’t possible to field a colts team. Season 1995/6 saw them reach the semi-final of the County Cup. In 1999/2000 they reached the final but lost to Market Bosworth. In 2008/9 they got to the quarter finals of the National Cup and won 22 of 29 matches played. In 2009/10 they drew with Syston in the County Cup with a score of 15-15, also reached round 3 in the National Plate and finished 4th in the County Colts league A.

we had begun to play much harder fixtures - such as Solihull, Lichfield and Tamworth. And so we reach the seventies, and the exciting prospect of the Centenary celebrations, the first in the county. Two or three years before the 1973/74 season a special committee began to plan functions to commemorate Centenary Year.

But in 1972 we reached another landmark in our history - we purchased a substantial plot of land. This was in Ashby Lane, Bitteswell, and it had room for three pitches and a clubhouse. Although it was a long way from being usable, everyone felt it was a step in the right direction. However, plans for its development were shelved as we prepared for 1973/74 Centenary Year, which I must point out was one year later than it should have been.

Lutterworth celebrated their 125 Anniversary in 1998. The 125th Annual Dinner was held on 23rd October 1998 and was attended by Peter Trunkfield, RFU President, David Swirles, Leicestershire RFU President and the guest speaker was W.J.McBride. The President at the time was Paul Blake (currently our Chairman) and in his comments on the menu he wrote “ 125th – One Year Late.

One of the more endearing traits of our club is our innate sense of punctuality and meticulous adherence to dates and anniversaries, Not only do we forget to organize the bus for our away games, but, from reading our history, we are celebrating this anniversary 1 year late. The clubs first recorded match was on Dec 28th 1872.

We celebrated our 50th during season 1923/4, our 75th during season 1947/8, our 100th during season 1973/4 and our 125th during season 1998/9. I’m sure that by the end of the evening most of us will not have the mental agility to carry out the arithmetic. However, I have

taken counsel with respect to the mathematics from a number of our more cerebral members, including the Robbins and the Johnsons, and they do not see a problem, so let’s just enjoy the evening” We did. The club became Lutterworth RFC Ltd in 2001 when it was registered under the Industrial & Provident Societies Act 1965. This removed the need for club trustees and the potential liabilities they might have incurred.

SENIORS

On the playing side the 125th season was started by a tour to Canada and a game against a Leicestershire Presidents XV The last 25 years have seen the most profound changes in the game in general since the RFU itself was formed on the 26th January 1871. League rugby was introduced in 1987/8, mini & junior rugby at club level has largely taken over from schools as the introduction to the game for most children and the introduction of Ladies Rugby. The commencement of leagues has encouraged clubs at all levels to introduce coaching which has generally

improved skills (some would argue that the social side may have suffered ). The period has also seen playing numbers and number of teams fielded rise, peak and then decline. This certainly applies to us and I’m sure most other junior clubs. We now turn our 3 teams regularly which is what we were doing in the 70’s. In season 92/3, 93/4 and 94/5 we were turning out 5 teams every week with and occasional 6th team. League Rugby for Lutterworth began in Leicestershire Div 1 where they finished in 4th place, next season they won the league and were promoted to Leics/East Midlands league. This equates to National level 7 and with one exception ( season 2000/1 saw them relegated to level 8 but they won immediate promotion the following season) they have remained there ever since. During that period the league has been called Leics/ East Midlands, Midlands East 2, Midlands East 1, Midlands 3 East South, Midlands 2 East South. The restructuring took place in 1991/2 1995/6, 2000/1 and 2008/9. The 1st XV in 2010/11 was largely made up of players from

LADIES TEAM

Formed in season 1999/2000 the team were in East Midlands Div 4 and won promotion in their first season. In 2001/2 they finished second in East Midlands 3 and were promoted again. They also won the Northern Shield that season and then beat the Southern Shield winners, Cullompton by 10-7. In 2002/3 they were second in the league and promoted to Midlands 2 and also won the Northern Challenge Cup In 2003/4 they were promoted from Midlands 2 to Midlands 1. They struggled in that league for three seasons being relegated to Midlands 2 in 2007/8. In 2008/9 they won National Challenge league Midlands 2 and in 2009/10 they finished sixth in Midlands 1.

the Colts teams of the two previous seasons and it is a testament to the work done by the mini & junior sections over the last 25 years that this has been possible. After a first half of the season that produced one win they subsequently had a run of six consecutive wine to give them a respectable 7 th position. The 2nd XV have been playing league rugby for a number of season. In the Clonmell Cup (Rugby & District) they reached the final in2003/4 loosing to Daventry. They won the cup in 2006/7 by beating Rugby St.Andrews 41-0 in the final. They won again in 2007/8 beating O.Laurentians 15-3 and again in 2009/10 beating the same club. In league rugby they won promotion to Leics 2 in 2008/9 and the following season were promoted again to Leics Premier Leage. The 3rds have been ever present during the whole period and in 2010/11 finished 3rd in Liecs 4. The club is indebted to many people during the period, in particular the following:- 1 st XV Captains from 87/8 have been:- R.Tranter, T.Walker, I.Johnson, I.Bills, K.Liscombe, N.Hutt, D.Johnson, M.Ellis, D.Hall, P.Wilford, C.Gregory, P.Riley and J. Croucher (some serving for more than one season). Presidents during the same period :- M.Ross, M.Willey, E.Garnett, P.Blake, M.Entwistle, C.Payne and M.Holmes. Treasurers:P.Blake, E.Barker, J.Spurrier and M.Willey from 1992/3 to date Secretary : C.Hudson.

MINIS SECTION

For most of the period we have been able to turn teams out at U8,U9,U10,U11,U12

and latterly also at U7. Secretarys during the period have been M.Willey, E.Barker, M.Perks, D.Adams. A.Glanville, P.Littlewood, Harriet Harman, S.Leah, P.Hooseman, D.Randall and Helen Scutt. There is a continual record of success during the whole period. In 1987.88 the U10 won the county festival. In 1990/91 and 1991/2 the U8s, U10s and U11s all won festivals in 1992/3 the U12s went all season unbeaten. In 1993/4 there was an U7 team for the first time.

In 1999/2000 the U9 won the County Festival and were unbeaten all season. In 2001/2 the U10s and U11s were county champions. In 2002/3 there were 117 registered players in the section and the U12s were county champions for the fourth year running. In 2003/4 the U8s toured to the Netherlands. The following season there were 124 players. In 2005/6 the U11s were county champions. In 2007/8 both U12s and U13s were county cup winners. In 2008/9 the U7s won the county festival nd the U9s won two festivals and The Tigers Prima Cup.

JUNIORS SECTION

This section struggled in terms of numbers through into the 90’s. There was no U17 until 93/94. In 1994/5 U13 reached county final, U14 had only three losses all season and had 6 in the county squad, U15 were stand alone after being with Westleigh but made it through to county semi final, U16 joined with Sth Leicester to make a team. 1995/6 the U15 were tournament winners but other teams did well.1996/7 the U16 were county finalists and U13 plate winners.

Many players won county honours and R.Sands played 2 games for England 16 age group. 1997/8 N.Southern was selected for England A in two games and R.Sands for England 18 group Presidents team In 2002/3 we turned out 5 teams for the first time. Still some problems with numbers but 104 registered players. Eight U14 players made county squads.U17 lost in county semi final. Tour to Ireland at end of season..2003/4 U13 won county cup, nationals 10’s and Sysyton 7’s. U14 lost in semi final of cup. U15 lost in county final to Hinckley. 2004/5 U13 won county plate, U14 went 29 games unbeaten, won Banbury 10’s, county cup and Syston 7’s.

After 2 years planning the team went to S.Africa on tour, a fantastic achievement.U15’s won Syston 7’s. U16 toured

Italy had 2 players represent Midlands and Tom Collett played for England 16 group. 2005/6 U13 lost in county semi final. U14 had 11 players in county rugby. U15won the county championship for the 7th year. U16 lost in county semi final. 2006/7 U13 lost to Hinckley in county semi final as did U14 who lost to Oadby Wyggs.

U15 lost to Loughborough in county final. U16 won county plate, Syston 7’s for the 3rd year. 7 players picked for Midlands, Josh McLaurin selected for two England 1 games. Matt Everard awarded Tigers contract. 2007/8 - U13 were county cup winners, Kenilworth 10’s winners and Syston 7’s winners, U14 Warwickshire Bowl Winners, U16 County Cup finalist, Syston 7’s winners, Ordizia winners, U17 county cup winners and also toured to Australia and Matt Everard selected for England 18 group team. 2008/9 - U17 were league champions with an unbeaten record and also county cup winners.U15 were semi-finalist in county cup and winners of the Leicestershire Invitational Plate.

U14s were county champions, Lexus North and Mid East Regional Champions, Exeter tournament winners and Syston 7’s winners. 2009/10 – U13 played 20 games, won 12 and also beat the Dutch National Champions. U14 were county cup winners. U15 were county champions and Syston 7’s winners, George Ball played for the Midlands, U16 played 32 matches and scored 900 points, U17 finished mid table in county league.

Secretarys during period have been J.Haggart, M.Entwistle, J.Sputtier, A.Watling, P.Sands, D.Adams, P.Littlewood, D.Kelly and S.Leah. I addition Chris Everard, Troy Thacker and Mick Walters have helped many teams with their coaching skills.

GRAHAM BENFORD, EXPLAYER, TEAM MANAGER, JUNIOR CO-ORDINATOR & SPONSOR: COLTMAN BROTHERS LTD

It was really through my friends at school that I first became involved with rugby and Lutterworth RFC. I was immediately thrown into the tighthead-prop position and played all the way through to Colt’s rugby. My wife Karen, our rugby mum, and I, have 5 children with Archie and Wilson picking up the oval ball and our eldest Sam and daughters Matilda and Nell choosing other directions.

Archie is still on the books at Lutterworth and was part of this seasons Papa Johns North Shield Plate winning team, coming on in the second half, in his usual 2nd row position, he was able to make a charge down and contribute to our lads scoring a try. Karen and I have had the privilege of following both Archie`s and Wilsons teams over the years. Archie was picked up by the Leicester Tigers Academy and the DPP pathway then after being spotted at St Joes Festival went onto to spend time at Denstone Boarding School, which he loved, and is currently in his second year at Brunel University. Brunel works in partnership with Ealing Trailfinders, training, playing rugby and studying Mechanical Engineering; a very full syllabus to say the least.

Wilson is part of Lutterworth’s U13`s team and plays 10 but looks likely to play flanker this coming season.

My business Coltman Brothers Ltd have sponsored the club for many seasons now and are currently on the mini`s shirts. I really enjoy helping the

club out In any way I can after all they have given myself and my family so much.

One of the hats I wear at the club is Junior Rugby Co-ordinator. If we wish to see our club continue to thrive it Is very important for me to make the various transitions as easy and painless as possible. From mini`s to juniors and from juniors to Colts. Not having an U16`s team at the moment offers a challenge and I see the involvement of senior players and the benefits they can bring to helping younger players transition into senior rugby as vital and invaluable.

I get a huge amount of satisfaction through being involved with Lutterworth Rugby Club. I feel I have a duty of care to play my part amongst many other great members our club has and to playing my part on ensuring rugby continues here. I have always found rugby is a great sport and allows our players to release aggression in a healthy way. When Archie attended Lutterworth High School he was involved in a conflict with one of his fellow students and being 6 foot 6 and super fit he perhaps propelled his agitator a bit too far and higher than he should have. I told him that if he was to be a repeat offender, he would not be allowed to play rugby; the sport he loved. Rugby was able to guide him and I am proud to say that he keeps his aggression on the field of play, backing up his teammates 100%, just like our sport teaches.

Congratulations to everyone at Lutterworth Rugby Club on 150 years of outstanding contribution to rugby and all the best of fun and success for the next 150 years!

Oban Lorne RFC Champions of West 2!

“One Family!”

HEAD COACH

CORRIE LOUW

Originally, I am from South Africa although I moved to Oban after a spell in London. I came from an open and engaging community in South Africa, so it was difficult to get use to the different cultures and non-engaging people in London. I got to Oban and a couple of days here I got invited to come to the rugby club, I was welcomed and joined straight into a 7s tournament! The team and the coach were very welcoming, it was like I had been in Oban forever. I ended up becoming the captain for the team a few years before, alongside being a player for the men’s first 15, I also became head coach and also head coach of the ladies. During my time at Oban Lorne, I have been lucky enough to be part of the club growing from strength to strength whilst also accomplishing great achievements. As a player and coach, I have been lucky enough to be part of the

achievements and history cremated in the last few years which are winning league titles with the men’s team

The men’s team winning the bowl final at Silver Saturday at Murrayfield.

Winning league titles with the ladies’ team. The ladies team winning the bowl final at Silver Saturday at Murrayfield.

The ladies team coming second in the plate final at Silver Saturday at Murrayfield.

We are a rural club and when pupils finish school they tend to go to the city for university and college. It is hard to keep hold of them as you want the best for them and to find their dream job and succeed, on the other hand I would love to see them stay to be part of the club and its continued growth. Being Rural and living in Scotland winter weather can make it a struggle for training & facilities as there is only one 4g facility in the area which is extremely busy with all the other local sports teams.

To me though this issue highlights the camaraderie and family ethos in the club as there is never any bad feeling in the teams when training is changed

at the last minute. A lot of the time this can mean both the ladies and men’s senior teams have to train together, which can be difficult due to the difference in experience, but everyone just pulls together and do whatever they need to and make it work helping both teams develop and strive for better. As a coach I am lucky as the two teams have some good leaders in them that help the main goals of our rugby family.

Oban Lorne are always striving to be better and develop our facilities to make it the best rugby experience for all our members This season we were fortunate enough to have picked up our own physio that by chance wondered into a training session and wanted to get involved. We did not hesitate to sign him up and he has been a massive asset in keeping our players fit and allowing us to achieve and succeed on the pitch. Oban Lorne not only wants to achieve on the pitch but also off the pitch. Currently we are in the process of working on our development plan and getting all the permissions to make it happen. Our development plan is the following.

• Club extension

• 2 extra chainring rooms

• Extra referee room

• Gym

• Physio room

• Pitch getting upgraded

• Stand for up to 500+ seats

• Floodlights

• Running track for athletics

• 4G park

• Turbines for renewables

• 4G area for outside gym and exercise

• New fences

This is a big development plan which will not be achieved overnight but shows a bright future for the club for non-playing and playing members. The local council have been working with us hand in hand and are 100 percent behind us and the development for the

community, which is great!

Inevitably we can have all the plans in the world, but the most important thing is the link between the junior and senior rugby in order to retain members and keep players wanting to be involved in the club. We have started a lot of one on one and smaller groups sessions with some of the junior players that are close to becoming seniors in order to help make their transition to senior easier for them. Development for the young players is the key to carrying the flag on.

My philosophy for the seniors is to play heads up rugby. Do the simple things well and good defensive is good attack. As a club we work hard on the park but also on the social side as a club woman and men together!

The mood is great. The two groups’ energy has been feeding into the community and that community is feeding off the club now. Success is a great feeder too, so many people are coming back and interested in our club.

Not only has the club had success but also some individuals have had success

in their own right. Magnus Bradbury played rugby for Oban High School before moving away and becoming a professional rugby player. Formally he played for Edinburgh and represented Scotland and now he is currently playing for Bristol Bears.

Also, our ex-club president Dee Bradbury became the first female president of Scottish Rugby.

Dee has been made honorary president in Oban Lorne RFC.

Our current captain Vasco represent his county of Bulgaria in international Rugby. As a club we have welcomed players from all over the world: New Zealand, Australia, Wales, South Africa, Bulgaria to name a few. Two of our former players Radi and Vladi have also represented Bulgaria in international rugby. It is such a positive having so many different cultures involved.

Being rural can make playing numbers difficult with people leaving for work or having to work away from home. It can be tough to commit and sometimes

can be a lot of sacrifice for players. This season though I think it showed what happens when we all pull together. This season was probably the best for our men’s team ever! We came into the season with 16-19 players but pulled more guys back by performing well and having good team chemistry. We went unbeaten the whole season and lost one game in the cup to a team that was top of the league above. NOT BAD!

Our Woman’s team started slow with 11 players at the start of the season. We rebuilt with a few players returning and young players turning 18 for the cup games. We started strong in our cup campaign winning all their group games and getting to the semifinals. The ladies won which means we made it to Murrayfield for finals day in the plate. Unfortunately, the ladies lost, which on the one hand was gutting but on the other hand they can take so many positives from where they started the season with a poor league campaign to getting to finals day in the plate. An amazing growth in one season and something strong to build on for next season.

Our men’s team have a massive season ahead after being selected to represent Scotland in the first ever amateur World Cup in France so strong preparation is key. For this season we will want to win all our home games and aim to finish in the top half of the league.

Our women’s aim is to have a good preseason and improve numbers through recruitment, finishing in the top four of the league.

Woman’s rugby at our club has its own challenges, but the group that is currently playing is a mix with new, young and experienced players. It is challenging but we are rebuilding the group and we work hard to bring everyone up to a good level whilst working as a team . With the school of rugby doing well for the girls’ department it is great to see and we are trying to link the club and school together with the players.

For being a club in a small rural town we couldn’t be luckier with the number of businesses sponsoring our club. Our sponsors a big part in our club from

the minis to the first team. With the big development that is happening they play a vital role in helping us reach our goals. All our kit and equipment for minis to seniors to make us look like one club and a united front.

Oban Lorne Rugby Club is a great environment to be in. Different cultures, languages, people old & young all want the club to do well. It is a close community, so this makes it easier; everyone knows everyone. If you are new, you will feel welcome from the start. Our socials are great! Rugby family is a big yes for us and we work hard on making our family bigger.

LADIES CAPTAIN KIRSTY SINCLAIR

Being a small town on the West coast of Scotland, our main issue is that we struggle to get numbers to field a

team sometimes. We’re also effected by local girls moving away to Uni so we’re always encouraging and welcoming new girls along to try our rugby!

There’s a really good, positive vibe within the whole club at the moment. Both the men’s and women’s teams have had good seasons and are working together, be it training or socially, there’s a really good relationship between both teams.

Our ladies’ team had a bit of a struggle at the start of the season with numbers which is reflected in our games lost and two games having being forfeited due to not having a team. We then did a fantastic job in cup games and got all the way to Murrayfield for the final.

For me, Oban Lorne RFC is a welcoming, supportive and family friendly community to be a part of.

MURRAY HAMILTON YOUTH CONVENOR

I started playing mini rugby when I was around 6 years old, since then I played through all the age groups and played for the 1st XV. After injury and returning home after university to work at the High school I became involved in the Club committee and coaching at the high school. Since this time, I have been involved with starting the School of Rugby program and also chaired Argyll and Bute RFC in the employment of our development officer. I have held the roles of youth convenor for 10 years and also acted as vice president, secretary and president of Oban Lorne in this time.

One of the main challenges in the beginning was finding players and coaches at all levels to participate; now we

face the challenge of finding enough coaches to lead all of the players that we have, this is good problem to have. Along with this there is the same national issue with finding match officials.

We have a very healthy ambition within the club; the main aim is to provide a safe and enjoyable environment and experience for everyone to enjoy Rugby. In order to do this, we have exciting plans to take ownership of the parks and develop the facilities for training in all seasons as well as ensuring safe changing spaces for all and a social space for members.

The club was established in 1962 (before my time) it started with 1 men’s team then grew to run 2 men’s teams in the Glasgow district leagues. School Rugby was strong in the 70’s and 80’s and the club continues to grow, launching youth Rugby and mini rugby. Oban Lorne also started the women’s team and this year our Ladies were in the national plate final.

The mood is very optimistic I would say – Ladies have gone from strength to strength. Our men’s team is going to be part of the first Amateur World Rugby Cup in September; our youth teams are boasting great numbers and our U16 girls won the national plate this year. We have had youth players representing our District and Glasgow Warriors. Off the pitch we have very exciting plans about the development of the club and facilities. Overall, I would say things are very much on the up.

We have historic links with Pencoed RFC in Wales and Gorey RFC in Ireland. More recently we have a link with USC Terrasson in France.

We have a number of players who have represented the region or district but notable mentions in recent years go to Abi Evans, Scotland Women and Women’s 7’s and Magnus Bradbury Scotland men and Mens 7’s. Both currently playing professional Rugby.

of youth rugby across the board. Men’s team to play in the national league and to have a men’s 2nd team. Ladies team to grow in numbers which will lead to competing for the league.

Off the pitch we have a 10-year plan to develop the ground starting with getting a lease for the ground for 50 years which will involve working with Argyll and Bute council in a partnership.

To expand the club house to include more changing rooms, ref changing rooms, players’ lounge, gym and physio department which during the week can be booked for private appointments raising funds for the club, function suite with bar, kitchen facilities and Club shop.

This will mean we can employ our own development officer and club manager.

• 500-seater stand.

• 60m to 100m running track (first in Argyll and Bute) which can be booked to raise funds for club and maintenance.

• Wind turbines and solar energy will make the club financial better off allowing funding into grass roots rugby.

• 4g pitch this will allow games and training and reduce cancelation of both due to bad weather. This will also be available for hire, raising more funds for the club.

• 4g area for boot camps and training area.

• Increase storage facilities for other clubs.

• Make the club disable friendly allowing more community involvement.

The club is very positive on and off the pitch and we have to embrace the changes and make the club ready for the next generations.

I think we are on the way to being a great community club, we have to engage more with the community which is part of our ongoing development plan.

The potential to become a center point for rugby in Argyll and to create a facility

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for rugby, football, athletics and a hub for the community is a very real possibility.

We have some great people involved in the club who want to move us forward.

The players from minis to junior to adult are very welcoming and for me it’s like being back in the military where we all look out for each other.

I think sport is very important for all as we now live in a world dominated by social media and the pressure of life is very high.

Any sport especially team sport releases you from these pressures and give a positive outlook. Oban Lorne Rugby Club must build facilities and continue to provide sporting opportunities for all! This will hopefully reduce mental health issues, isolation issues and build friendships forever!

WILLIE NEILSON, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: ABC4

DRAINAGE

I played a little for the club back in the day and being fairly quick on my feet I usually ended up on the wing. My dad Billy was big rugby player who played 2nd row. He spent time playing for many clubs over his career including Strathaven, West and East Kilbride.

Unfortunately running 2 businesses and family commitments don’t allow me to get down to the club as often as I would like. My 2 girls Orlaith and Callie aged 5 and 4 and my son Arlo who is just 1 keep me busy.

I have main friends at Oban Lorne Rugby Club and their achievements in a rural community are very impressive. They really provide a positive hub for people in our region to meet and make friends. As a club sponsor with my business ABC4 Drainage I have always enjoyed supporting them and wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued success for many more years to come!

RONALD

GORDON CLUB DEVELOPMENT AND SPONSORSHIP.

I became involved in the club when my son started playing rugby for the under 18s. I then became a sponsor of the club six years ago. Eight months ago, was when I really started to become heavily involved in the club when I got involved in helping develop the club facilities and raise money through sponsorship.

On the pitch the ambition is: To see further development

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