Community rugby club`s are the salt of the earth and the club`s appearing in this edition have been selected not just for there great on field endeavours but because they are clubs for the people ran by the people.
It no longer surprises me how rugby brings men, women, and children together in the most special way. Lifelong friends and gratitude for those connections are a reality for many of us. Community is everything.
As we see out another year, sit back and enjoy the insight that our interviewees and clubs have delivered, perhaps you may be inspired to bring some of the ideas that make their clubs such a great place to be part of into your own club.
A very merry Christmas to all our readers and an even better 2025 from all of us at Rugby Club Magazine.
Yours in Rugby
Martin
Morgan
London Welsh
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“We all strive to keep our club’s reputation as one of the most famous and welcoming rugby clubs in the world!”
DANNY GRIFFITHS CLUB CHAIRMAN
ABOUT ME
My Granddad, Ieuan Griffiths, was born and raised in Fochriw, Rhymney Valley, South Wales. He was a tough old bird, although a keen rugby follower he played more football growing up in Fochriw and his claim to fame was playing for Aberdeen during the war in 1941 while stationed at an anti-aircraft
unit. A Welsh miner from the Rhymney Valley, he worked in the collieries from the age of fourteen but moved to London in the thirties during the depression, it was there he met my grandmother, and they were married in 1941. He had an active war as one of the soldiers who stormed the Normandy beaches and went all the way through to the crossing of the Rhine. After the war he returned to Chelsea in London where my grandmother lived and ended up working for the NCB. Back in those days, Chelsea was very working class and had a large Welsh community. A lot of people might not know this, but there was a Welsh chapel along the King’s Road where many would gather on Sundays.
When I was three my grandparents adopted me
and I was brought up in that Chelsea community, a huge part of my life was spent with him going back and forth to Wales, and I would be taken to hear all the local gossip at Chapel and the various other events that come from his involvement in the London Welsh Male Voice Choir and London Welsh RFC. It seemed everyone from the police, the local dairy to my teachers had moved to London from Wales to make the little Welsh enclave that I grew up in which is why my attachment is so strong to that community to this day. I actually played on the hallowed turf of ODP as a young child at London Welsh in the ‘70s, when it was the hunting ground of a team that provided seven British and Irish Lions for the 71 test series which saw the Lions win the series against the All Blacks (a record I believe still hasn’t been broken) that was during the days of JPR Williams, the great Welsh fullback known for his aggressive style, John Dawes, Mervyn Davies, Gerald Davies, Mike Roberts, Geoff Evans and of course John Taylor, the outstanding Welsh and Lions flanker who notably stood up against apartheid after visiting South Africa in 1968. Having a rugby legend of the stature John Taylor as a friend now is something I would never have believed happened to people
like me growing up, but rugby is a magical thing throwing us all together.
Sadly, Ieuan had a massive stroke when I was 16 which would make him virtually housebound with increasing levels of dementia until he finally had to go into a care home, this had a huge impact on me, and I lost touch with the club and in all honesty lost my way a bit.
Being a youngster in Chelsea in the late 70s 80s and left somewhat adrift, I got really into music and the youth culture of the day, and rugby was unfortunately one of the things that went by the wayside, with no close family with ties to rugby or Wales in the area I ended up moving between the Pubs and Chelsea FC for my weekend entertainment, also doing a three year stint on the door on the Kings Road with my friend Paul who
Gran and Grandad.
would eventually tempt me back to Union which kicked off the bond that lead to him becoming my daughters Godfather.
But the initial reintroduction to rugby came from the most unusual place, a guy I worked with—who was a rugby league player for an amateur team in Fulham—said to me, “You’re Welsh and meant to love your Rugby. Why don’t you come and play for us?” That was my way back (albeit the wrong code to some) and I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing league and the world it opened up (I even got an extra part in a Dennis Waterman film about the Kangaroos tour in 1905 as a league player from Hunslet) and when my friend as mentioned above who I worked the door with moved to Kent and started playing Union I joined the Union side he had signed up for and I haven’t looked back, the friendships made in Kent, then at London Irish when I played for their Amateurs were great stepping stones that lead to being back to what I class as my real home, London Welsh.
Even returning to London Welsh though was another of those chance happenings as one day in the late 90s, when the usual London Irish game I was meant to be playing in was called off, the captain of the London Irish vets’ asked if I would have
a run out with them. When I asked who we were playing, he said, “London Welsh!” We were playing their Occies, a legendary social side that has in its time had more than its fair share of quality players, we lost that day to their two outstanding backs, Phil Parker and Steve Pill who could make a try out of nothing. Later, in the changing room, a Welsh guy called Mark Nicholls noticed my Welsh towel and said, “What are you doing playing for the Irish if you are Welsh? You’re playing
for us next season!” The rest is history I rang the Occies Captain at the time Mike Powell and that was the start of the long journey to being Chairman today.
The welcome I got from day one re-enforced that I had done the right thing as within the first few weeks of being back at Welsh I saw my uncle, Gilmore “Gil” Fox, a man very much cut from the same Fochriw cloth as my Grandfather, a former scrumhalf, Welsh miner, sailor in the RN and prison officer, who
was a member of the club for years and is still fondly remembered by some of the old boys. Gil was standing at the bar and I hadn’t seen him since my grandfather’s funeral several years before and as I noticed him I heard his booming voice shout, “What are you doing here?” When I told him I was playing for London Welsh, he patted me on the back and responded with a huge grin, “Only 25 years too ***** late, boy!” he then bought me a pint, It was a wonderful experience
to reconnect with him again and we had many sessions post-match and also outside the club after that day. Gil unfortunately died a couple of years ago after becoming ill with motor neurone disease leaving me as the last in the family line still at London Welsh but thanks to the club I had got to reconnect and become close to him again.
Playing wise I soon slotted into my preferred position in the front row—preferably THP but played wherever needed, the legend that ran the Occies, the team I was now playing for, was a man called Em Williams, he had run the side since the 60s and served over 7 decades at the club, a hero to all of us and someone I would use as inspiration on how to manage a side with that perfect balance between success but mixed with enjoyment and comradery, all a priceless lesson for when I eventually started captaining and managing that team on the journey to becoming Chairman, it was the ideal template to build success whilst maintaining our club ethos.
To be honest there have been too many mentors and inspirational people I have met at London Welsh and who were instrumental in giving my life a new direction and I will never forget the massive debt I owe the club for helping me turn my life around for the benefit of both myself and my wife and daughter, whilst also allowing me to revitalise that strong connection to Wales and my granddad. I feel that if he is looking down, he would be immensely proud and that in itself is special.
BEING CHAIRMAN
Running a club with the history and gravitas of London Welsh is a huge task not just for the day to day hours of the usual tasks but also being aware I am following in the footsteps of rugby giants, many my heroes of old and many who I know built what we have today, master builders to my apprentice.
But I think having those
personal connections to the club as well as knowing its history have helped me understand not just the enormity of the task but also how that legacy and that shared love for London Welsh are also a huge advantage if utilised properly to make it work.
The key to any successful club outside of a completely professional setting are its volunteers. Getting those at any club is always challenging, but at Welsh we have a wealth of great people from the board to the supporter’s club who spend so much of their time giving back to London Welsh and I am sure love it as I do. The key is creating a club people care about, then finding the right people in that community who want
to give something back. If you are not getting enough or the right volunteers, it means you are not giving enough back to members and players as a club. One of the great examples of things we do differently, which is very important, is “The Hub,” managed by Hayden Parry, it utilises so many of our members resources of knowledge and professional skills together to create a central point of contact between players and industry leaders, mentoring those players that need help or guidance arming them with the right tools to achieve success or even rethink their career aspirations grounded in reality. That has been a huge help to all that have
used it and an asset I am proud of; we are building on the HUB to delve into the wellbeing side as well.
The London Welsh Rugby Club Choir is another fantastic asset, this provides a unique addition to what our club offers by making it feel that little bit more traditionally Welsh on a Saturday, all of these things from players and supporters drinking together post-game, provide a unique Welsh experience that can be enjoyed by anybody who loves their rugby, whether Welsh or not but in short being member focussed is the key to our success as without our members we are nothing. I find all of this creates such a fantastic environment at Welsh and this has lead me to
see more players benefiting from being a part of the rugby community in ways that maybe weren’t that obvious even a decade ago, and whilst both men and women gain a great deal from being part of the club, something that is often overlooked these days when talking about rugby, is the positive impact it can have on the unique problem of the explosion in men’s mental health issues, the fact that 75% of suicides in the UK are men and that 96% of the prison population are men shows there is a particular problem within that demographic that if ignored has a hugely negative impact on not just the individual but society as a whole. This is especially true
for boys or young men who find themselves suddenly without their main male role model or feeling a bit lost and isolated in what can appear a hostile world and without positive influences as I know first-hand how easy it is to make the wrong decisions that can so very easily lead to a very dark place of either severe depression, drug use or criminality and unfortunately as I have said before, the figures show young men especially are the demographic that I believe can benefit from what a rugby club brings as an alternative in that sense.
So yes, being Chairman of the club brings a huge amount of responsibility in the history and the playing stats that everyone is so focussed on at the weekend, but we should never forget that the good clubs play a wider role in trying to be a positive influence on their members and the wider community beyond just the 80 minutes.
THE TEAM
On the player front one thing I do notice in my travels in rugby is that there are two very distinctive extremes in rugby in the lower levels that range between creating a ‘team’ buying in players and giving them a few hundred quid, to those engaging the players in the fabric of their club, creating that rich ‘one club’ environment which differentiates them from the teams that collapse when the money disappears.
I think it is important to be a hands-on Chairman, I’m 61, and I’m chatting with these 20-something-year-olds, talking about loving our club and community as the place we all want to be and amazed they put up with me. But by doing that I get a rare insight from the horses mouth, sometimes they may have been to other clubs and not experienced what we have at London Welsh and our value system, but seeing the bonds our players are building shows we are a club very much built on friendship and supporting each other.
We went on tour last year, which I have always found to be hugely important. The players who may have played in different teams get to share a room while away, and it is a joy to see how tight the community has grown among our players. For me, it’s a double success— winning on the pitch is amazing but spending time with that tremendous group of players in the bar, makes me feel like I’m 25 again, and the atmosphere is just
absolutely brilliant, I am not exaggerating when I say I am genuinely fond of them all. I want to maintain the type of club that is important to all of us at London Welsh, one that has a large, communitydriven ethos where players feel involved and part of its rich tapestry, and I feel it is that culture that has been the driving force behind us winning four promotions on the trot until last season, but after the initial shock of the step up of coming into the new league and losing a few games early on had worn off those same players found their feet and finished third, this season they’ve continued where they left off and both the 1st and 2nd XV are playing some amazing rugby, it’s really one big squad of friends who go out there and play for each other giving the coaches the luxury of having a deep enough vein to be able to rotate players and maintain momentum, as I do this interview we are now 12 from 12 and I hope it will be
13 from 13 by Christmas. From our 1st XV perspective, we entered this season hoping to be promotion contenders, and we are optimistic that these ambitions are very real. The Jersey game was one we thought would be a tester, and if there was going to be a challenge, this would be it. They had a strong side with ex-pros still in their team. We won by ten points, albeit with a few squeaky moments along the way. But the approach of flying out the team in the morning to the Channel Islands and back in the evening—made it very workmanlike, not just a weekend jolly—the way we played, and the result really cemented that feeling that this season promotion is possible, and that Nat 2 is realistically achievable for us. If we do win the league and gain promotion it will bring its challenges as it always does, as a board, we will need to sit down and reevaluate how we approach
that, both financially and in terms of where it leads us. I have said, as club chairman, that National 1 is our current ceiling, considering the standard of our facilities and our ability to raise funds, as there aren’t as many Welsh people in London as there were in the ‘70s. The last figures I saw estimated around 250K people with a Welsh connection in London now. But I believe that if we can reach National 1 in the next 5 years, playing serious rugby against our traditional opponents like Blackheath and Richmond—those oldfashioned battles that stir up the emotions, that would be a great place to be, we can then re-evaluate and work out where we go from there, whether that is me or a new Chairman (or Chairwoman) will be up to the members.
THE COMMUNITY CLUB
Having our minis carry the flags on match days and seniors training the minis and youth is a great thing. You forget when you were young how much, you look up to the older guys, you forget how it feels when an older player comes over, talks to you, and gives you a few training tips, it makes you feel recognised and part of something bigger. This is one of the key elements that we need to build on and grow at the club. I did a speech at a dinner last year touching on the issues I raised above, and one of the things I said was, “Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but I’m going to say it anyway.” I feel that young men are very ignored in society at the moment, and I think it’s really important that, if the youth— and I did actually use the word ‘gang’—are going to be part of a gang, let that gang be their rugby club providing 80 minutes of controlled sport on the pitch where they can release their energy for the reasons I outlined above, it is tragic that so many sports clubs, not just rugby, have folded or disappeared through lack of funding or even lack of volunteers, something I believe should be seriously looked at.
Rugby clubs have an important role in reversing that trend. At London Welsh, we really strive for a “One Club” mentality. We have a great mini and youth setup with some great people in there who give up so much of their time to ensure that there is that safe and friendly environment for the youngsters to get together and enjoy the sport, let off some steam and pick up the great life skills rugby gives.
There are quite a few former players and even current Vets in the coaching squad for the Minis and Youth, and many others are joining the club and adding to that number, which is great. The one challenge with maintaining the “One Club, One Badge, One Identity” is that we can make that run through the core of our ethos, but there is always the issue with the women’s and youth teams playing on a Sunday and the men on a Saturday that trying to ensure they do not become two separate entities sharing only a name is always going to be challenging.
As for Women’s rugby it is a huge part of our Clubs history, being one of the oldest Women’s teams in the Country, but as with many clubs there are challenges when trying to build and grow that section.
I genuinely believe this is a national issue and that there are not as many women playing across the Country as the figures suggest owing to the way player numbers have been captured up until now, hopefully with the new GMS registration process we will see more accuracy.
Whilst male rugby players tend to move from club to club and then retire, historically coming off the books to make way for new players to be registered, women tend to stop playing and, in many cases, stay on a club’s roster even though they are inactive. I had a chat with one of the chairmen at a Kent club who was also involved with the RFU who recently who said the same thing. You look at clubs that have thirty women players registered, and then they cannot get a team out because of player availability, and you then find out half of their registered players are retired or moved away.
It is a huge issue that needs addressing and we need to look into all the factors that may be driving it, women playing on a Sunday when they have to get up for work on Monday, so they don’t really get the benefit of post-match social, and if playing league rugby on a Sunday it also limits their Saturday social opportunities. If they are playing more social women’s rugby, it is difficult to have a social post-match afternoon if you have been playing until 4 pm and have work the next day.
It is especially difficult for our Women especially being in such a competitive catchment area, with Richmond, Rosslyn Park, Teddington etc all competing for the same small
playing pool.
Although these issues exist when attracting male players, there is still a much bigger pool to draw from. I do believe our club is one club, and we have a great ethos, but the challenges around the women’s game are a concern to me and need looking into and I know the RFU have sent a survey out recently on some of the issues.
My personal opinion is that ideally the Women would be able to play some
matches on a Saturday or under lights, pitch availability restrictions play a part in blocking that, as can the availability of referees. Twelve o’clock kick-offs before the main team on a Saturday may offer a solution.
One of the positives I found with the vets was that, as players get older and have busy schedules, a Friday night floodlit game worked well. Suddenly, all the vets were back competing and thriving, mainly because the
guys were happy to play a game of rugby after work and have the weekend free. Perhaps there is an option to steer some of the Woman’s team games in that direction too. I feel it is important to think creatively instead of resigning women’s rugby to only a Sunday sport, and instead look at Saturday, mid-week and Friday game options if that is what the players want but ultimately this needs deciding by the women themselves.
THE FACILITY AND BACKROOM
No matter how good the volunteers and players are though we need a pitch, clubhouse and changing rooms, the one area that causes me a lot of concern is the club cannot continue to grow with the facilities we have, especially the Clubhouse and changing rooms which were built in 1969 and have not changed, given the increased costs in maintaining it every year
owing to its lack of insulation, inefficient space and frankly tired look deterring our once rich wedding/party use, it is essential we work with the summer clubs that we share the lease with to attract investment to have proper changing facilities that benefit men’s, women’s youth and mini rugby. We want to be in a position where we are not spending vast amounts of money on just keeping the facility open but making the facility cost neutral so that we can reinvest our income into our rugby and also the community work we want to do around all areas of the game in the club. The balancing act we have as a board is doing all of that whilst remaining financially sustainable without having to rely on an individual sponsor, as one spoked wheels rarely last. We are situated near Kew Gardens in the shadow
of the Pagoda, and part of the business plan is to improve our facilities so that we can attract the weddings and events we know are out there, which will help us utilize the club better. The improvement of our facilities is not optional it is the key to our future plan.
In short, we are in a great place that many clubs would be envious of, our history, the fact we get 1000+ supporters to level 5 games and that we are attracting a younger demographic of supporters are all amazing things, but add to that our location, the truly amazing players and coaches, dream sponsors who are actively involved in the club enabling us to achieve what we do as well as coming to support and what you have, if you utilise all of those benefits properly is a club fit for the future.
PETE LOWE 1ST XV MANAGER, LIFE MEMBER (THE HIGHEST ACCOLADE IN OUR CLUB)
I’ve been involved with London Welsh in various roles for over 25 years. To start with, I was a Welshman in London—where else was I going to go? I am currently a Director, Honorary Vice President, Kitman, and 1st team manager. I first became involved when we were a completely amateur outfit, then became semiprofessional, went fully professional with two years in the Premiership, and are now back to amateur status again—a full circle, you could say.
The Welsh race has a natural optimism about us; we need it, especially when
it comes to rugby. We are playing some great rugby at the moment, and the crowds have continued to support us well. We are currently sitting on top of the level 5 pile as of today, so the mood is buoyant, and we have no complaints.
Being unbeaten so far this season says it all, though we take nothing for granted.
Cai Griffiths, our Director of Rugby, has recruited well year on year, and we have a performance squad full of depth. We field two strong squads every week.
Our ambition is to find a level where we can play good, competitive rugby that is sustainable—not to repeat the mistakes of the past and try to overreach, potentially jeopardizing the club. My
saying since we went into administration and came out the other side is: “If you don’t learn from history, there’s a chance it will repeat itself.”
Obviously, it would be great to have the 1st and 2nd XVs finish on top of their respective leagues—you have to aim high. But otherwise, it’s all about playing skilful, attractive rugby the London Welsh way, and continuing to enjoy the journey with teammates and supporters alike.
We have a girls’ and women’s section at the club, who play on Sundays. Although it’s quite challenging to field teams across the league, they do get a few cancellations. That said, club stalwart Paula Cooper is approaching her 300th game,
and she epitomizes the spirit of our women’s section. I think, from the minis through to youth, our excellent age group coaches emphasize having fun, because if our kids aren’t enjoying it, they won’t stay with us, and they are the future of the club. London Welsh Minis and Youth continue to be a vibrant place for youngsters to learn and develop a passion for the game and our club. The Minis are aged from U6 to U12, and we typically have between 20 and 40 players in each age group, made up of local children and those with connections to Wales who want to be part of London Welsh. We are inclusive, and its rugby for everyone who
wants to give it a go—boys and girls.
At Youth level, we take it a bit more seriously, but we remain inclusive, and anyone can play rugby here. We have coaches from the performance squad who help out and inspire future generations of players.
We also have a Vets team that plays on Friday nights in a vets’ league. They refuse to train, or sometimes even warm up, and insist on putting vast amounts of money behind the bar after each game. They take the enjoyment of our game to another level.
Our touch rugby section is vibrant and plays one night a week during the summer. It’s excellent for fitness, and players from all sections of the club join in.
London Welsh is absolutely a community! No matter your age, sex, nationality, or level of rugby, you can find a team at London Welsh. If you came down on a Sunday morning, every corner of Old Deer Park is full of children, coaches, and parents, no matter the weather. It’s quite a sight! But if you want parking, you have to arrive early!
We have a great relationship with the local businesses around the club. They sponsor us in various ways and provide discounts to members on meals, drinks, etc.
"The backbone of London Welsh Rugby Club is our volunteers. They put so much effort into making it the place it is today.
"Our sponsors are invaluable and extremely important to us. It’s not cheap to run a rugby club— although we do not pay players, there are still a lot of overheads, including ground rental, medical cover, repairs, and travel costs. Without our
sponsors, many of whom have been with us for years, we just couldn’t function.
The backbone of London Welsh Rugby Club is our volunteers. They put so much effort into making it the place it is today—from the coaches, referees, and
administrators for every section, to the supporters. We all strive to keep our club’s reputation as one of the most famous and welcoming rugby clubs in the world! And this is a massively rewarding job to do!
CLUB HISTORY
Early Years
London Welsh was formed in 1885 by and for London’s Welsh community and has played senior-level rugby since then. Its name in Welsh is Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain.
1960s
London Welsh enjoyed great success in the late 1960s. John Dawes was appointed captain, effectively also taking on the role of coach, for the 1965–66 season. He initially focused on significantly increasing fitness levels and then led the club with an open, running, quickpassing, attacking style of rugby, including an overlapping full-back and relatively skilled forwards. One 1968–69 performance was described by journalist John Reason as “one of the most brilliant exhibitions of club football it has been my privilege to see,” and by journalist Terry O’Connor as “the finest display by a club team I can remember,” further describing London Welsh as “switching attacks with speed and handling skill.”
Notable Former Players
Over the years, the club has contributed 177 players to the Wales national team and 43 players to the British & Irish Lions.
Seven London Welsh players were selected for the 1971 tour to New Zealand (a Lions record which remains unbroken to this day): captain John Dawes, JPR Williams, Gerald Davies, Mervyn Davies, John Taylor (now Managing Director and ITV commentator), Mike Roberts, and Geoff Evans.
Seven London Welsh players were selected for the 1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand (a Lions record which remains unbroken to this day).
2006–2009
In December 2006, London Welsh revealed their ambition to leave the English league and become the fifth Welsh team in the Celtic League. The club later appeared to retract this statement, claiming they had been misquoted, and clarified that the move would only be considered if the English Premiership decided to prohibit promotion/ relegation. They also confirmed their hopes of ground-sharing with Brentford FC, either at their current stadium, Griffin Park, or at a new 20,000-seat stadium to be built at Lionel Road, near Kew Bridge.
2009–2012 Championship Era
In June 2009, the club went into administration shortly after turning professional.
They were bought from the receivers in July 2009 by Saudex Global, owned by Neil Hollinshead, which allowed them to continue in The Championship, albeit with a five-point deduction. According to the BBC in March 2011, court documents showed that Hollinshead “allegedly submitted forged documents and fake bank account details in order to continue his control of London Welsh and that he repeatedly lied to ensure that
ownership of London Welsh was transferred over to him.”
The former shareholders of London Welsh RFC rescinded the 2009 agreement by which they sold the shares of the club to Hollinshead, and regained control by January 2010.
The 2010–11 season was the club’s 125th anniversary. To kick off the celebrations, they held a military tattoo on the evening of Wednesday, 25 August, at Old Deer Park with the Band and Corps of Drums of the Welsh Guards, plus the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir.
2012–2015: Premiership Era and Relocation to Oxford
On 1 June 2012, it was revealed that Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish had approached senior figures at the club about a possible ground-share at Selhurst Park, as the club’s plans to play their matches at Kassam Stadium in Oxford were deemed unsuitable by the RFU after securing promotion to the English Premiership. However, a legal appeal by the club against the RFU’s actions
was upheld on 28 June 2012 after the appeal panel ruled that the criteria were in breach of EU and UK competition laws. Promotion was ultimately secured when it was announced that Newcastle Falcons, the club facing relegation from the Premiership, would not appeal against the ruling. A move to Kassam Stadium was confirmed for the 2012–13 season.
In 2013, London Welsh caused controversy by fielding an ineligible player (Tyson Keats) in nine league matches during the season, eventually receiving a 5-point deduction and a £10,000 fine.
On 14 April 2013, London Welsh was relegated from the English Premiership in their first season after a 14–31 defeat at home to Northampton Saints (pending the winners of the RFU Championship meeting the Premiership entry requirements). Newcastle Falcons were eligible for promotion, thus confirming Welsh’s relegation.
On 4 June 2014, London Welsh won promotion to the
English Premiership again, defeating Bristol Rugby 27–8 at home and 21–20 away, 48–28 on aggregate. However, the club endured a difficult season back in the English top flight and suffered defeat in all 22 of their regular season league fixtures, claiming only one bonus point throughout the entire campaign. The team therefore finished bottom and was relegated to the RFU Championship for the 2015–16 season. They were also defeated in every European Challenge Cup game and every Anglo-Welsh Cup game, becoming the first topflight English side in over 10 years to suffer defeat in every competitive match of a season.
2015–2017: Return to Richmond and Liquidation
The club left Oxford and returned to Old Deer Park at the end of the 2014–15 season. After their return, the club, led by Head Coach Rowland Phillips, won the British and Irish Cup, beating Yorkshire Carnegie 10–33.
Phillips then moved on to take up a coaching role with the Welsh Rugby Union. He was succeeded by forwards coach James Buckland, who became Head Coach, assisted by Sonny Parker and Richard Tonkin. HMRC petitioned the High Court to wind up the club in September 2016 due to unresolved debts. The debts were paid, and the petition was dismissed by the High Court. HMRC returned to court with a second winding-up petition in October 2016, and the insolvency court granted a two-week stay to arrange refinancing. After failing to pay their debts, the club went into voluntary liquidation on 23 December 2016. The club ceased to be a member of the RFU at that point, and the liquidator stated that London Welsh would not fulfill their fixtures in the league. A separate entity, Rugby 1885 Limited, was created on 21 December 2016. The club was deducted 20 points from the Championship, dropping them from 5th to 12th. Rugby 1885 Limited was granted a temporary licence to complete London Welsh’s two fixtures until a further decision on their future in the Championship. When the temporary licence expired on 17 January 2017, the RFU Board met and extended a deadline for the new entity to show it could meet RFU regulations. After a further deadline was not met, it was announced on 24 January 2017 by the RFU that London Welsh had been removed from the Championship, and their results were expunged. The RFU stated that their place in the league was “untenable.”
English champions: 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79
Welsh champions: 1970–71, 1971–72
Herts & Middlesex 1 Champions: 2017/18 season
London 3 NW Champions: 2018/19 Season
Welsh Championship champions: 1972–73
Photos taken and supplied by Gareth Williams.
RHIANON WILLIAMS
CHAIR OF LONDON WELSH SUPPORTERS CLUB
London Welsh Supporters Club (LWSC) is in its 46th year, and I like to think of it as an additional arm to the family of London Welsh RFC. There is a small annual fee to join, and the London Welsh supporters
never fail to show their generosity, both financially and with their time.
Funds raised have allowed LWSC to provide kit for the various tours that the Men’s, Women’s, and Youth squads have had in recent seasons. Equipment-wise, many years ago we helped with the costs
of replacing the goal posts at Old Deer Park. Financial assistance has also been given to cover players’ medical costs.
Supporters have also volunteered their time, helping with the refurbishment of function rooms at the clubhouse, revamping the changing rooms, and improving the pitch-side scoreboard.
A regular service we finance each season is booking coaches for our fans to travel to away fixtures. This service is not solely for the benefit of supporters watching the Men’s 1st XV team; coaches have also been provided for London Welsh Women (LWW) fixtures and for supporters to travel to Cardiff to watch Wales’ international fixtures.
Away from the pitch, we run events to bring our supporters together. At least one sports lunch is held each season with guest speakers
from Welsh sport, media, arts, and, dare I say, even politics. In recent seasons, we have also hosted comedy nights with professional acts at Old Deer Park to entertain us all.
The committee of LWSC is small in number but diverse in terms of age and background. A benefit we have is that a couple of committee members are current players from the 1st XV and LWW, so we can quickly gain the latest news and concerns from the teams. Ultimately, though, the real inspiration comes from the supporters, who never fail to offer their views and suggestions across all levels of the LW family. I always say that LWSC belongs to everyone, and I believe this is what has enabled LWSC to thrive for over forty years. May we continue to grow, with new generations joining and participating to keep the LW family strong.
GEORGE SMITHIES
SUPPORTER
& PRINCIPAL
SPONSOR: INNDEX
Aaron and I hail from Wales, so it’s no surprise that rugby runs deep in our veins—it’s a part of who we are. When the chance to collaborate with such a historic rugby club presented itself, we eagerly seized the opportunity. London, while vibrant, can sometimes feel isolating if you don’t have a strong social network. What better place to forge connections and meet new friends than a rugby club?
Like many sporting organisations, London Welsh has faced its share of challenges. However, I firmly believe you won’t find a more welcoming club anywhere. Their performances this season, coupled with an unbeaten record so far, speak volumes. The resilience displayed during some of the tighter games highlights the team’s grit and determination. There’s no doubt in my mind that London Welsh belongs in the national leagues. With their unwavering drive and the incredible support behind them, it’s only a matter of time before they reclaim their rightful place.
As a key sponsor rooted in shared values and community engagement, we at innDex feel a strong alignment with the ethos of London Welsh. Together, we embody a
forward-thinking mindset, championing success both on the construction site and on the rugby field. innDex leads the digital transformation in the construction sector by providing a fully paperless workforce management platform. This innovation helps teams streamline processes, enhance productivity, and foster seamless communication on construction sites.
Our values—efficiency, collaboration, and adaptability—are mirrored in London Welsh Rugby’s journey of rebuilding and revitalisation after recent challenges.
Our sponsorship represents a natural partnership between two organisations dedicated to progress and connection. Just as innDex empowers construction teams to stay focused and achieve their objectives, London Welsh exemplifies unity, teamwork, and a relentless pursuit of success. For us at innDex, supporting London Welsh is more than sponsorship— it’s about celebrating our similarities, Rugby demands discipline, strategic thinking, and trust— all qualities that resonate with innDex’s approach to revolutionising construction site operations.
London Welsh Rugby aim to uplift and energise their respective communities. The presence of innDex branding on team kits and match-day promotions introduces our innovative platform to a wider audience, emphasising our commitment to growth and development. In return, our support equips London Welsh with the resources they need to continue their journey of success—nurturing young talent, engaging the community, and building an enduring legacy.
As London Welsh Rugby Club continues to thrives, they serve as a powerful example of resilience, adaptability, and the unwavering spirit that both our organisations stand for.
Strathendrick
RUGBY CLUB
“A safe and secure place for everyone to be able to enjoy the experience of playing rugby.”
WILLIAM KAY PRESIDENT
The Club was formed on 2nd September 1975 by Mike Abbotts, Ian McVean and Bobby Telfer. The first game was against St Mungo FP. Strathendrick became members of Glasgow and District Rugby Union and then gained full membership of the Scottish Rugby Union.
Strathendrick played in the National Leagues before reorganisation of the leagues and now play in the West Regional Leagues for the adult male teams.
We are now members of the West Region and Caledonia Midlands Region. Our highlights have been reaching the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup and reaching the final of the Bowl at Murrayfield.
Additionally, we have mini teams, boys and girls midi teams, boys and girls under 18 teams and adult female team. Recent successes have seen the U16 girls crowned Glasgow North League Winners, and our U18 boys reaching the National Bowl Final in 2024. Next year we celebrateour 50th Anniversary!
Ian has been on the General Committee since it was founded in 1975.
He was the first player to score a hat trick of tries for the Club and also the first person to score four tries in a match. He has been the man behind the scenes doing all the unseen work to allow all teams to play rugby.
The mood of the club is fantastic at this time, the senior men`s team are unbeaten this year in West of Scotland Second Division and recently beaten Kilmarnock in the cup. The 1st XV has had great support from Charlie Johnston, working hard to get Sponsorship, to be able to provide the team with new Kit Sponsors, supporting on match days and doing match reports.
The 2nd XV for the men are unbeaten in their league and our Senior ladies section is continually growing, with both full contact and touch teams.
Our women’s 1st XV competes in the SRU Midlands and East conference We are always on the lookout for new players to join us and to strengthen all squads.
This year we brought in Eddie Roche as our new coach and subsequently the senior men’s squad have reactive amazingly with 30 seniors turning up at training regularly.
Hopefully our 1st XV will finish high in the league and have a good cup run. The depth of our pathway is
evident with more than half of the senior men’s players progressing through our P1U18 youth teams.
The 2nd XV are looking to finish high up in the league and continue to provide opportunities for all ages and abilities.
Senior Ladies are looking to continue growing and developing, with our Girls section continually growing; it looks positive to grow our ladies’ section and strengthen them in years to come.
Our mini and midi sections are key to the club development, at present across the club we have 19 teams playing rugby regularly and look to try and get a veteran’s team together later this season.
We have our rugby development officer Steve McCooey working closely with our local high school, Balfron High School and learning cluster primary schools.
Our S1-U18 boys and girls team play under Balfron/ Strathendrick as part of this
flagship partnership. Steven McCooey works with all local primary schools and High School to encourage all young people to play rugby; the club would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for him putting so much personal time and effort in to developing rugby, he goes above and beyond every day. We try and keep our fees as low as possible to make rugby accessible for everyone, we also have a kit swop shop to allow people who can’t afford new kit to be able to pick up boots, socks shorts and tops for playing in, also the club has a food bank that gets used regularly.
Strathendrick Rugby Club was awarded SRU community club of the year in August 2023. Award Active Stirling Community club of the year for Stirlingshire in May 2024. We were also Awarded Scottish Community Club of the year in August 2024. A number of our volunteers and age groups have been recognised both regionally and nationally for their outstanding contributions and achievements. The club could not be awarded such honours without the fantastic support of all our volunteers, coaches, development officer, Sponsors and the hard working committee. What makes Strathendrick so great is the effort everyone puts in to making the club a safe and secure place for everyone to be able to enjoy the experience of playing rugby, from age 5 to 65 and beyond.
"We try and keep our fees as low as possible to make rugby accessible for everyone.
"LORNA ROBB
LONG-STANDING SUPPORTER
& SPONSOR: FRASER C. ROBB
Fraser C. Robb was established in 1975 by my Dad, Fraser, my brother Struan and I are directors in the company. Both of Struan’s two sons, my nephews, have progressed through the ranks at Strathendrick Rugby Club since they were young—Angus (21) and Callum (16). Struan is also part of Callum’s coaching team and has been a lifelong supporter of the club. As a family, we have always supported them, and my dad has attended the matches for many years as well.
As a family business, we have always enjoyed helping out and supporting local clubs and organizations. In addition to Strathendrick, we support Balfron High School, where many of us attended, the Buchanan Arms Bowling Club, and Drymen Football Club. This is something that is very important to us, and we believe in doing our part for our local community.
In addition to his coaching, Struan follows the team regularly, home and
away. It’s great to see the success they are enjoying this season, with the 1st XV sitting at the top of the league and remaining undefeated!
We have been a sponsor of the club for over 15 years, and as a company that sells grass-cutting equipment, we have also helped the club with equipment and sold them machinery in the past.
Both the sporting and community aspects at Strathendrick are of a very high standard, and it’s such a valuable club to have this long-standing family and business connection with. From a local business perspective, it is very important to maintain this relationship. For me, Strathendrick Rugby is a club that fits that bill really well, and we are proud to continue supporting them whenever we can.
As the club approaches its 50th anniversary as a true hub of the region, Fraser, Struan, Angus, Callum, and I wish them all the very best of continued success for the next 50 years and beyond!
IAN MCVEAN CLUB SECRETARY AND FOUNDING MEMBER
I first learned to play rugby at Whitehill Senior Secondary in Glasgow. While training as a teacher, I played for Aberdeenshire. Rugby was later introduced at Balfron High School by the PE teacher, Robert Telfer. Following this, Mike Abbotts, Robert Telfer, and I held a meeting at the school to form a rugby club for students leaving school. This led to the founding of Strathendrick Rugby Club.
Since the club’s inception, I have served on the General Committee in various roles, including Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, and Club Secretary. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the growth of the club, from Minis to Boys Midis, Girls Midis, and now an adult women’s team.
Strathendrick RFC has evolved into an inclusive club, offering rugby for all ages, from Primary 1 pupils to adult teams. We are now a central part of our local community, providing recreational opportunities for all ages. Our coaches also work with school teams at Balfron High School.
We pride ourselves on being a community club, drawing players from all the settlements in the Strathendrick area, as well as supporters and sponsors from the local community.
When the club first started, we could field only one team, but this season, we’re putting out 18 to 20 teams each week. It has been incredibly rewarding to be part of Strathendrick RFC as both a player and committee member. As I prepare to retire from the committee next year, I’m hopeful the club will continue to thrive, with the First XV gaining promotion and further growth in the women’s section.
"We were also Awarded Scottish Community Club of the year in August 2024.
DAVID MCGUFFIE FORMER PLAYER, SUPPORTER & MAIN
SPONSOR: DS MCG LTD
I grew up in and around Killearn and the Fintry area and played rugby at Glasgow Academy as a schoolboy. Later, when I returned to Balfron, I played for the local high school. After leaving school, I took a break from the sport, distracted by the usual teenage pursuits.
Around the age of 20, I returned to rugby, initially playing for Drymen Rugby Club until it folded. One of the team captains at Strathendrick then invited me to join, and I started playing in the 3rd team just for fun. That eventually led to playing for the 2nd team and then the 1st team. At that point, I had to take the sport a bit more seriously, usually playing as a Full Back or Wing and training harder. As I got older, I transitioned into the back row. I continued playing until I was
35, apart from the occasional Presidents’ or charity matches. Work commitments began to take priority, making it harder to stay actively involved. These days, due to my workload, I don’t get down to the club as often as I’d like, but I do attend some of the sponsors’ days. For my sins, I’m also a Rangers supporter, so after my long involvement in rugby, I often spend weekends at matches enjoying the hospitality, which keeps my weekends pretty busy.
My business, DS McG Ltd, is very proud to sponsor the kits at the club—a partnership that began around 2018. I look forward to continuing this sponsorship beyond this season.
For me, the sheer inclusivity and friendliness of Strathendrick Rugby Club are what make it such a special place. Touring with the club was always a
“Delighted to be associated with the success of Strathendrick Rugby Club!”
highlight, as it allowed me to build close friendships and learn so much from the older members. Rugby is an incredible experience to have in your life, offering a safe and supportive environment. It’s great to see the energy and effort the club members put into developing young players, giving everyone a chance to be part of this fantastic community. Whenever I visit Fintry, I reminisce about the great times I spent both on and off the pitch—what a place it was to play rugby, surrounded by those hills!
"For me, the sheer inclusivity and friendliness of Strathendrick Rugby Club are what make it such a special place.
"
GRAHAM BINNIE HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT
I’ve been involved with Perthshire Rugby Club since the mid-nineties, initially as a player with the senior men’s side and for a period as the 1st XV captain. After a short break when I hung up my boots, I have coached all age groups, from P1 to U16 boys, U16 and U18 girls, senior
Perthshire
RUGBY CLUB
“More than a club - It’s a family!”
women, and senior men. I now have a voluntary role supporting the Development Team in growing the game.
The mood is much improved at the club. We have faced a tough few years with COVID, the loss of pitches and facilities through flooding, and the closure of our shared facility with the local authority. However, there
is now a renewed feeling of ambition to work with our partners to rebuild the club.
Our senior men are performing well, currently topping their league, and the senior women are in the top three in their league. The minis are coming out in force to play against other clubs, and the boys’ teams up to U15 are doing well. As in other areas, player retention and school vs. club regulations have posed challenges at U16 and U18 levels, but teams are working hard on recruitment and retention. Our U16 girls’ team, in collaboration with other local clubs, is providing a shining example of how to grow the game.
As a club, we are committed to improvements in two key areas. One is building on our established rugby program at Bertha Park High School to grow the game within primary and secondary schools in these areas, where we already reach thousands of young people. Secondly, we are excited to work with Perth and Kinross Council and other partners to restore and redevelop our facilities, including strength and conditioning areas, changing rooms, floodlit pitches, and a true community space within our clubhouse.
The senior men’s team has set a target to achieve promotion back to the national leagues, where the club belongs.
Women’s rugby was established at Perthshire in the 1990s but dropped off for a time. Senior women’s rugby
has since been re-established, with growing numbers and great relationships with other local clubs, culminating in a national final appearance in 2023. Girls’ rugby has experienced ups and downs, as seen across Scotland, with limited playing numbers. That said, our girls have won national Shields in 2022 at U16 and 2023 at U18 levels, and in the last two seasons, we have had six girls represent at national level and others playing at regional level. Our school’s programs are inclusive of both boys and girls, and we seek to afford similar opportunities. We are also well represented in management and development roles by women. Youth rugby is the lifeblood of the club. There will be young people in our youth sections who will become professional rugby players, and as such, they need support. We are providing a structured physical preparation program alongside on-pitch coaching to develop players, and our commitment to working with schools remains strong. Our mini festival in May is arguably the largest in Scotland, with over 1,000 young people taking part. Special shout-out to our U15s, who recently took a squad to Italy, representing the club with pride and respect and building relationships for the future.
Perthshire Rugby Club was established in 1868 and has remained a permanent presence on the North Inch since then. Highlights include
early Scottish internationals and Lions players, such as Jim Greenwood, well known as a revolutionary coach. More recently, we have produced James Fleming, a Scottish Sevens stalwart, and current pro players who came through the Perthshire system. Cup wins for the men’s team in 1998 and 2003 stand out, as well as hosting the Glasgow Warriors on the Inch against Harlequins in recent years.
Being a community club is one of our main goals. As well as providing sport to many, we engage with all the schools in the city. We have worked with St Johnstone to deliver multi-sport camps during recent school strikes and have a Rugby Community Trust whose focus is on community engagement. Our facilities development will ensure that our facilities are available to all within the local community.
Rugby would not exist without sponsors, and we are thankful to them all, from player sponsors to kit sponsors and funding that supports our work in communities.
As with all sports, the facilities, coaching, and environment are important, but of primary importance are the people—those who give their time and volunteer to make sport happen for all.
SUZANNE RENNIE SENIOR SECTION HEAD/PLAYER
I began with Perthshire Rugby Club as a rugby mum, cheering on my son from midi rugby to seniors. After losing my husband in 2018, the support from my son’s team meant a lot to both of us. I joined Tartan Touch in the off-season, which led me to the women’s training sessions, and I quickly found my place within the team. Over the years, my role has evolved from player to women’s team manager, and now I’m the Head of the Senior Section. Rugby has been incredible for my physical and mental health, and the club has become a second family to me.
We’ve had a challenging few years dealing with COVID-19, floods, and a significant change in the committee. However, there’s now a renewed energy, and everyone is pulling together to move forward positively.
This season has been very positive, particularly for the men’s team, who are having a great run with several wins. Their hard work and commitment are paying off, and it’s exciting to see their progress. The women’s team
has also shown impressive performance and teamwork, and we’re proud of all our teams’ achievements so far.
On the pitch, we’re focused on player development and teamwork. Off the pitch, we’re working on community partnerships, such as with Saints in the Community, to promote wellness and fitness. These efforts will broaden our outreach and benefit both our players and the wider community.
Our main ambition for the senior men’s team is to return to the National Leagues. We’re focused on strengthening their skills, building teamwork, and fostering solid team spirit to achieve this goal. It’s an exciting challenge, and we’re committed to supporting the team every step of the way.
Girls’ and women’s rugby is thriving at Perthshire Rugby Club. Our Women’s Head Coach, Iona Coutts, leads the senior women’s team with dedication and has helped them achieve impressive progress. Meanwhile, Hope Whitelaw is working to rebuild
our girls’ program, ensuring a strong foundation for the future of female rugby at the club. We’re proud of their hard work and excited to see this area of the club continue to grow.
Mini and junior rugby is vital to our club. Developing young talent is a priority, and
our programs ensure they build skills, discipline, and love for the sport while having fun.
Perthshire Rugby Club is a community club, and we actively engage with local people and businesses through events, training sessions, and partnerships. This local engagement is essential, as it brings in support that helps us serve our members and the wider community. Sponsors are invaluable. They help fund essential areas like facilities, equipment, and programs, allowing us to offer highquality experiences to our players and members. Their support is fundamental to our success.
Perthshire Rugby Club is more than a club—it’s a family. The support, camaraderie, and sense of belonging make it a truly special place. We value teamwork and respect, which creates a strong community on and off the pitch.
GRAHAM SMITH (SMUDGE)
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
I’ve been involved over the years in youth work as a DO and in the relationship the club has had with Glenalmond College, when I was Head of Rugby there.
The atmosphere at our club is generally very good. We are coming back to life post-flood, so there are lots of
positives on the horizon.
This season has brought mixed results: the 1st XV men are doing well in their league, the 2nd XV are struggling to get numbers, the senior women are performing well, and youth results are varied. However, the big success is the regrowth of the girls’ U16 team. We have huge development plans off the pitch for new changing rooms, floodlights, and pitch drainage.
On the pitch, our 1st XV are focused on winning the league we are in and regaining our place in the National Leagues. We are a proud pathway club for girls and women, and despite a recent hiccup where we lost many of our players, we have successfully regrown the teams. We have plans for U12 girls’ rugby in schools and have groups at U14, U16, and U18, along with a strong and thriving women’s section. Mini and youth rugby are the lifeblood of every club, and this is true of ours as well!
DAWN BAIN U10 TEAM MANAGER/PARENT
My now 10-year-old son has been part of Perthshire Rugby since he was 5. He started as an Eaglet and is now playing for the U10 team. Somehow, along the way, I agreed to take over the team manager role, and
4 years later, I’m still enjoying it. My youngest son has now become an Eaglet, and we’ve become a rugby household— annual trips to Murrayfield and watching games on TV. Being team manager of my son’s team is a real privilege. We have a great team of players, dedicated and committed coaches, and a wonderful, supportive parent group. It’s been a joy to see the team develop over the last few years—learning the skills of rugby and coming together as a team. They’re a super bunch!
We’ve recently had a teambuilding day at Willowgate, an outdoor sports centre. The players had an absolute ball, taking part in water sports and outdoor activities. It was a real treat for our mini teams! It’s great to see our teams in action on Sunday mornings down at the North Inch—a sea of black and white. We’ve had some fantastic moments where our training
is starting to come to fruition on the pitch. Our players are beginning to work together as a team, which is fantastic to see.
Mini and junior rugby are crucial. It’s so important that we give our young people opportunities to take part in sports, feel they belong to a club, and be part of a team. One of our key strengths is making sure that everyone gets opportunities to play in games. Every player is supported and encouraged by all.
I’m so proud to be part of Perthshire. My sons have made friends for life—as have I!
DAN RAE
PLAYER,
PARENT, COACH, CO-CLUB CAPTAIN I originally played rugby at Perthshire for a few years in secondary school but left after school as my focus shifted from rugby. I came back to Perthshire at age 21 and, over the years, have played both 1st XV and 2nd XV rugby.
I’ve recently started coaching as well and am currently head coach for the U9s. I’m enjoying the experience of coaching the next generation. Within the last few months, I joined the committee as CoClub Captain and am looking forward to helping steer the
club in the right direction over the next few years. The mood at the club is one of positivity, with real excitement about getting our clubhouse back and the changes we are going to make in the future.
For our senior teams, the season so far has been hugely
positive. Additionally, we are working toward a near-complete revamp of the changing facilities, clubhouse, and pitches with what is being called the Master Project. This project aims to bring the club up to modern standards and will benefit the entire club for years to come. I personally can’t wait to see the Master Project start. Although it will be a lot of work, the finished result should be worth it.
Mini and junior rugby at the club is extremely important. Having children playing and enjoying rugby at our club is hugely beneficial, getting them outside, keeping fit, and socializing with other kids — never mind the quality coaching that helps improve their skills as players.
Perthshire Rugby Club is a great place to be a part of because everyone is so welcoming. All the players, coaches, and volunteers are happy to have anyone join them, right from the senior teams to the Eaglets.
STEWART HIGGINBOTHAM COACH (UNDER 9S)
I first became involved with the club in 2001 when I started playing, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. The thrill of playing on “The Inch” or traveling to compete against other clubs made those early years truly special. One of the highlights was a four-day tour to England, where we had the chance to play against a variety of teams—an experience that shaped me both as a player and as a person.
What made my time with the club even more meaningful was that my dad was the head coach during my playing years, and now I’m proud to be continuing that legacy by coaching my own son. My journey with the club has always been incredibly positive; it gave me the opportunity to grow as a youth, form lifelong friendships, and be part of a community that has always felt like family.
Now, as a coach, the best part is seeing the joy on the players’ faces and witnessing their dedication and hard work as they grow into a great team. It’s a rewarding experience to see the next generation thrive, and I’m honoured to help guide them, just as I was guided all those years ago.
Our season has gotten off to an excellent start, especially considering the transition from touch rugby to contact. The kids have embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, and it’s been truly inspiring to watch their growth. As a team, they’ve developed fantastic chemistry, supporting each other both on and off the pitch, which is a major part of the club’s motto.
Recently, we took the team on a team-building day at Willowgate Outdoor Water & Activity Centre, and once again, the players impressed us with how well they work together. It was a great opportunity to see how their bond has deepened, and it was clear that they’ve not only become teammates but also true friends. It’s moments like these that remind us, as coaches, how rewarding it is to see their enjoyment.
CHRIS TISO
SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: TISO
You could probably call me a naturalised local. Originally from Edinburgh, I moved to Perth and Kinross over 20 years ago and very much put down my family roots—so it’s very much home to me now. My connection with the club started through my son, Angus. We live on a farm just south of Perth, and at the time, Angus was attending Craigclowan School. He was enthusiastically committed to his rugby and had a strong appetite for more. Many parents and pupils at Craigclowan had strong ties with the rugby club, so when Angus was around 7 years old, I took him along to the club—and he loved it! This led to him expanding his circle of friends beyond just his schoolmates. It was great for me to witness how his club rugby at the weekends positively impacted his school rugby during the week. What was also lovely to see was how it created a new and important friendship group for him.
What began to really strike me about Perthshire, at this time, was the strong sense of community. Outside of the traveling around the country to other clubs, there was a holistic community spirit that resonated with me. It’s more of an energetic feel as opposed to something tangible, but it felt very pastoral and inclusive.
The style of coaching from the likes of Dave McKay was exemplary. He moved with Angus’s year group, which I thought was an inspired decision that fostered trust, rapport, and consistency, resulting in a tremendous journey for all involved.
Having grown up playing rugby myself at school, Midlands, district, university & club, part of what I liked about Perthshire was that it didn’t necessarily fit the usual rugby club model of being steeped in 150 years of history with a grand clubhouse, which is all wonderful but can sometimes be intimidating. One of the things that helps Perthshire is that their pitches are on a municipal ground at North Inch, and they don’t have their own fancy clubhouse. Instead, they use the local sports centre facilities, which I feel keeps them grounded and real. There’s something about the fact that rugby is played alongside multiple other sports, with people passing through and walking their dogs while training and matches are ongoing. This gives the club a really community-embedded feel, adding a certain quality and making the club feel humble, which for me is a great quality.
Having been on the rugby touchlines for a while and traveling to various tournaments, I noticed that many of the teams we played against seemed more unified in terms of their strips, with
numbers and names on them. This made us feel a little scruffy and thrown together, perhaps even less professional. I thought, “There’s something I can do here,” and I decided to give the club some additional support outside of the normal family membership. Angus and our family were gaining so much from our relationship with the club, and I realized the straightforward way I could help was by sponsoring our age group through my business, Tiso, by sponsoring match shirts. Subsequent shirts, names, and numbers were made up with our branding on the front. The kids just loved it, and it gave them a real sense of pride, noticeably lifting them as a team. Heads were visibly held higher, and they looked great!
Angus left Craigclowan when he was 13 to go on to senior school, moving away from Perth and Kinross to Sedbergh School, where hockey and alpine skiing became his main focus. However, from my point of view, we were still very much established in the club, even though I was no longer actively involved as a parent on the touchline. There was no question that I wanted to continue our support of Perthshire as they are a great club that truly deserves that support.
As a business, Tiso is based in Edinburgh, with stores nationwide throughout Scotland and England, and a flagship store on the outskirts
of Perth. As a company, we very much embody and embrace family values, so being associated with and sponsoring a club that shares similar values was a really good fit.
Angus is now 19, still loves his rugby, and plays while attending Northumbria University, enjoying all the camaraderie that goes with it!
The word that comes to mind when I think about Perthshire Rugby Club is “humility.” It genuinely is a family community that champions inclusion and the core values of rugby—both on and off the pitch!
Boroughmuir Tournament Winning Team.
Angus Tiso with his coach, Dave Mackay.
ANNA MORISON PARENT & WIFE (OF CURRENT PLAYERS), SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
My husband, Courtenay, is from Perthshire and really is the one with the main association with the club. He still plays for Perthshire (once a year in a veterans team), most recently playing for the Golden Oldies in an incredible Perthshire Beer Festival this summer—and he absolutely loves it! Courtenay has played for various clubs over his career and also plays for a roving vets team called the Ospreys, representing Perthshire & Brechin. He will be playing again this Boxing Day within a mixed group of players. I’ve advised him to wear a pair of purple shorts, which, I understand, means opposing players can’t tackle him!
Two years ago, my son Johnny, now 16, joined the club. When he first started, he would go along with his friends from school directly to the club for training, and on weekends, they would play competitive matches. Unfortunately, Johnny is out at the moment with a fractured shoulder blade, which he sustained at preseason training on the first day. When he last played for Perthshire he was a full back, but he’s grown so much over the summer that I feel that when he returns, and due to his 6’4” height, he may well be selected as a 2nd Row Forward. Rob Hughes is his coach, alongside team
manager Jen Nicholson— both outstanding stalwarts of the club who frequently go above and beyond anything that is asked of them. Last year, the U15s went on their first rugby tour to the Lake District and had a brilliant time playing teams from the north of England. Much credit must go to the boys for raising incredible funds through bag packing at Tesco, selling scratchcards, and I was able to support them through baking and selling cakes at matches, all contributing to paying for their trip. On the tour, Johnny was able to mix with other boys from all over the region, and from not knowing many to begin with, he ended up
sharing dorms and making many new friends. Not only were there parents on the trip, but grandparents too, which was marvellous. They had so much fun, including a fancy dress night where the grandads got totally involved in the dressing up. Some images taken on the bus back home captured the boys at the back of the bus with the two grandads at the front, fast asleep! It was wonderful for the boys to experience different generations. Being a big fan of rugby, Courtenay likes to support and sponsor things that are close to his heart and community focused. Especially when the initiatives allow full participation for anyone wishing to get involved—this is why he wanted to help Perthshire. The club is situated in the middle of Perth at the North Inch, a local communal area, and if you venture down on a Sunday morning or during weekdays, you will often see the teams playing. The club also maintains a large girls’ section, which we also sponsor alongside the boys, I understand the girls have had a fantastic start to their season, displaying some great teamwork and building on their bonds and friendships. When Johnny was playing, I often
went down to watch with Courtenay and helped Jen with teas and coffees for some of the travelling teams, Jen does a great job of organising that side of things as well as Managing the team. At the beer festival I would be there to watch my husband play and being “squashed,” as I call it, on the field of play, alongside Johnny who would be bemused about how long it would take him to get up from a tackle, Courtenay isn’t getting any younger! Values of respect, pride, sportsmanship, and integrity are strongly upheld are what, for me, make Perthshire Rugby Club such a great club. Whenever anything happens that doesn’t align with those values, the coaches always take time to explain what the club represents, what it is all about, and the importance of upholding the club’s ethos. All the way through the age groups to senior rugby, sportsmanship and the enjoyment of the game are primary. If you’re not enjoying the sport, you won’t last long playing. I love that about the club and how it holds such an important place and role, both emotionally and physically, in and throughout our community.
Courtenay Morison (local Perthshire man, born and bred) and his great friend Iain Gordon, is a great friend and he’s a Perthshire veteran.
U15s team 2023/2024
U15s team in action at the North Inch - The home of Perthshire Rugby Club.
“Very proud
to be associated
with the success of Perthshire Rugby Club!”
THE LORD DEAN OF GUILD, SUPPORTER & SPONSOR: PERTH GUILDRY
I’m originally from Stirling but have lived in Perth for a number of years now. My wife is from the area near the club, and my father-in-law would often drive me down to the club before we got married, so I’ve had a long association with Perthshire Rugby.
After living in Shetland for many years, where I worked for Historic Scotland, I returned to Perth. I’m a fan of many sports, mainly rugby and football, and have family members involved in curling.
Due to working full-time and having commitments with my Guildry duties, as well as additional work with Highland Spring Water, I haven’t been able to visit the club as much as I’d like. However, it’s great to see the club performing so well in the league, and I always keep an eye on the results.
As a charity organisation, we’ve been able to help the rugby club with their floodlighting and other needs, especially after everything was destroyed during the flooding.
We’re also keen to support sports for youngsters and are currently focused on helping disabled sports groups in Perth, as well as promoting girls’ and women’s sports.
Perth Guildry is deeply focused on the community and the region of Perth. Among the many sectors we’re involved in are providing bursaries for local schoolchildren to help with university and college education. We also sponsor heritage trades to create opportunities for apprentices in traditional professions like stonemasonry, thatching, and watchmaking, helping to keep these skills alive.
As a self-funding charity, we own four farms outside the town and an estate that we rent out, as well as flats and shops in Perth, in addition to stocks and shares. All our income is given into the community, and any surplus at the end of the
year is distributed to various good causes.
We also support many retired people in the region, and if a Guildry member experiences hardship, we do our best to assist them. Additionally, we are heavily involved in civic duties, such as escorting the Lord Provost with the Perth High Constables and participating in civic functions whenever required. It’s very fulfilling to be able to help with these important causes.
What impresses me most about Perthshire Rugby Club is their involvement with the community. They ensure that everyone who visits feels included. Their focus on mental health for young people is admirable, along with their efforts in team bonding and their ability to provide a safe and welcoming place to socialise. I’m certain their work has a positive impact on many people’s lives.
Biggleswade
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“Once you have been a part of Biggleswade Rugby Club `it gets you` and it becomes a very hard place to leave.”
JIMMY HART
HEAD COACH
I started playing rugby at Biggleswade in my early 20’s after being invited by a friend. I was quite quick so played on the wing in the 3rds. Scored a few tries, got into the 2’s, and then quickly into the 1s. After a few seasons there and age/body catching up on me I found myself playing 10 in the 2’s and later the 3’s. Whilst in the 3’s the 2’s folded so we found ourselves with only two teams. In 2018 I stopped playing but was heavily involved in rugby through my job as Director of Sport at Samuel Whitbread. Samuel Whitbread is a strong rugby school and now is a good feeder to many local clubs, Northampton Saints, Bedford, Ampthill as well as low level clubs such as Hitchin and Biggleswade.
During March 2019 Samuel Whitbread completed the double at Twickenham winning both National Vase competitions at u15’s and u18’s. I was lucky enough to lead the u15 side and although I have had numerous talented teams through coaching at Whitbread, this was my first opportunity to coach a side in an intensely competitive atmosphere. Throughout that period and after the successful day in March 2019, I was lucky enough to work alongside
a very well respected coach Edd Rhodes who was Director of Rugby. Without his guidance and support I don’t think I would be in the position as head coach that I find myself in now.
When the next season arrived after the 2019
Twickenham visit, I took over as head coach of the colts at Biggleswade. Using my link with the school, very quickly we built a team that was challenging and won their first 6 games. In the November, a position arose in the senior side, and I was
persuaded to take that up alongside Matt Skirving. Me and Matt quickly established a great friendship and then a fantastic working relationship. I did the pitch stuff, and Matt did the endless admin and organisational tasks. The men’s section was in quite a
"Club is in a good place with excellent numbers in the senior men’s playing section. The mini’s, youth are in big numbers with Sunday’s an incredibly busy at the club.
"mess following 2 relegations and many players leaving the club. Matt and I set about creating a fun and enjoyable atmosphere that made people want to attend training and rebuild some respect in the club.
Quite quickly things started to change, and we
stage they had recorded 2 wins from 11 games however then won 9 in the 2nd half. This continued into the 2023-24 season and 2nd in level 8 with 19/22 wins saw a promotion to level 7.
managed to consistently get 2 sides out. Fast forward to March 2020 and a rebuilding season was abruptly ended by COVID. At that time, we were in 4th position and although unlikely to gain promotion, our rebuilding of the club was starting to happen.
In the summer of 2020 when things started to reopen, myself and Matt set about designing a programme that me the COVID guidelines (training in groups of 6) but also created a competitive and fun environment. We designed a points scoring method that involved completing fitness extra’s away from the sessions, creating healthy meals with cook along videos and fancy-dress competitions. Following the returns to group training, the club like every other grassroots rugby play was devastated to miss the 2020-21 season.
However, when rugby did return, the club was in a considerably stronger position and now was gaining 30+ people attending training and the club confidently placed a 3rd team into the leagues. During the first season back both 1sts and 2nds were league champions with the 1st team having an unbeaten season. In 2022-23 the 1st team were in level 8 and found the start to the league a challenge. At the halfway
The aim for the 1st season in level 7 (counties 1) is to survive. After winning the first 6 games of the season, we are hopeful that we have achieved that and now we are taking it one game at a time and challenging ourselves to continue to develop both with and without the ball. The 2nd team have swapped leagues into the new east midlands league that has lots of competitive 2nd teams as well as a few strong 1st teams. They have won 75% of matches this season and are targeting big games vs Dunstable and Sharnbrook to see if they can be champions in April. The 3’s continue to play in the merit leagues and fulfil all fixtures as well as host 3rd XV festivals. We are hopeful this year will see the introduction of the 4th team as we continue to grow and membership numbers soar.
Club is in a good place with excellent numbers in the senior men’s playing section. The mini’s, youth are in big numbers with Sunday’s an incredibly busy at the club. Jack Unite has taken over the development of the colts and last year was our first season of this side for many years. This year the squad boasts numbers of 25+ players as we continue to work hard on bridging the gap between the senior section and the U18’s. Having a coach with Jack’s enthusiasm and ability
to generate a positive environment, will see the colts continue to flourish.
Many clubs have been hit financially in the current climate and Biggleswade is certainly no different. We are working hard to ensure the club stays in the position it is, however inevitably we require help from sponsors and the invaluable volunteers that give an incredible amount of time for the club.
Within the senior men’s section, we have seen an influx of new players who want to be part of the environment that we have created. Many players are interested in joining a club that has the players at the heart of everything.
The ladies’ section is working hard to try and replicate successes of a few years ago. Following a few players moving on and furthering themselves (including championship and now prem players), the women’s section are being led by Laura Clitchlow and are training and working with inner warrior sessions. These are events where clubs combine to play 15 a-side matches. As women’s rugby continues to grow and flourish nationwide, our minis and youth numbers are high. Working with other local female sides, our girls are getting regular game time and enjoying being part of a club that has female rugby available.
Our 1st XV are thrilled to have 6 wins following promotion. We have high standards set by the players and holding themselves and
others to account has enabled new heights to be reached. Since the 1st 6 games we have lost to 2 very physically strong sides and realised a couple of moments where you are not at the required levels, can result in moment being lost and then outcomes not going your way. The 2nd team are generally very young and in 3 games this season the oldest back has been 22. They are aiming to play in the same manner and shape as the 1st XV and it has proved that transitions between the 2 teams is really smooth. We are certainly not a club that has clubs within clubs and the movement up and down of players based
on performances is a major reason the club has moved forward so much. When I first took over, selection was based around who was available, now we are able to have genuine discussions about combinations, oppositions strengths etc that impact selection. The 3rd XV continue to fulfil all fixtures and is an environment for players moving up from colts as well as more experienced players to continue to play rugby and enjoy the game for what it is. Recently we hosted Dunstable 3’s for their 1st game and was able to play a tri tournament with 2 Biggleswade sides composed of all 3’s players.
CAN YOU LET ME KNOW ABOUT ANY DEVELOPMENT PLANS ON AND OFF THE PITCH?
Off pitch
• Recently we have had the 2nd floodlit pitch installed and that has been a huge step forwards. We can now have more space available for all the youth sides that train on a Wednesday evening, as well as 60+ adults/colts who train separately on a Tuesday and Thursday.
• Installation of new showers and general upkeep of building including squash facilities.
On pitch
• Investment in video analysis
WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR THE SENIOR MEN’S TEAMS OVER THE COURSE OF THE 2024/25 SEASON?
1st XV
Original target was safety in counties 1. I think already we have proved we can compete at this level and already we are looking to establish ourselves in this league and then continue to develoep/ build.
2nd XV
Want to challenge at the very top of the new Bedfordshire East Midlands merit league –a very good league with some big clubs in it.
3rd XV
Continue to foster an environment where colts and social rugby players can enjoy the benefits of playing rugby.
4th XV
We haven’t had a 4th team for 25 years. We are looking to bring it back this season!
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT GIRLS & WOMEN`S RUGBY AT YOUR CLUB?
Biggleswade has had a female section for around 10 years and in that has provided some amazing moments. Currently the women’s side is going through a transitional period and through the hard work of Laura Critchlow, they are turning a big corner. Currently
they are training and entering the RFU run inner warrior projects. They have enjoyed many of these festivals and are getting more and more players join. The girl’s section is thriving and the numbers coming through is exciting. They have joined forces at colts’ level with Hitchin and play to a high standard. The younger years sides have merged with Bedford to ensure that 15 a side games are competed in.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR CLUB OFFERS A MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT ITS ORIGINS AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS?
During COVID it became very apparent that some members were move vulnerable than others. During this period, we assigned members of the leadership group individuals that they checked on, went on walks with etc. Following this we decided that we wanted to create a men’s mental health group at the club. They now meet on the 1st Monday of every month. Anybody within the club can attend and they are chaired by the 1st XV captain and Matt Skirving. There is tea and biscuits (some turn up for
the biscuits!), and its become an environment where some people talk, listen, advise etc.
I am unaware of many clubs providing such an opportunity and we are thrilled that so many men access this group and get so much from it.
I think it really shows how important players are to the club and we couldn’t be prouder of its establishment.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURS TO BE A COMMUNITY CLUB AND IF YES HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH LOCAL PEOPLE/BUSINESSES ETC?
Very much so. We try and reach out to the community at every opportunity. Listed below are a few things we are a part of –
• Hardship fund – Players donated to the hardship fund to help a young person from a difficult background go on a school rugby tour to France. They donated so much money that this now forms the hardship fund that helps out young people or adults who have financial difficulties. There are many heart-warming stories that probably couldn’t be shared for GDPR.
• Family fun day – the club hosted the community fun
day this year where it was free entry and young people had access to everything free of charge.
• Fireworks evening – Within Biggleswade there are no organised fireworks displayed, and the rugby club is the big one to go to.
• Charity fire engine pull – We pull a fire engine through the streets of Biggleswade as a rugby club for charity and this takes place every year.
• Santa Night – All players get dressed as Santa and voluntarily visit every pub in Biggleswade to collect money for charity.
• Charity fundraising – For the last 3 season our shirts have Keech Cottage (local hospice) and Mind as the sponsors. This is to do with our work with these two charities that are special to our club.
• Duck Race – The carnival every year does the duck race in the River Ivel, it is the rugby players that are in the water policing this event
• School and town fetes – We try and have a stall at all fetes, promoting our club but also assisting in the organisation
• Movember – a huge link between movember
HOW IMPORTANT IS MINI AND JUNIOR RUGBY TO YOUR CLUB?
The mini and youth section at Biggleswade Rugby Club is incredibly important, I look at it as the future of the club. A lot of hard work from many volunteers from first aiders, team managers and coaches to Ross Taylor as Coaching Co Ordinator, Phil Pearson as Minis Fixture Secretary and Matt Lindley as Mini and Youth Chairman, they all give up a large amount of time to ensure the safe and enjoyable environment for children to learn and develop rugby skills as they progress through the age groups. We currently have 250 mini and youth players, and we always look to work closely with local schools to show children that don’t always think of playing rugby that it’s all about making friends and having fun whilst learning a new sport. More recently with a lot of hard work from Jack Unite and Matt Lindley in establishing a Colts set up we are seeing a number of players who joined the club at a very young age progress into our senior sides as there is now a clear pathway for mini and youth players to aim towards.
and rugby and this is no different at our club
• Coaches into local schools – our youth coaches run after school clubs at schools that do not have rugby specialists.
HOW IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE ARE YOUR SPONSORS TO YOUR CLUB?
For a rugby club like Biggleswade, Without the support of sponsor we wouldn’t be able to compete at the level we do. The majority of these are local people who see the value of supporting a community club where many have family or friends who play for or are involved as volunteers.
Our sponsors are a huge part of the rugby community allowing the club to provide much needed equipment for all ages groups from Mini and Youth to our senior mens and ladies teams. Their funding also allows the club to host pre-match dinners and buffets ensuring the rugby ethos is shared by all those that love the game.
Like our club members our sponsors are incredibly diverse and cover many professions from consultancy firms, Bakers, Building merchants to Sports Therapists and local garages. All play a huge part in financing a club to be the best it can be.
PLEASE FINISH OFF BY TELLING ME WHAT MAKES YOUR CLUB SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO BE PART OF?
I am incredibly proud to be associated with Biggleswade rugby club. We are not
blessed with top of the range facilities or a huge bank balance, however we are surrounded by good people who care a great deal about the club. So many people give up so many hours so that the club can continue to be a provider of great opportunities and memories and a staple of our town. I didn’t realise until COVID, just how valuable the club is to many people and myself. Once you have been a part of Biggleswade rugby club “it gets you” and it becomes a very hard place to leave.
PLEASE ADD ANYTHING ELSE YOU WISH TO MENTION AND REMEMBER THE ABOVE QUESTIONS ARE ONLY A GUIDE SO PLEASE INCLUDE ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU FEEL WILL GIVE THOSE READING YOUR TRIBUTE INSIGHTS INTO THE HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR CLUB. Wasn’t sure where to write it, but we have a female chairwoman, again shows how far this club has come in recent times. Teri has been in charge for over 5 years and has done a great job. Also worth highlighting our groundsman who works incredibly hard. We have 6 pitches and numerous small pitches that he marks and cuts to an incredible standard.
CLUB HISTORY
After the Second World War in the late 1940s some local chaps wanted to play rugby without having to travel to Bedford. An early game was played in the New Road area of Sandy but was no good for a ground as it flooded in the winter. One of the early members was W A (John) Jordan who was a pilot of some distinction and infamy. He took to the skies to look for a ground but decided there was an ideal site of about ten acres close to Broom.
Before the ground was ready games were played in Capon’s Meadow just over the bridge at the mills site. Players changed in a pub in Biggleswade. The first game on the Langford Road pitch was against RAF Henlow in 1949. There were two pitches end-to=end with large elm trees around the area. Twentyfive years later the Club played the Wing Command of the RAF with the 50th anniversary being celebrated with the visit of the full RAF XV to the ground. The first clubhouse was a of wooden construction just inside the front gate. The building shook when teams warmed up.
In the early 1970s the Club decided to build a new clubhouse with two squash courts. Squash was very
popular at the time and was expected to generate a good revenue for the Club. A further two courts were soon added with the clubroom. A senior member of the club who died far too early was critical of the design as there was no direct view of the main pitch.
The best playing years of the Club were in the 1990s. In the early days of the league structure Biggleswade reached the heady heights of Midlands 1 playing sides like Broadstreet, Syston, Newark and Worcester. In one year, they were unbeaten on Saturdays just losing a cup match. A year later they were Bedfordshire Cup winners for the first time beating Leighton Buzzard in extra time.
Today if the Club fields 3 XVs on a Saturday afternoon that is seen as a sign of a thriving outfit, back in the day five or even six teams were not unknown. On many occasions one side would have to go and play at Shuttleworth College. A major element of the Club when schools were playing less rugby was the creation of the Mini & Youth sections to provide a stream of players to the senior XVs. The sections have been highly successful and spread the name of Biggleswade far and wide.
ADAM NOTT
SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
MARCH MAY
I live in Biggleswade but previously spent seven years living abroad—two in Australia and five in New Zealand—before returning home in 2019, just before the pandemic took hold.
My brother, Dominic Nott, a former No. 8 and now a front-row forward, still plays for the club’s 1st XV and has also had stints as club captain. Dom is a product of the club’s Minis and Juniors (M&J) section, so he has had a long association with the club and
rugby. Our initial connection to the club came through him.
Since Jimmy took over, we’ve managed to get down to the club as often as we can, given other commitments. The performances have gradually improved over the past few seasons. We’ve always had a strong pack, but the evolution of our backs has been quite special. The earlyseason run of games that I managed to attend was great to watch.
Some of the guys at the rugby club spoke to Dom and mentioned that the posts and flags were in bad need
of replacement, which gave us an opportunity to help out. A few years ago, my grandparents, Ian and Norma Hornsby—long-standing, avid fans of the club—helped out with the scoreboard.
Following Dominic through the club’s Colts section, run by Stan Matthews, and seeing how well-organized and wellrun it was, allowed me to fully appreciate what a great club Biggleswade is. The number of players who progressed to senior rugby from that Colts setup is truly inspiring.
Most of the schools in our area are football-focused,
so the club’s ability to offer a space for young people to play rugby has been hugely important. I recall traveling to Tenby in Wales as a kid and staying overnight in a holiday park. I vividly remember waking up on a freezing morning to condensation and water running down the walls, but it was all great fun.
I have so many fond memories of Biggleswade Rugby Club and wish everyone there the very best of enjoyment and success as they head into the second half of the 2024/2025 campaign!
RUSSELL
JONES CHAIRMAN
Firstly, I don’t think the article needs to focus on me as there are far too many people playing huge parts in taking the club forward. To single out one person doesn’t feel right. However, in short, I’ve been at the club since I was 17 years old, and I’m now 46, so I’ve been playing here longer than most of our current 1st XV players have been alive! I joined at Colts level with the U18 team from Warlingham, most of whom were Trinity pupils at the time (I was at Wallington Boys).
We won the Surrey Colts Cup in our first season at the club, and the majority of us
Trinity
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“Trinity
Rugby Club is about empowering players to build the community they want to be a part of. Results and winning are important, but only if you’re playing with great people.”
also represented the Surrey U18 side, which narrowly lost in our national semi-final, missing out on the chance to play at Twickenham. Most of us also went on to represent the 1st XV, and several members of that team are still playing (three of them were in the 1st XV last season).
My first appearance for the adult side was actually in a 7s tournament at Old Caterhamians, which we won, beating London Scottish in the process! I became a regular in the 1st XV as a young back row, and later moved to prop as I got older and slower. At one point, I reached the milestone of 250 consecutive 1st XV games
without missing a match (I’m not sure what the final figure was). I started on the committee as an additional member, then became Club Captain and later Chairman. I can often be found at the club most days of the week, either propping up the bar (once a prop, always a prop) or doing various jobs, from washing kit to registering players and setting up the VEO. I’ve also coached various age groups of juniors and continue to stay involved with that section of the club, overseeing registrations and collecting subs. One of the best feelings at the club has been playing alongside guys I coached from U11s, who progressed
all the way to the seniors, with many of them making it to the 1st XV.
The club is definitely my extended family! It’s great to have guys who I’ve known for so long, all heavily invested in the club as much as I am. Our school liaison officer, Mark Macaskill, was in my class at primary school, and I’ve been playing rugby with him since I was U14. Fellow stalwarts such as Dan Crouch (Junior Chair) and Dave Stanton (Under 9 coach) joined the club at U18 level and have been close mates ever since. Alan Hayes (Under 11 coach) and Kieran Roche (Under 14 coach) were teammates from U11s, as was our new sponsor Aaron O’Gorman and regular sideline drinking companion Chris Willson.
There’s a real buzz around the club right now, and to be honest, that started before our strong start to the season. We recruited well over the summer and brought in some brilliant new voices to the coaching and leadership team. It was also great to have a couple of guest coaches during pre-season: former USA 7s coach Mike Friday and former Saracens, London Irish, and Old Mid-Whitgiftian player Kieran Roche. Results have obviously helped maintain
that buzz, with both the 1st XV and AXV winning all seven of their games. We’ve also had plenty of off-pitch activities, including a Race Night, Halloween Party, and a Comedy Night, with a Bingo Night coming up in three weeks! It’s been fantastic to see players bringing their wives, girlfriends, mates, and parents to these social events, turning the club into a great place for the whole family to spend the weekend.
It’s not just the rugby club that’s thriving. We are part of a multi-sport association alongside cricket and hockey. Cricket set the bar last season, with all four of their Saturday sides gaining promotion, so rugby has picked up the mantle and carried this winning mentality into our season. Hockey has also started their season well, and following a merger with Croydon Whitgiftians, they now have five teams, including a female side, which adds to the atmosphere in the bar with members from all clubs benefiting from the socials hosted by the other clubs. In addition to the three sports clubs, we also have an amateur dramatics group as part of the association, and they just won “Show of the Year” for their production of Young Frankenstein at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall!
Trinity School has been very successful over the last few seasons, winning the 2022 National Cup and coming runners-up in 2023!
Some of the players from these sides have joined the club over the summer and have helped create the positive atmosphere both on and off the pitch, which they’ve carried with them from their time at the school.
We were also lucky enough to have Chris Grierson (former head of video and social media at Crystal Palace Football Club) and club “legend” Julian Chenery produce a great promo video for us during pre-season. Not only did it raise the club’s profile, but the professionalism of the production also gave the players a real lift and instilled the belief that they were in a professional environment. Link to video
Our club Instagram account has also proven to be a very useful tool, with plenty
of posts and interactions from both current and former players, all of which is positive and helping to maintain the vibe around the whole club.
On the pitch, things could literally not be better. The 1st XV, with an average age of around 23, is currently seven wins from seven and top of their league, while the 2nd XV, with seven wins from seven (five league wins and two friendlies), is also top of their league! If being critical, we could have—and in some games, should have—picked up a couple of extra bonus points!
Having the VEO camera has also proven to be a useful tool. Even though we’ve been winning each week, both the coaches and players know there is still room for improvement. Part of our current success stems
from the Wednesday analysis sessions run by Matt Higgins and George Kimmins, where they review the previous week’s games. All players from both the 1st XV and 2nd XV tune in early before their outside training session, and everyone is open to listening to the coaches’ views, learning, and improving in any areas flagged.
Our long-term development plan is to field a team in every age group from U5 to U18, alongside three senior teams (and hopefully a women’s team). We aim to continue being the go-to club for any young, ambitious player in South East London/Surrey who wants the best coaching and facilities in the area.
In terms of physical development, we would love to build a gym on the premises, although through
our links with Trinity School, we’re lucky to be able to use their strength and conditioning suite. The French rugby team based themselves at Trinity School during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and the gym was purpose-built for that, so it’s perfect for any rugby team! We pride
ourselves on our pitches, which are the best in the area, with a floodlit pitch ideal for Friday Night Lights. There isn’t much we need in terms of development, but our affiliated hockey club is currently looking to build an astro, which would further enhance our already
impressive facilities. There are also plans to extend the patio area outside the club to create a larger social space!
At the start of the season, our aim was to improve on last season’s results for the 1st XV and to field a 2nd XV for every league game, having only been able to achieve this twice during the previous season (an injury crisis didn’t help!). Now, a couple of months into the season, our ambitions are quickly growing. Realistically, we’re now looking for both our 1st XV and 2nd XV to be promoted, as well as a successful run in the endof-season Papa John Cup! (Please read our interview with Director of Rugby Andy Edwards for more insight into the club’s ambitions).
We have a handful of girls in our mini section, but unfortunately, we don’t currently have a girls’ or women’s side. However, now that Trinity 6th Form is co-ed, we are working with the school to provide rugby for the girls once they leave school or university. We hope to field a women’s 7s side at the end of the season, which we hope will grow into
something more regular. Our Mini and Junior section of the club is known as Trinity Titans, and they are invaluable to us. Our current junior setup is relatively new compared to other local clubs, but our current incarnation of juniors is now up to 100+ boys and girls, ranging from 4 to 15 years old. We pride ourselves on the quality of our coaching, with the junior section being led by club stalwarts and former Trinity pupils Dan Crouch, Mark Macaskill, and Kieran Roche. Our minis are guided by a wealth of rugby knowledge and experience, including club stalwarts and former Trinity alumni Alan Hayes and Doug Sheard. Having so many former and current players involved in the junior section helps unite the whole club as one Trinity RFC family. We’re not a closed club, however, and have a number of additional coaches, such as Paul Guy, David Hayes, Andrew Hilliard, Paul Krarup, and Chris Shiels, playing key roles in developing our young stars! We have tried on a number of previous occasions to kick-start a junior section, and
while we hadn’t managed to field teams at multiple age groups until now, we are very proud of the current group and the retention of players progressing to senior rugby. It’s rare these days that a team sheet goes out without a former Young Mid/Trinity Titan name on it!
The current group of minis is becoming an established name at various Surrey festivals, and it’s great to see our own minis enjoying Friday Night Lights sessions, which the kids all love. We have already held an U11 Friday Night Festival this season, with an U9 one coming up next week!
The current U14s and U15s have both won their respective Waterfall Cups over the last two seasons and are looking to do so again this year! Both teams have also started this season very well, with the U14s winning 6 of their 7 matches and the U15s also winning more games than they’ve lost (awaiting confirmation of wins vs losses). In addition to their regular Sunday sessions, we’ve also linked up with local company Sporting Excellence Group to provide
Wednesday night sessions!
These are run by former Trinity, Old Mid-Whitgiftian, Blackheath legend, and England U21s player Dave Fitzgerald, alongside former USA 7s coach Mike Friday, and our own Junior Chairman Dan Crouch.
A major highlight of the mini and junior sections for players and parents/guardians has been our end-of-season tours! In recent years, we’ve been to the Isle of Wight and Cheltenham, with players getting to do a guard of
honour at Gloucester! This year, we’re looking to tour to Bristol and hope to attend a game to cheer on former Trinity School boy and recent England
A call-up Gabriel Ibitoye!
The Trinity Titans are also affiliated with Harlequins RFC as a Harlequins Community Club.
At the forefront of everything we do at Trinity Rugby Club, we are a family. Looking out for one another is crucial. We place a massive emphasis on mental health, and we’re hosting a male mental health awareness event later this month with Dr. Alex Curmi, a consultant psychiatrist. We’ve had guys go through divorce, miscarriage, bereavement, loneliness, depression, and much more. We share these experiences and are there for each other. We regularly include posts about mental health awareness on our club’s social media feeds to ensure players and followers know that they are never alone and that a support network is in place should they need it!
In terms of local community involvement, we have run various sessions with local primary schools such as Atwood and Gresham. We also have close relationships with local secondary school Riddlesdown Collegiate and are hosting an U18 game and
curry evening for them later this month as a fundraiser to help raise funds for their upcoming tour to Portugal. Our junior section has also signed up to the star scheme, which supports young people and families in overcoming the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through engagement with grassroots rugby. This initiative is linking in with local schools and inviting these players into a supportive environment.
Our clubhouse is located in the village of Sanderstead, on the outskirts of South Croydon, where, due to a historic covenant, there are no pubs. We engage with the local community and welcome our neighbouring residents to become members of the association and benefit from the activities and facilities we offer. Various classes are run from the clubhouse during the week, such as Pilates, furniture restoration, and baby ballet. We also hire our facilities out to local junior and senior football clubs.
Being an amateur club, sponsors are key to our survival and growth. Without sufficient funding, we wouldn’t be able to get new kit and equipment. As part of an association, we don’t own our clubhouse, so we don’t benefit from money over the bar or
renting out the clubhouse. We therefore rely on subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. Being part of the association does have benefits, as the clubhouse and pitches are looked after for us, but at the end of the day, like any business, we need to ensure our income covers our everincreasing expenses.
Without our sponsor Tribe (via former player Pat Smith), we wouldn’t have been able to get our fantastic new 1st XV kit this season. Our new sponsor, Meaningful Financial Planning (via former player Aaron O’Gorman), has also made a very generous donation that will help us reach our seasonal goals and continue to build for the future. We have a former players’ function in a few weeks, which will be a great chance for us to publicly thank both sponsors and post lots of photos on social media following a photoshoot with them!
A slogan we have often used under our former name, Old Mid-Whitgiftian, is “Once a Mid, Always a Mid!”
Another great initiative we’ve recently undertaken is sending all our old kits to Uganda, as one of our club members, Matt Hoyles, had a friend working out there! It has been great to see photos and videos of the players in Uganda proudly wearing and showing off our kit.
One person we have not
mentioned who deserves recognition is our fantastic physio, Jas Mills! Her commitment to the club is unmatched, and she is there every Saturday and Wednesday, come rain or shine, to look after our players. Jas comes from a rugby family and used to play for Brixham in Devon. Her mum is still involved with the club! In addition to looking after our players, she also works with Teddington Ladies and coaches RugbyTots. She also signed us up to CRISP (Community Rugby Injury Surveillance Project 2024-25) this season to assist the RFU with their studies on player welfare.
Another recent change for us as a club has been behind the bar and in the kitchen, where rugby-obsessed Claire Lamb has taken over as bar steward, and qualified chef Dom Conroy has taken over the kitchen, providing rewarding meals for players after games, as well as for our merry band of supporters in the bar before games and on the sideline during them!
Trinity Rugby Club has shown that if you stay true to your core values, build a community of great people, and remember that a rugby club is fundamentally a family, rugby clubs can still thrive in a community setting.
The club’s past players are just as important as the current group of players and future players in our
juniors. The bond between the groups is an important feature, as shown over the summer when we had a Ryder Cup-style event with former players, The Midwives, playing against some of the current players. Friendships were formed, and phone numbers were exchanged, with former player John Vigar commenting on how great it was to spend a day with the current players and see how their love for the club is just as strong as his and his peers’!
It’s the sign of a great club to have guys still fully involved into their mid-40s, not only able to play and socialize with their former school and Colts teammates but
also with the new younger members coming into the club. Our club culture is very inclusive, and we represent all the core values that a rugby club should.
What sets us apart is that we’re integrated vertically from Midwives through to Minis. Embracing our amateur status and supporting ourselves from within—from stalwarts like John Starlings Bequest to nights out like London with Chutes & Jerry—we maintain a strong, tight-knit community. (A quote from former player Richard Sexton, who lives in New York but is still a big part of our club and community.)
We used to be known as Old Mid-Whitgiftian RFC – we changed our name on 1 June 2019 – but we still retain our nickname, The Mids. The club was founded in 1926 by the old boys of Trinity School in Croydon (formerly Whitgift Middle School), hence Old Mid(dle)-Whitgiftian. Whitgift Middle School changed its name to Trinity School of John Whitgift in 1954, and after years of confusion between Old Mid-Whitgiftian RFC and Old Whitgiftians, the rugby club made the decision to change its name to Trinity RFC for the 2019/20 season— our first with the new name. This was the first step toward re-establishing and growing our links with the school. We’re now looking forward, as a rugby club, to celebrating our centenary season in September 2026.
The 1980s and 1990s were a “golden” period for us, with Surrey County Cup wins in 1984/85, 1987/88, and 1992/93, and qualification for the national John Player/ Pilkington Cup in 1985/86, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1991/92, and 1993/94.
Since the introduction of leagues, we have played in competitions with teams as far away as Jersey and Guernsey in the Hampshire league, to Thanet Wanderers in Kent, and Norwich in Norfolk!
At our peak, we achieved 3rd place in what is now level 5.
In recent years, we have gone from what was Surrey 1 in 2021/22 (level 9) to what is now Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex (level 7).
Our list of notable explayers includes George Chuter, Alex Codling, Kieran Roche, and Shane Roiser, and
I’m sure we will add to this in the future with our current crop of young superstars! We have also had international players represent us from countries such as Nigeria (Temi Okenla) and Belgium (Mike Richer). A lot of our players have also represented Surrey at the senior and colt
levels, as well as England Lambs and youth age groups. We also played a major role in CLOB (Combined London Old Boys), with many of our players forming the majority of the side that took on teams like Russia, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and various armed forces sides.
& PRINCIPAL
SPONSOR: TRIBE
I attended Trinity School from the age of 11, and my father, Peter, taught English there, so my connection with the school goes back a long way. My secondary school years were spent in Croydon, where I played rugby, cricket, and hockey. I continued playing rugby and cricket at the Club (then called Old Mid Whitgiftians) after leaving school and stepped straight into playing senior rugby.
Back then, like a few recent school leavers, I started in the third team. I was as a utility player for the lower teams, playing in the backs, back row, and, improbably as it seems now, even in the front row on occasion! In return, I was nurtured by the senior players; never needing a lift and seldom buying a drink!
Although cricket had really been my main sport (I represented England at schoolboy level) my passion was rugby and never wanted to give it up. There was a point where I questioned my focus, turning up without knowing where I would play, so I decided to choose a position. I decided that scrum-half, would be immersive, despite rarely having played there. I started training, and, over time, I became 2nd XV scrum-half, gained my club colours and captained the team. I progressed to the 1st XV and London Division 1 and was elected vice-captain.
Oddly, I never used to work hard at cricket since it came fairly naturally to me, but as I progressed through the rugby club, I had to work really hard to fulfil my potential and this resulted in great personal satisfaction. Nowadays, rugby is the sport that I dream about and despite having achieved higher levels in other sports, my personal pride has always come from my rugby efforts.
My oldest mates, many of whom I’m still close too, come through Trinity school and the rugby club, and we work to maintain those friendships today. One of the things I love about Trinity RFC right now is the effort being made to build bridges with the school and nurture talent. In the late ‘70s, when I first joined the club and didn’t drive—well before mobile phones—I was tremendously looked after. It could not have been made easier for me to thoroughly enjoy myself and I see this same ethos now. The
Rugby is one thing, but the community and brotherhood is what is unique.
Because of all of this, and particularly as you get older, I like many, start looking for ways to repay that debt and, at the very least, help the club and its members understand and benefit from our culture, ethos, and journeys.
I have never sponsored Trinity because of their league position; I support Trinity because I want to support grassroots rugby in a meaningful way. This has to be ethically aligned with my values, beliefs, and passions and those that we have taken forward in our business, Tribe Advisory.
Membership in a club is not necessarily a remedy for the challenges young men face in life, but it helps. I see that with Trinity RFC there is a whole parallel around wellbeing and mental health, especially where society today is increasingly open about mental wellness and vulnerability. Vulnerability doesn’t necessarily disappear just by being a member of a rugby club, but it’s helpful individually and collectively in a community that recognises its role to play. Trinity RFC ensures that the mental health of our players is as important as the physio’s table and regular training sessions and will, I believe as a consequence, create lifelong bonds with and between the players, throughout and beyond their playing days. I believe this is what a modern club should be all about. This is how close-knit communities are forged and thrive.
One of the things I hope my involvement demonstrates is the journey does not end when you stop playing and
that does not need to be the end of your relationship with the club. It may show that when the playing days are over, you’re still not even halfway through—you never have to drop out; you still have a place and a home here. In my view, clubs struggle when any pieces of the puzzle are missing. All I can do is play my part in the hope that others will be encouraged to participate.
As a sponsor of the club for a few years, I have witnessed a really positive evolution, and I am very proud to have been involved in some of the stages that have led us to where we are
now. I am really keen for my company, Tribe, to continue being involved. What Tribe stands for as a business completely mirrors the ethos of Trinity RFC. If it didn’t have this alignment, I don’t think I would be interested since it would make no sense.
Living in Central London and having lost my wife, Vicki, not long ago, I’ve only been to the club twice this season, mostly for former players’ lunches. I met Vicki at the club, since she was the cousin of one of my schoolmates, who played 1st XV at the Club. When she passed in 2021, many of the guys at the club were
incredibly supportive—a real demonstration of the rugby community. I felt, and continue to feel, a sort of “rugby hug” from Trinity, which I truly value and realise is unique to our history.
On the playing side, the trajectory at the club is fantastic, very much grounded in how they handle adversity and pressure. Winning games in the last 10 minutes—that’s strong! And if you can deal with defeats and come back fighting, there’s another success and winning character. You’re never going to win every game you play, but if you have a united team with
a strong mentality and don’t capitulate, you learn and move on. I see this resilience at Trinity right now, regardless of results. The results, if you like, are just an outcome. It’s important to remember that rugby is meant to be fun and not over-engineered. The real enjoyment, when I look back, was hanging out with the guys before and after games, having a few beers afterward, and recovering for work on a Sunday—that’s what amateur sport should be all about.
For me, what makes Trinity Rugby Football Club such a great club to be part of is the camaraderie, wrapped in
NICHOLAS STRETTON, SUPPORTER & PRINCIPAL SHIRT SPONSOR: TRIBE
Nick is the Co-founder and Executive Director at Tribe he recently told Rugby Club Magazine: My eldest son, now 36, attended Trinity School from the age of 11 to 18 and represented the school in athletics and rugby. I spent many Saturdays on the touchline watching James in all weathers! James went on to gain a 1st Class Honours Degree in History from Leeds University. He, and the family, have much to thank Trinity for and whilst James did not go on to play at TRFC, I feel the sponsorship Tribe gives goes some way to acknowledge the family ‘thank you’ for helping shape the man James is today.
a relatively humble culture with no hierarchy, and a core belief that says, “If you work hard and stick together, you will succeed.” Regardless of whether it’s our 1st XV, 2nd XV, the Colts, Minis or the School achieving victory, the joy throughout our Club is equal.
MIKE FRITH PLAYER, SUPPORTER & SPONSOR: REEF WATER SOLUTIONS
I moved into the area and, having played some rugby at school, was already aware of the rugby club. Feeling a bit disillusioned with football, I decided to check out Trinity Rugby Club with my little lad, Todd. It all started from there, with friends and others from the school getting involved, and things seemed to evolve naturally from that point onwards. I ended up playing for the club, although, when asked, I’d describe my rugby career as “comedy rugby”! I’ve enjoyed playing immensely at Trinity RFC, but I feel my playing days are now behind me.
Rugby was a fantastic experience for me, especially as I wasn’t a natural footballer. It gave me a place to belong and remains an excellent alternative for those who don’t quite connect with other sports.
Coming through the state school system, it was great to see the club foster strong links with Riddlesdown School. Some of us at the club helped
build those connections by providing coaching, which strengthened the club’s youth setup. I’m proud to have been part of that journey and legacy, witnessing it firsthand. The transformation and confidence that emerged in the children at the club were truly inspiring. Trinity RFC also has strong ties with Trinity School, creating a wonderful mix across the whole club.
After I moved to Cornwall for 11 years, Todd and I became involved with Wadebridge Camels RFC. These
days, Todd, now 29, has started his own family and has a 6-month-old son, my grandson, Finley. As a result, he hasn’t been playing much rugby lately.
Unfortunately, due to life commitments, I haven’t been able to get down to Trinity as much as I’d like, but I always keep an eye on the results. My business, Reef Water Solutions, has been a sponsor of the club for over two decades, and I fully intend to continue that support. As a business, we sponsor various sports and are currently exploring ways to support vulnerable communities, including those experiencing homelessness.
I love the feel of Trinity Rugby Club. It’s a beautiful part of the world, and whenever I walk in, there’s always a friendly face ready for a chat. I really appreciate that the club has a fantastic mix of people from all walks of life.
I remember taking a touring team from Weybridge Camels RFC to Trinity. Initially, they were apprehensive due to Croydon’s reputation, but I told them to wait and see how beautiful the club is—especially on a frosty Sunday morning in winter. Trinity has always made me feel welcome, and I’ve built great friendships there with people like Laurence Oliver (whom I persuaded to take up rowing), Russ Jones, and many others.
There’s no cliquishness at Trinity Rugby Club, and that’s something I truly love about it. I miss the place because I haven’t been up there for a while, but I’ll be back soon. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with my friends at this great club, which has provided a second home to so many of us.
Hawick Linden
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“It’s a friendly environment where, no matter who you are or where you come from, you will be welcomed with open arms, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!”
KIERAN MURPHY, CLUB VICE-PRESIDENT
I first became involved with the club when I was 17 years old, stepping up from the under-18 side, Hawick PSA, back when Hawick had two under-18s sides. Since then, I have played on and off for eight years due to injury. I was playing right up until last December when, unfortunately, I suffered a severe leg/ankle break that ended my playing days.
Last season, I took on a more organisational role while also running the social media pages, a role I’ve held since 2017. After my injury, I was contacted in the new year by President John Tait about becoming his Vice, which was confirmed in the summer at our AGM. The club has always been a significant part of my life since I joined, and I’m currently doing everything I can to make it the best place possible for people to play rugby.
The mood at the club is very good at present. Over the last two seasons, we have seen a massive increase in player numbers, supporters, and people getting involved in many ways. Covid did play
a massive part in our slight decline for a small period of time, as it has for many clubs in Scotland, but we are back on track, and everyone is enjoying spending their time here again. We’ve been getting good results on the pitch and have some exciting events/tours in the pipeline that everyone is looking forward to. A key part of any club is having a good winddown period along with the hard work on the field.
This season has been a good one so far, despite suffering our first loss the other weekend. We started the season by winning the Volunteer Shield at our home sevens, which I’ll touch on further down. We played two pre-season games against tough opposition in higher leagues, winning one and losing the other, using 32 different players over the two games. Since then, we’ve been on a good run in the league, up until a recent defeat. With plenty still to play for, we will look to bounce back and continue on an upward path compared to previous years.
In terms of development, we plan to upgrade our
changing and medical rooms to complement our new 3G pitch, which was installed a few years ago. We are constantly looking at ways to improve the club, and the biggest development for us is making this the standout place where young players want to come and play.
Our aim for this season was to challenge for the league title and have a good run in the Scottish Bowl. We currently sit second in the league, and if we don’t achieve promotion this year, we will certainly push for it next season. The Bowl always provides a good opportunity for us to aim for Murrayfield
Stadium for finals day, something every player wants and deserves to aim for.
At our club, we currently don’t have a women’s team, although there are many excellent women’s clubs in the area that do a great job promoting the game.
Although we don’t have a women’s team, we do have many women involved in the club who play a huge part in its overall running. From physiotherapists, tea ladies, committee members, to supporters, we have a strong female following both within and outside the club.
Mini and Junior Rugby play a massive part in Hawick, as we rely on local lads coming through to field sides. Hawick is probably the only small town in Scotland with more than two separate clubs: ourselves, Hawick RFC, who sometimes field a second team, and Hawick Harlequins. Hawick runs a minis section up until the end of Primary 7 before players move on to High School Rugby and Hawick Youth.
We share a ground with Hawick Youth at Volunteer Park, where they field sides from Under-15s to Under-18s. We have a stand with clubrooms built in, a great place to watch and enjoy rugby.
We also have a good selection of hardworking ball boys from the minis who attend matches both home and away and join in at training, which helps them feel part of the club from a young age.
HISTORY OF THE CLUB
Hawick Linden RFC (pronounced Lin-dean) was founded in 1921 by a group of friends from an area of Hawick that included Linden Terrace, from which the club’s name was taken. Two early Border Semi-Junior League Championships in 1923/24 and 1924/25 were followed by the first Border District League title in 1929/30. The latter championship was won 12 times in total, the most recent being in 1986/87. The Linden joined the Scottish National League set-up in 2004/05 and were crowned champions of Division 5 (East) in 2005/06, East Division 1 in 2008/09, and East Division 2 in 2012/13 and 2018/19.
Termed a ‘junior’ club, the Linden has produced countless players who have gone on to play for Hawick, the ‘senior’ team in the town, and Scottish champions on several occasions. The Linden has defeated senior teams during its history, the most notable being Stewarts/Melville in a momentous run to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup in 1996/97, when they progressed further than Hawick.
Numerous trophies have been won at seven-a-side tournaments, several in Scotland, but also in England (at Keswick and Wigton), and in Berlin in 1981 and 1983. These victories were part of club tours, with the Linden also having toured overseas to Amsterdam, Prague, La Rochelle, and, arguably overseas, several trips to sevens tournaments at Carrickfergus and the Isle of Mull. A further tour is planned at the end of the current season to the beach sevens in Magaluf.
The club is proud to have produced 16 Scotland caps, of whom Adam Robson was the SRU President in the Grand Slam season of 1983/84, while Tony Stanger played for the British Lions in 1997. Until recently, Stanger jointly held the Scottish try-scoring record in cap internationals, and the jersey he wore when scoring his record-equalling 24th try against England in 1998 graces the walls of the Volunteer Park clubrooms.
Four of the internationalists were retrospectively awarded full cap status by the Scottish Rugby Custodian Board in 2023, namely Jock Anderson, Wattie Davies, Bruce White, and Donnie McLeod. Not included in the 16 are the likes of Nikki Walker and Rory Sutherland, who each made a handful of Linden appearances before their rugby journeys saw them
pull on the navy blue jersey of Scotland. The club is also honoured to boast a Great Britain rugby league cap, Rob Valentine, who played against Australia in 1967.
Initially playing home games at Wilton Lodge Park, the Linden moved to nearby Volunteer Park in 1964, which boasts a large grandstand with in-built clubrooms and changing rooms. When the clubrooms were refurbished in 2005, they were renamed the Jock Beattie Lounge after one of the club’s founding players, who became the Linden’s first Scotland cap in 1929.
Several sporting and other events have been held at Volunteer Park, such as the World Pipe Band Championships in 1972, when over 12,000 visitors came to the town. In 2016, a 3G pitch was laid, matchday floodlighting installed, and upgrades were made to the pitch surrounds, all of which helped transform the venue into a top-class sports facility for the 21st century.
The Linden celebrated their centenary in the 2021/22 season, which included the publication of a 292-page centenary book entitled “C’mon the Dean – A Hundred Years of Hawick Linden RFC,” and rounded off with a fantastic celebratory dinner in April 2022.
Copies still available from the club, priced £15 including UK postage.
Our club is certainly a community club; we pride ourselves on being one that anyone can come to. We may never be the best team on the planet, but if we can field a good competitive team for the league we play in, along with getting things right off the field, that’s exactly where we want to be. We keep everything affordable and try to give players and the local community plenty of opportunities to get involved. We run music events, race nights, dominoes, and pool competitions that anyone can join in on. We also help put up flags for our local common riding, and many of our players help coach/ referee mini rugby, which is great to see. We donate to many charities and have done fundraisers and challenges in the past to raise money for great causes.
Our club ran its own fundraiser just after COVID rules were slightly lifted, which involved us running the miles from Hawick to Lombardy in Italy, where COVID first broke out in Europe. We completed the challenge so quickly with maximum effort from over 35 people that we decided to run
back too. This raised nearly £2000 for our local NHS.
Our club can also be hired at no cost for all types of events. We offer many sponsor opportunities, which many businesses take up.
Sponsors play a massive part in keeping a club like ours going. As mentioned above, we never charge much for anything, as we want to keep everything affordable for everyone. Times are tough right now, and it’s great if everyone can still enjoy things without having to spend too much. Our sponsors, some long-standing and some fairly new, do everything they can to help us throughout the season.
Our club is great to be part of; it’s a place to enjoy rugby both on and off the field. I believe that a great club consists of the right balance between both, and that is where we are heading. I will do everything in my power to continue that and make it better. It’s a friendly environment where, no matter who you are or where you come from, you will be welcomed with open arms, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
This season, we’ve brought back our sevens tournament,
which was held in August for the first time in five years. It was a great day, with almost 500 people coming through the gates. The sun was shining, and we received nothing but positive feedback from bringing the tournament back. It gave all local clubs below the national league a great chance to play the abbreviated version of the game with a real chance of winning. We’re looking at making this a yearly event.
At the end of this season, we’ll also be heading to Majorca to take part in Europe’s largest beach rugby tournament in May. With 37 players, committee members, and physiotherapists in attendance, it’s going to be a great way for us to round off the campaign in the sun. We have entered our first team into the main tournament and an over-35s team into the Vets Tournament. It’s something we are all looking forward to after the success of previous tours to Blackpool and Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland. We’re running two music events over the next few months and our Christmas Dominoes to help fund this.
I’m originally a Gala YM man and played rugby for them for around nine years, anywhere in the front row. Sadly, I had to hang up my boots due to multiple knee replacements, shoulder injuries, and facial injuries. As I’m speaking to you now, I’ve currently got my arm in a sling! I’d love to play rugby again, and I recently tried a game of Touch Rugby, which led to my current injury—so “accident-prone” doesn’t quite cover it!
It was largely through Kieran Murphy that I became involved with Linden. I later became a sponsor and joined the club’s committee. My wife is from Hawick, and her cousin, Lewis Stormont—a close friend of mine—was also a player at Linden. Lewis has had his fair share of injuries too, including ACL and patella injuries and reconstructions. I was often down at the club watching the lads play, and my relationship with Linden naturally developed from there.
I wanted to get back involved with rugby, and this led me to follow and support the team all over the region. Having always been involved in team sports, I now enjoy watching from the touchline with my wife while our 3-yearold son begins his own rugby journey.
We have a very young team at the club, and the performances are improving all the time. Older heads are an important part of a well-rounded squad, and this season a few experienced players have returned, which is fantastic. You need those voices in rugby—leaders who can guide and mentor our young and talented squad. We have many outstanding young players at Linden, and I believe this mentoring will help them develop into exceptional rugby players.
Hawick Linden RFC is truly a family club. If you attend any events at the club, it’s not just the players you’ll see—it’s their families as well. It’s a fantastic atmosphere and a wonderful club to be part of!
“Very proud of our association with Hawick Linden Rugby Club!”
Burnfoot
PHIL COOPER PRESIDENT AND CLUB DIRECTOR
My first memories of the club are of attending as a teenager with my uncle and dad in the early 1980s watching some of the great Waterloo and Lancashire county sides of that era.
Two particular highlights come to mind: firstly, the Waterloo Centenary game against The Barbarians in October 1982, which saw a Waterloo team containing two full Internationals in Colin Fisher and Jim Sydall take on and beat a Barbarians team with no less than 13 Internationals including three All Blacks - Graham Mourie (Capt), Murray Mexted and Gary Knight - on a Thursday evening under lights.
The second was when The Northern Division played an Australian team containing a host of household names, including Mark Ella, Nick Farr Jones and David Campese,
Firwood Waterloo
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“It
is a combination of history, tradition, values and people that makes our club such a great community to be part of!”
at Waterloo, on a Wednesday afternoon in November 1984.
Two years later I played my first senior game for the club, in the 5th team against St Helen’s Fire Service and went on to play for every senior team over the following 14 years and finished playing in the 2000/01 season with my last game being a 2nd Team fixture away at Chester.
After finishing playing, and following a few years away from the club, like many former players I became involved again when coaching
my son’s Mini & Junior age group, which I continued through to senior colts. I then started to help out with the 2nd XV and somehow found myself on the rugby committee and subsequently the main board. I thoroughly enjoyed my times as a player and coaching the Mini and Junior teams was also a highlight. I’ve had some great experiences and met some wonderful people through my involvement with the club over the years and, whilst being involved on the
administrative side of the club is a certainly more challenging and not quite as enjoyable as playing or coaching, it still has its rewards and allows me to feel like I am hopefully giving something back to the club community.
It’s fair to say that the last few years have, in common with many other clubs and businesses operating in the leisure and hospitality industry, been a challenge off the field for the Club, with spiralling prices and the cost of living crisis coming on the
back of the Covid enforced lockdowns. This year feels like we have (hopefully) turned a corner and there are a number of reasons to be positive. We have a small but committed and experienced main Board / Committee under excellent stewardship from the Club Chair, longserving and enthusiastic staff, costs are under control, commercial activity is steady, sponsorship levels are increasing and membership appears to be thriving.
On the field a number of initiatives relating to touch and women and girls’ rugby are beginning to bear fruit and the Minis and Juniors continue to excel across all the age groups. With the senior men’s 1st team maintaining their form of last season and the 2nd and the 3rd teams building on last year’s successes and continuing to provide a pathway to senior rugby for increasing numbers of colts, while also introducing and reintroducing older players to the game, there is an air of vigour and vibrancy around the Club on both the playing and social side.
We very definitely see ourselves as a community rugby club and feel that the best way for us to engage with the local community is by providing local people with the opportunity to get
involved in rugby at every level and in any capacity be it as a supporter, player, coach, sponsor, administrator or social user.
Of course playing rugby is the raison d’etre of the Club and we aim to provide playing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. We have around 300 members in our Minis and Juniors section from the age of 6 to 18 and through our Men’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams also offer the chance for adults ranging from seasoned vets to complete novices to play this fantastic game of ours. Our Women’s section is undergoing a process of rebuilding and as part of that we have started a popular mixed touch rugby section, which, as well as being a great game in and of itself, has proven to be a way of easing people into or back into playing contact rugby.
Our House Manager and her team work hard to ensure we remain a popular local venue for all sorts of events, including weddings, christening and funerals, so the Club shares in numerous important occasions with many local people, as well as hosting regular community activities such as our local Bridge Club, gymnastics, dance and gym classes.
We have also actively sought to build links with
local charities in recent years, particularly Woodlands Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support, and have a policy of making our facilities available free of charge to local charities for fundraising events, as well as offering the opportunity to carry out collections and raffles on match days.
Ensuring the club is visible and connects with as many people as possible in our local community was a primary reason for us creating a paid Community Coaching Co-ordinator role a little over 12 months ago. As well as strengthening our internal community ties, a key part of this role is to get out and about, fostering links to local primary and secondary schools and other community groups and introducing people to the Club and the game of rugby. As part of our commitment in this regard we have hosted and continue to host a local schools’ rugby development programme across a number of weeks in the winter, as well as one off school cup games. Last year we also hosted the University of Liverpool v LJMU varsity game and are looking forward to doing so again this year.
Sponsors are hugely important to our club and we are very grateful to them all, for helping to ensure that we can keep moving forward
and supporting our rugby ambitions. We have a longstanding naming agreement with a local building merchants and like them, many of our sponsors also have long associations with the Club either as supporters, former players, players or parents of players.
We appreciate the help of all our sponsors; Firwood Timber, Walker Engineering, Unilever Persil, Svella PLC, Fix My Watch, PPG Group, Task Contract Solutions, Hennessy Cosmetics, Almamet International Group, Formby MOT, Merchant Taylors School, St Marys College, David Roberts & Partners, Lunt Removals, Nolan Flooring, Beak Fried Chicken, Base Communications, European Removal Services, DSG Chartered Accountants, Just Mortgages, Anthony John Catering, and R Bell Home Renovations.
It is fantastic to have their ongoing support, and their generosity supports the activities of all our players, coaches and volunteers and facilitates the Club in funding its rugby related activities, including the Community Coaching Coordinator role.
Firwood Waterloo FC is an old established club with a rich history, steeped in rugby tradition. Having a rich history and tradition doesn’t mean we are wedded to or stuck in
the past; it means we are able to appreciate and learn from the people and endeavours that have gone before us to ensure that the Club remains as relevant and vibrant to its community today as it has been and indeed has needed to be over the last 142 years to still be here and thriving.
The Club provides a unique, warm, welcoming, positive environment for players, coaches, supporters, committee members, employees and volunteers of all ages and genders to come and be part of a likeminded community reflecting the values and ethos of the great sport of Rugby Union, as embodied by the RFU’s TREDS acronym standing for Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship.
SEAN FLETCHER FIRST TEAM HEAD COACH AND COMMUNITY COACHING CO-ORDINATOR
The 2024/2025 season has started really well with two successful pre season games against strong sides and a progression to the semi finals of the Lancashire Cup competition. The league games could not have started better with six wins from six before a small stumble in the seventh game that was a true learning curve for the players in understanding that every game is a big game. Since then, we got back to winning ways, and at time of writing sit on top of the table with seven wins from eight games. The ball is literally in our court on how we continue this season.
The 2nd team has had a more difficult start as we are developing a young side, currently with only one win to our name, but sitting two thirds of the way down the table. A strong point to make is the assessment and transition of our senior colts players who trained with us throughout the pre season programme and are now regularly playing 2nd and 3rd team rugby, closely managed around their school and colts rugby gametime. The foundations for our next generation are well and truly formed.
The 3rd team (Mighty Green Machine - MGM) are performing well since promotion last season. The guys train together and alongside the 1s and 2s squads every week and are currently well established in the top half of the league they were promoted into. The 3s have supported the 2nd team squad this season and the transition of some colts players has been
greatly received. The 3s is a wonderful mix of experience and social rugby players that remains the heart of our club’s grassroots mentality. Long may it continue that we put out a minimum of 3 senior men’s sides every weekend.
I have recently been appointed as the Club’s Community Coaching Coordinator (CCC). This role has been in formulation and discussion for several years, unfortunately being delayed by Covid.
The plan was successfully resurrected last year and is seen as key to forging direct links with the local
community and assisting the club with its long-term growth and sustainability plans. It is envisaged that this will primarily take the form of engaging with local primary and secondary schools and other community groups.
Internally one purpose of the role is to oversee and encourage collaborative cooperation between all three sections of the Club (Minis & Juniors / Women & Girls / Men) with the aim of achieving a true ‘One Club’ mentality, ensuring all three sections have the correct amount of support and assistance.
Another key element of the role is to coordinate all aspects of recruitment and retention of players across the club’s sections. This will involve accessibility to a variety of forms and levels of the game of rugby, alongside the implementation of highquality coaching to support the recruitment of new players and the retention of current players. A major facet of this will be working with coaches and volunteers throughout the Club’s structure, to help them develop their skills and experience.
The ultimate ambition is to secure promotion for our
1st team squad. We have spent two or three seasons building a squad of players who are fully committed to our style of play and culture. The club has fallen foul of professionalism in the past and now recruits and retains all players on a strictly amateur basis. This on its own has enabled us to attract and keep players, as there is no other complication outside of playing the game of rugby and everyone is on an equal footing.
We are proud to have an increasing number of home-grown players who
have come to senior rugby from our Minis and Juniors section and to assist with that we have coaches assigned directly to the transition of colts players into senior rugby. We train alongside and with the Junior and Senior colts sides and we work with players, coaches and parents to get the best out of our young players and create a club mentality, so that, when we inevitably lose many of them to university, we have worked hard to ensure that this remains THEIR rugby club and make it a club for them to hopefully return to when their education concludes.
FIONA HENDERSON CHAIR OF WOMEN’S SECTION AND CLUB DIRECTOR
Women’s rugby has a long and storied history at Waterloo, with Gill Burns MBE, long-term England Women’s captain, World Cup winner and IRB Hall of Famer, establishing Waterloo Ladies at the club in 1989, to make sure local women could play rugby in their hometown.
By 2001, Waterloo Ladies were playing in the first Women’s Premiership and supplying numerous players to the England national side, until relegation in 2006, partly due to the many players unavailable due to involvement in that year’s World Cup.
After winning the Championship 1 North in 2016, Waterloo Ladies were selected as one of ten successful bids for a franchise in the new Women’s Super Rugby competition, later known as Premier 15s.
Our unsuccessful reapplication to the Super 15s in 2020, compounded by the disruption caused by COVID, led to a very challenging period for the club’s women’s section, with an outflow of players looking for regular league rugby.
Nothing daunted, we have been rebuilding the Women’s section since and are now have the start of a Women’s contact side with a combination of players from other sports or a small amount of rugby experience.
As a building block for the Women’s section rebuild we also created a new touch section and now have an active mixed touch side training twice a week. The use of touch allows women and men who are new to the game or are unable to or don’t want to play contact, a way to be involved in Waterloo Rugby and stay fit and active. We also have a number of players from the U18s and below playing, so it really has been a way to bond various sections of the club and make the club more accessible to the wider community allow them away to be involved.
In addition to all of that we also now have a girls’ section again, relaunched last season after a number of years. We are passionate about giving girls the opportunity to play rugby and delighted that numbers have doubled since last season. The plan and hope is that these players will continue with us into the adult game and be our talent of the future.
DAWN BRODIE CHAIR OF MINIS AND JUNIORS SECTION AND CLUB DIRECTOR
At Firwood Waterloo Rugby club we are very lucky to have teams in every age group, from under-6s to under-16s, with Junior colts, Senior Colts and a newly formed girls training section. Each age group has good numbers as well, with some age groups having as many as 30 players, so overall we have around 300 mini and junior players.
To help these players along we have around 80 coaches in total, of all ages and levels of rugby background, who we support so they can provide the best possible experience to our children and young people.
The M&Js are a very important part of our club, it brings together children from all ages and backgrounds to enjoy a sport in an inclusive environment. It also brings together families to enjoy a social element in a safe environment – safeguarding is vitally important to us and we have a designated safeguarding team who ensure all coaches are DBS checked.
Ultimately, the M&Js are the lifeblood of the club. We need to ensure that we provide as positive an experience as possible so that our children and young people keep playing the game into adulthood. Obviously, we’d love it if they stayed at Waterloo – and a good proportion of our senior sides are products of our M&Js - but the most important thing is that they keep playing and enjoying rugby.
CLUB HISTORY
Based at the Memorial Ground in Blundellsands in the north of Liverpool, Waterloo Football Club, now known as Firwood Waterloo, was founded in 1882, making this the club’s 142nd season.
Originally based a stone’s throw from the current ground, a dispute over alleged poaching saw the club evicted and forced to relocate to Waterloo, hence its name, before returning to Blundellsands in 1892.
Waterloo moved to its current home in Blundellsands in1921, named the Memorial Ground in honour of the 51 club members who lost their lives in the Great War.
The Club’s colours are myrtle green, white and scarlet, with the current playing kit consisting of myrtle, white and scarlet hooped shirts and socks with green shorts. The Club badge features a Lancastrian red rose with a black griffin in the centre.
The clubhouse, known as The Pavilion, retains its woodpanelled “Players’ Bar” dating back to the 1920s. Boasting an impressive roaring, real fire, it is one of the few clubs in the country where players walk through the bar to reach the pitch.
This “Players’ Bar” also houses two large memorials bearing the names of Club members who fell in both World Wars. Around the walls are traditional wood and gold leaf boards of honour showing the Club’s Internationals, Captains and Presidents
alongside club plaques and photographs of past players, teams and events, spanning the decades.
Waterloo boasts many players who gained international honours for the home nations whilst playing at the Club, including, on the men’s side, Alan Ashcroft, Dick Greenwood, Colin Fisher and Jim Sydall. Former men’s players who have also gone on to play internationally more recently include Ben Kay, Will Greenwood, Stuart Turner, Austin Healey and Paul Grayson.
Waterloo’s women playing internationals notably include the 1994 World Cup winning England captain Gill Burns, who later became President of the Club. Current England Red Rose women internationals Sarah Beckett and Holly Aitchinson both started off playing rugby at Waterloo.
One of the grand old clubs of the North, with the advent of the first true National League structure in the 1987/88 season Waterloo men’s team started in the top division, then known as Courage League One, lasting two seasons in the top flight before relegation in 1988/89. Waterloo remained in the second tier of league rugby for 12 years until it again suffered relegation in season 2000/01. In an area dominated by football, the club struggled to adjust after the game went professional in 1995, but has now settled as an amateur community club, currently playing at level 6.
ANDY WALKER
FORMER PLAYER, CAPTAIN, AND MAIN
SPONSOR: WALKER ENGINEERING
The minis and junior section are the most important aspect of the club now providing a secure environment to enjoy the sport plus they are the future life blood of the club. I played rugby when I was younger—rugby league—up until I was 19, then stopped and took a break from it. When I moved up to Crosby from Warrington 26 years ago, I ventured down to watch Waterloo towards the end of the season and thought, “I need to start playing again.” So, I went along to training with the lads, ended up playing a few games for the 2nd XV the following season, and was approached by one of the committee members to resurrect our 3rd team squad and see what we could do. Liking a challenge, I agreed. Initially,
ADAM BRIGHOUSE SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
DSG ACCOUNTANTS
I went to school in Crosby, and my reunion rugby day is held at Waterloo each year. I’m also a fan of the club, and our company, DSG Accountants, is proud to be one of its sponsors.
I attend the rugby club regularly and thoroughly enjoy watching the games and everything that comes with them. I usually manage a few Guinness before the match and have always been impressed by the high standard of rugby and how welcoming the club is.
DSG Accountants has offices in Liverpool and North Wales and is one of the leading independent accountancy and advisory firms in the North West. We
work with a wide variety of small, medium, and large businesses, as well as private clients. In addition, we have specialist teams that serve the not-for-profit sector and professional practices, from solicitors to doctors and dentists, providing tailored solutions to meet their needs.
For me, Firwood Waterloo Rugby Club is all about the community and the incredible fan base they have built around themselves. They provide opportunities for people to watch, play, or support rugby in a meaningful way.
On behalf of myself and our team at DSG, I’d like to congratulate the club on such a strong season. We wish them all the very best for continued success in 2025 and for many more seasons to come!
“Very proud sponsors of Firwood Waterloo Rugby Club!”
www.dsg.co.uk
we started with around 9-10 players, borrowed players, and did the usual hard work. The following season, we attracted some Colts who were starting to play senior rugby. This led to me becoming 3rd team captain for 11 years. One of the great experiences I enjoyed was seeing some of those Colts players come through to play for the 1st team and even become captains.
I hung up my boots when I was 41 due to family commitments, as I just couldn’t commit fully at the time. As time moves on, you lose your fitness, and one thing leads to another. At the end of last year, I was approached to see if I would be interested in becoming the club’s main sponsor. I saw it as a great and timely opportunity to give something back to Waterloo.
I get down to see as many games as I can, and this season is going really well for us on the pitch. We have a well-drilled,
"The minis and junior section are the most important aspect of the club now providing a secure environment to enjoy the sport plus they are the future life blood of the club.
well-organized team of players, and the improvement from a few seasons ago is noticeable, with everything seeming to click over the past 18 months. From my own time with the 3rd XV, I know that when players have experience together and are knowledgeable about what they are all expected to do, everything starts to gel. We got to a point where we had a XV that really picked itself week in, week out, barring injuries. Everyone knew each other’s role, and once that was achieved, everything came together.
As a business, we also have hospitality at Liverpool FC, where we take clients, so my availability is often dependent
"on match dates. Unfortunately, recently home fixtures have clashed with the rugby.
To me, Waterloo Rugby Club is such a warm and welcoming place to spend time. Even if you haven’t been down for a while, you still get to see the same faces and immediately slot back into the clubhouse when you visit. The history of the club is unquestionable, and it always goes down well. The people I’ve met at the club have given me many great mates over the years, from younger players to the older boys who have been watching rugby there through generations. For me, Waterloo is a real home away from home!
EDWARD MORANE
1ST XV PROP FORWARD AND HON. SECRETARY
I went to university in Cheltenham, then left for a few years and played rugby in Sussex, Merseyside, Yorkshire, and even Dublin. When I moved back to Cheltenham in 2016, a few of my university friends were playing at Saracens, so I joined up. I remember just before my first game for the Sarries, one of the lads congratulated me on my “last-ever debut,” and they were right!
This season has been a huge improvement compared to, say, two years ago. We’ve recently been through a really tough period, struggling to field even a single team, which affected both morale and finances. We were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 season, which was a difficult moment for us but, on reflection, was exactly what we needed. Results began to improve in the following season, which really boosted the mood of the players and club members, reigniting the passion for the game and the club that many had lost. This season has gone excellently for the 1st XV. Apart from a disappointing result against the current top team, Tewkesbury, we’ve won every game and earned a good number of bonus points along the way. The 2nd XV has had a few tough outings,
Cheltenham Saracens
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“Once a Sarrie always a Sarrie!”
but we are just delighted that we’ve managed to maintain consistency with our 2nd team, as we haven’t had two teams in a league for 4 or 5 years. Our Colts section is also doing really well, despite losing a number of players to injury and school commitments.
On the pitch, we are focused on getting more consistency in our 2nd XV. There are also plans to further develop our junior section, including the addition of an under-12 boys’ team next year. We are also planning to extend the clubhouse onto an unused portion of the
balcony to increase space, as well as extending the bar to offer service onto the balcony, which overlooks the firstteam pitch (undoubtedly the clubhouse’s best feature!).
Due to a restructure next year, it’s really important that our 1st XV finishes in the top half of the league so we can
be restructured upwards. However, we can continue competing for the top spot, with some key games coming up in December and the New Year that will really define our season. As for the 2nd XV, we just want to bring consistent rugby to keep the 1st XV fringe players engaged, while also offering a pathway to senior rugby for our flourishing Colts section.
One of the unique features of the club is the working-class nature of our members and players. You won’t find many doctors or lawyers at the Sarries, but you’ll find plenty of brickies, sparkies, and plasterers! Personally, I live in a house that has been built and developed by the Sarries, with the number of lads who’ve worked on it easily in double figures. In terms of community engagement, we own a minibus that we openly share with other community groups, such as the Cubs/Scouts group on our road. Additionally, we host our largest event each year, ‘Bands in the Park,’ a community music festival where all are welcome, and many attend. We also regularly hire our club out for parties, etc., at a hugely discounted rate, which helps spread the word about what a great place our club is (and how cheap the beer is!).
Sponsors are hugely valuable to us. While we continue to be extremely grateful to our flagship sponsors, we’ve worked hard
to drive individual player sponsorship this year, which has been key in increasing our membership revenue.
Our no-frills, old-school, working-class community spirit at Sarries makes it such an easy place to be. As a guy in my mid-30s, it’s so important to me that we have a welcoming, family-friendly environment. My wife comes to watch virtually all my games with the kids, and they are made to feel so welcome. They now have countless friends at the club, which is invaluable.
JOE WHITE CHAIRMAN
I have been involved with the club for 17 years. I originally brought an under-12s group from another club due to the number of players we had at that age group. Once the age group moved up to U18s, I took on the management of the senior 3rd team, enjoying the odd run-out with them. Unfortunately, due to dwindling numbers, we had to reduce to just two senior teams. After this, I joined the committee.
The mood is probably better than it has been since Covid. Following the return to rugby after the long Covid break, our playing numbers were severely down, and we could barely field a first XV. That season saw us losing every match except the first
round of the Papa John’s Cup. To be fair to the lads who played that season, they stuck with it, and despite the heavy scorelines against us, we never forfeited a match due to not showing up. The following season (2023-2024) saw a vast improvement. Phil Watters, our head coach, instilled more confidence and structure into the team, and we finished mid-table. We even managed to field the occasional social team.
A full coaching team has now been put in place, led by Phil, and this has made a marked difference to our on-field performance. We’ve lost only one of the first six league matches, and the 1st XV are currently sitting 2nd in the Counties 3 Tribute Gloucestershire North table.
Our 2nd team has had mixed fortunes, with some opposition teams unable to field a team, resulting in walkovers. However, despite this, they are also sitting 2nd in the Gloucester & District 2 table.
We are actively pursuing the possibility of expanding our youth section, as at present, we only have a Colts age group. Over the years, we’ve had no more than two age groups at any one time, and we believe it’s time to increase this to provide more opportunities for local youth and give us the possibility of juniors progressing into senior rugby at our club. Our training facilities consist of the main pitch with temporary floodlights, which need to be set up each week. I
am currently exploring the possibility of installing fixed floodlights to improve the situation. Before Covid, we had planning permission to extend the clubhouse, but this has now lapsed. I am hopeful that within the next six months, new plans will be submitted. It will then be a matter of raising the funds to give us the extra space we need.
The RFU is changing the league structure again at the end of this season for the first team. To avoid dropping a league, we aim to finish in the top four to maintain the momentum we currently have. As for the second team, our goal is to ensure players are playing regularly and having fun.
Cheltenham Saracens is undoubtedly a community club. We have social members who have never played rugby but are part of the local community and enjoy the welcome and hospitality they are given. We host the local Park Run on Saturday mornings, offering beverages, bacon rolls, and homemade cakes. We also offer our minibus to the local scouts for their weekend trips.
Our tagline is “The most sociable club in Cheltenham.” We pride ourselves on being run by volunteers and maintaining the traditional rugby club feel that was prevalent in days gone by at clubs throughout the country. We are one big family where everyone is supported by everyone else. We welcome players of all ages and abilities and show no discrimination. Rugby is about enjoyment and making lifelong friends, which is at the heart of our ethos.
Our club song, “Walking in a Sarries Wonderland,” used to ring out throughout venues in Cheltenham on Saturday nights. We are on course to see this happen again thanks to the new coaching team, the backroom support staff, but most importantly, the buy-in from the players who have become a cohesive team after the lows we’ve been through. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Cheltenham Saracens, and we’ve already started planning for the dinner dance, where old boys, senior players, Colts players and their parents, sponsors, and all club members will be invited. We are currently looking for a guest speaker to entertain the 200+ people we hope will attend.
AARON CONNOLLY
1ST XV HOOKER AND 1ST XV CAPTAIN I have been involved in the club for as long as I can
remember. I became a part of the Sarries as a child through my late father, James Connolly, who was a player and coach for many years, with numerous achievements within the club. I was always part of the Sarries growing up, from helping out as a ball boy to now being Cheltenham Saracens’ club captain! Sarries is a big part of my life, and I hope one day my son, Arlo, will enjoy rugby as much as I do and follow in my footsteps to become a Sarrie too.
The mood is back to the old Sarries — lads enjoying
rugby and playing with a smile on their faces. In the past few years, the club has faced some struggles, which was a setback, but the Sarries are on the rise again and putting their name back on the map!
So far, the 1st XV has been doing amazing, winning 7 out of 8 matches and looking strong! Sarries have also been able to field a 2nd XV this season, which has been a massive boost for the club. It’s great to see both old and new faces coming together to make this happen, and it’s good to
see a full clubhouse again. In general, the Sarries are in a rebuild phase. This year has been a strong start, and we continue to grow with a great bunch of lads pushing it forward.
Our aim this year is to have a strong fight for promotion and get back to our old ways. We also aim to push for another Combination Cup win! Our club is definitely a community club; we welcome everyone with open arms. On Saturday mornings, we host a park run and offer hot drinks and cakes to everyone. The local scouts are also connected with the club, using our club minibus when they need it for trips. We also have sponsorship opportunities at the club, which help support us and promote local businesses on our social media platforms.
Cheltenham Saracens is a great family club, welcoming to all. Many families come to enjoy the rugby and the atmosphere afterwards, and all are made to feel welcome! The saying “It takes a village to raise a child” fits our club perfectly. We’re all here to welcome you and support you in becoming a big part of the Sarries family! Whether you are new to rugby, getting back into it, or just looking for a social experience, we are here for you. One club, UP
Cheltenham Saracens RFC plans to start a new U12s boys’ team in the 2025/26 season. If you, or anyone you know, is interested, please contact the club to get involved. We would love to hear from you!
THE SARRIES!! Once a Sarrie, always a Sarrie!
ADRIAN
CLARKE SECOND ROW AND YOUTH TRANSITION MANAGER
When I met my wife, I went to a family gathering at Christmas. All her family are Sarries through and through, and when they found out I played rugby, I was pressganged by the Francis cohort into joining the Sarries. 23 years later, I’m still here!
The mood at the club is the best it’s been in years. After last season’s cup win, the feel-good factor has returned, and the 1st XV are playing good rugby with a great start to the season. We are now regularly fielding a 2nd XV for the first time in several years, and we also have a Colts team that is one of the strongest in the county.
The season has been fantastic. The 1st XV, up until the last fixture, had been undefeated, unfortunately losing the top-of-the-table clash. However, there is still everything to play for, and when we look back to two years ago, when we lost every league fixture that season, this has been a massive step forward.
The 2nd XV has been a bit mixed, with close games— some lost, some won. The
focus for them is simply getting players out regularly and enjoying it. It’s great to see some old faces back out there in a Sarries shirt.
As for the Colts, they continue to go from strength to strength. Last season, as U17s, they finished comfortably third in the U18s league. This season, with a strong U16s group moving up, they have gone up another level. They’re playing fantastic, heads-up rugby in the backs, with a strong pack. They’re definitely fighting for the league, and their only
defeat of the season came in the second round of the national cup.
Our ambition for the seniors is for the 1st XV to finish in the top three to ensure we don’t drop down when the league is restructured again at the end of this season. The 2nd XV’s goal is to get a team out regularly. By the end of the season, we aim to have two sides challenging for the Combination Cups, with a core of Colts stepping up to experience senior rugby ahead of next season.
CLUB HISTORY
Cheltenham Saracens RFC, often referred to as “The Sarries,” was established in 1975 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The club began as a social hub for rugby enthusiasts, aiming to foster community spirit and promote the sport. Initially, it drew players from a variety of backgrounds and experience levels, quickly gaining popularity in the local rugby scene.
Since its inception, the club has grown in stature, achieving success in regional competitions and advancing through the local leagues. Known for its welcoming, communitycentered ethos, Cheltenham Saracens has become an integral part of Cheltenham’s rugby culture. The club currently fields two senior teams, a thriving Colts section, and a range of successful junior teams, with a strong emphasis on youth development.
In the summer of 1975, Harry Attwood and John Woodward were introduced to Bob Attwood, the secretary of Cheltenham Saracens Sports Club, after the Cheltenham Old Boys Colts team folded. Bob Attwood welcomed them to form a rugby section at the club, marking the birth of Cheltenham Saracens RFC. The club was originally based at the Cheltenham Saracens Sports Complex, which also hosted teams in football and cricket, but the rugby matches were played at King George V Playing Fields.
The original team kit featured blue jerseys with a yellow hoop, black shorts, and blue socks. Over the years, alternative kits included royal blue and yellow quarters, as well as black jerseys with red hoops on the sleeves. Harry Attwood served as the club’s first chairman, and centre Tony Pates was named the first captain.
As the club celebrates its 50th season in the 2024/25 campaign, the achievements of the “old boys” who helped establish the club are recognized, with Cheltenham Saracens continuing to thrive both on and off the field.
Wiveliscombe
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“is more than just playing rugby; it’s about being part of a family that relies on trust, commitment, and collective effort.”
GARY SHARLAND CHAIRMAN
I first became involved with the club around 1982, training on Sunday mornings with the U16s/Colts U19s, the club’s only two age groups at the time. The sessions were conducted by our past president, ‘Doc Rees,’ who was also our GP. I also remember watching a Somerset Cup match in the early ‘80s between our 1st team and the mighty Bath RFC. I was hooked!
My mum and dad ran the bar for well over 10 years, my brother played, my uncle was the 1st team manager, and we had six sets of brothers playing in the first team on a few occasions (Bristow’s, two sets of Shaplands, Buckingham’s, Stones, Stevens). My now-wife was the club’s first ladies’ captain in the early ‘90s, and my sister also played. So, at the time, it really was our family/social life. We had such a great time, and I wouldn’t change a thing!
After a long playing career, the time came to hang up the boots. I got involved with coaching alongside my two mates, Dean Horton and Paul Bristow (Hort’s and Eric). We coached a Colts team that my son was involved in, and all three of us went on to coach the senior sides for a couple of seasons. I first became Chairman in 2014, before
stepping down in 2020, just before Covid hit, but took up the reins again in 2023.
We consider ourselves a community club. We give the other sports clubs that share the recreation ground free use of the clubhouse. We let the town flower show have free use of the club for a weekend. We held a bingo event for the local care home’s exertion fund, and weather permitting, we let the local school use the pitch whenever we can.
There seems to be a ‘buzz’ around the club this year. The ladies are unbeaten and top of their league, as are our 2nd XV. The 1st XV has had a great start to the season and are sitting 4th. The newly reformed Colts
are going well and have plenty of numbers, and our other junior teams are thriving.
One of my ex-teammates and good friend, Rob Weaver, puts in a good shift. He is head coach of the seniors, coaches the ladies on a Monday or Wednesday evening (Rob has three daughters that play), coaches the men on Tuesday and Thursday, coaches’ men’s matches on Saturday, and ladies on Sunday. Mrs. Weaver, Julie, otherwise known as Peggy, helps with the bar, organizing bar rotas, and serving the bar on Sundays when the ladies are home. We have an active social committee
that organizes events, led by my daughter Georgie and involving my better half, Jayne (Jayne is also the club’s referee contact). My cousin Steve is sponsorship secretary, and we have the ‘Friday gang’ that carries out duties such as pitch marking, ground care, and other jobs/ maintenance that require attention. Other members of the executive committee all have my personal thanks, and all volunteers have the club’s unwavering gratitude. But as always, we could do with more volunteers so as not to wear out the ones we have.
Another aspect that has grown massively is sponsorship. Going back
to the ‘80s, I believe Mike Stacey’s building firm was the club’s first sponsor. The company, now run by his son Shaun and called SCF Petrol Forecourts, still remains one of the club’s biggest sponsors, along with MBH Industrial Services, run by my exteammate Martin Stevens. All sponsors, no matter how large or small, help make the club what it is today and help us overcome financial difficulties, such as absorbing the recent doubling of our utility bills and the ever-increasing travel costs that arise when our nearest 1st team away fixture is 50 miles down the road.
At times, being Chair is very challenging. The people who run our club are all volunteers, and at times I think the RFU forget this. There is more and more red tape and paperwork involved now than ever before. Luckily, the executive committee has members who seem to enjoy these aspects of running a rugby club. Personal thanks to the two Steve’s—Harknett (Hon. Sec.) and Scown (Treasurer)—and of course, Hayley Scown (Safeguarding).
Despite the challenges of a club that relies on input from volunteers, we manage to muddle through but could always do with more support on days like our recent past players’ day. Our opposition cancelled the day before, leaving our first-team squad without a game and no match for the past players to watch. However, players paid money to come to the lunch and mix with us oldies, and it turned out to be one of the best days
we’ve had at the club in a long while. This is what keeps me going!
ROB WEAVER
DOR
I have been coaching at Wivey for 12 years, but my journey started at U14 and continued through to the first team. I had a few seasons at Taunton RFC but returned to play before transitioning into coaching.
When taking on the role at the club, I was well aware that it would be important to have a strong team of coaches working together to further the senior team’s development.
With Mark Chatterton, Tom Pearce, Alex Westcott, Tommy Wyatt (current Exeter Chiefs player helping as he recovers from injury), Jamie Cook, Vince Carrington, and myself all involved, we now have a well-rounded coaching team. This allows us to ensure that we have a number of coaches, each with different skill sets, attending every session. As a result, we are able to keep sessions fresh and structured, focusing more time on physical fitness and individual technical skills, rather than concentrating solely on teamfocused drills. This approach has been well received by the players, and we often have upwards of 25 players attending each session, which is great for the club.
As a result of these improvements, we are now starting to see the benefits, with both teams competing well in their respective leagues. The First XV are currently 5th, having won 5 out of 8, and the Second
XV are top of their league, remaining unbeaten!
As a group, we will continue to work together to ensure everyone is pushing toward common goals while maintaining a sense of camaraderie and club culture.
WILL ELLIS
1STXV CAPTAIN
Rugby has been a part of my life since I first watched my older brother play. After being a part of the Wiveliscombe junior setup, I made my First Team debut in 2013. After three years of playing firstteam rugby as tighthead prop, in 2015, I was tasked with the challenge of stepping up into the First Team captain role.
Becoming captain for the first time was a huge honour, and it still is many years later. However, stepping into that leadership role as a young player, especially when you’re taking the reins of a team that includes players who are older or more experienced than you, was daunting at first.
I quickly realised that leadership in rugby is about more than just a title. It’s about taking on new responsibilities, balancing
the expectations of others, and pushing yourself to be the kind of leader your team needs. The challenges I faced were many, but they were all part of the growth process.
In 2018, I decided to step back from being captain and focus on my personal development as a player. After a team promotion and five years of growth, the opportunity arose in 2023 to once again take on the role of First Team captain. I was up for the challenge.
Being part of the Wiveliscombe rugby team is more than just playing rugby; it’s about being part of a family that relies on trust, commitment, and collective effort. The sense of camaraderie that comes with being on the First Team is unmatched. We share the highs and lows, victories and defeats, but always have each other’s support. Each training session, match, and even recovery time is an opportunity to grow together—both as players and as people. There’s a deep sense of belonging that comes from wearing the ‘Wivey’ crest, knowing that you’re not just representing yourself but the entire team and club.
Rugby, with its physicality, strategy, and teamwork, teaches you discipline, resilience, and how to push past your limits—both on and off the field. The friendships formed through the game, constructed in the heat of competition and the grind of hard work, are lasting, creating bonds that extend far beyond the field.
RICH CROCKER
OUR JUNIORS
Our junior section is more than just a place to play rugby – it’s a thriving community where young players grow, learn, and thrive. With age groups ranging from Under 11s up to Colts, we’re proud to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for budding rugby stars to develop their skills and love for the game.
Our success is built on the dedication of an incredible team: committed coaches, assistant coaches, team managers, and first aiders who work tirelessly to support every player.
Our parent volunteers also play a vital role, cooking up post-match meals that bring everyone together, fostering camaraderie and team spirit. Central to everything we do are the TREDS values – Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, and Sportsmanship. These principles are at the heart of our junior program, shaping not only how we approach rugby but also how we aim to positively impact the lives of our players.
We’re always looking for more young players, especially in the Under 11 and Under 12 age groups, to join our vibrant community, as well as volunteers to lend a hand.
We played in men’s heavy cotton blue and red shirts that were so long they felt like dresses, and they became incredibly heavy when wet. Rodney Lockyer and Arthur Moore were our amazing referees.
Our first fixture was against Honiton. In the years before safeguarding, the match was kicked off by 13-year-old Tina Coles. Although we lost, it marked the beginning of something big. The team grew from strength to strength and joined a league, playing against South Molton, Weymouth, Tor, and Minehead.
With support from the Jim Laker Fund and Exmoor Ales, we were able to get a set of shirts. As the team gained promotion, we found ourselves travelling to Devon and Cornwall, enjoying encounters with teams like Truro, Devonport Services, and Brixham. These were perhaps the golden years when the long journeys helped to bond our group of ladies.
Wivey travelled to Leiden with ducks and dyed hair, taking to the pitch to play against England players. It was an incredible experience and provided us with wonderful memories.
The team took a brief pause in 2002 when several members became pregnant. We resumed playing soon after and continued for many more years, possibly until around 2010 (apologies for the unclear dates).
I asked a few ladies for memories, and within minutes, I had newspaper cuttings, stories, and diary entries with match results (e.g. 14th Jan 1996 vs Minehead: Score: 34-0, Tries: Jenny x1, Theresa x1 (pom), Tania x4, Conversions: Moose x2).
There are so many memories: boat races, Jaffa cakes, broom races, tape for every purpose, cowpat pitches, Busby blazers, minibuses, singing, Weymouth pies—the list is endless.
If you or your child is keen to be a part of Wiveliscombe RFC, we’d love to hear from you. Join us and help us continue building futures—on and off the pitch!
WIVELISCOMBE
LADIES RUGBY
Formed in 1992, the team was initiated by coaches Roger Greenway and Jim Hews, who challenged Roger’s daughter, Bev, to gather some ladies.
The team was well supported by the club, and we always looked forward to the coach journeys. The onboard entertainment is still talked about today. There were too many characters to name, but nicknames were earned, songs were learned, and 32 years later, we still know each other by those names and continue to sing those songs.
Numerous players represented County and the South West, including Tania Govier, Tina Coles, Trees Barker, and Karen Price, who earned Welsh caps. We had mini tours to Bristol, but the highlight was when we entered a rugby tournament in Holland. The girls from
Rugby is the sport that brought us together all those years ago, and we’ve made friends for life. Thank you, Rugby, and thank you, WRFC.
TORI CLIFFORD
LADIES MANAGER
The women’s team at Wiveliscombe Rugby Club began as a small but passionate group of women. In just a few short years, they have been turning heads with their impressive skill development and growing presence on the field. Following a narrow defeat for promotion, and building on a successful first season, the team has shown resilience, determination, and an unrelenting desire to succeed, becoming a
rising force in the club and beyond. Initially starting with a handful of players in 2022, the team quickly grew as more women recognized the sport’s inclusivity, strength, and camaraderie. With a mix of experienced players and newcomers, the ladies’ success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.
The team’s development has been led by an experienced and dedicated coaching team, including Head Coach Rob Weaver
and Assistant Coaches Will Ellis and Dan Rottenbury. The women’s team works continuously to improve their technical skills and enhance their tactical awareness. The results have been evident in their recent performances, which have seen the team achieve several key victories.
We currently have a squad of 25 ladies with a solid leadership team. Captain Hollie Govier and Vice Captains Meg Wignall and Ruby Terry have been central in driving the team forward.
Their leadership on the pitch has been key to the squad’s success.
At Wiveliscombe, the men’s and women’s rugby teams have developed a unique and powerful dynamic that extends far beyond the pitch. While both teams compete at a high level and have their individual goals, it’s the strong relationships between the players off the field that have helped create a truly inclusive and supportive rugby culture. Away from the competitive environment, the two teams regularly come together for social events. The unity between the men’s and women’s teams is one of the most exciting aspects of life at ‘Wivey’, demonstrating that rugby, at its core, is a team sport where everyone is valued.
The future of the women’s team looks incredibly promising as the sport continues to evolve. The focus will be on further strengthening our squad by developing a girls’ team that feeds directly into the women’s side. This isn’t just about building a pipeline of talent; it’s about ensuring that the next generation of players has the opportunities, support, and encouragement to thrive within Wiveliscombe Rugby Club.
COLIN MOGFORD FORMER
PLAYER & LONG STANDING MEMBER
I started playing rugby for the Colts in 1963 while I was at Wivey Secondary School. I played my first match for the 1st team in 1964 when I was only 16, against Somerset Police. My PE teacher was ill, so he asked me to play. That wouldn’t happen today. Wivey only had Colts and 1st teams in those days. While I was playing Colts, Chris Wood trialed for England Colts, and several years later, David Newman played for England.
There was no clubhouse in those days, so we went to the White Hart for a drink. During the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, we couldn’t always get a full team, but we still played nearly every week. If it wasn’t for volunteers like Mr. Mac, Roger Masters, Alfie Haines, Len Cook, Peter Banks, Sid Woodbury, and others, the club would not have survived. A lot of the supporters today don’t realize what heroes these people were in keeping the club running.
By the 1966/67 season, the clubhouse was up and running, and a great gang of ladies ran the kitchen for nearly 50 years without payment.
We would like to thank all our sponsors whose generosity makes the running of the club possible. We would also like to thank the many volunteers across Senior and Junior rugby who cut grass, mark pitches, cook food, coach, ref, staff the bar, do first aid and safeguarding, etc. Without you we wouldn’t have a club. If anyone would like to get involved as a player, sponsor or a volunteer please get in touch with a member of the executive.
I played rugby for the 1st and 2nd teams until I was 35, then refereed for three years until I had a hip replacement. I captained the 2nd team for about four years and then helped with the Colts for four to five years, which I think is the most important side in the club. I was a member of the rugby club committee from 17 (captain of the Colts) until I retired at 60 years old. I was Chairman for three years, with the first year being the 125year celebrations.
I think Wivey is a great local club, which has always included families to attend on match days. Many players come from the local area, but we also bring in some outside
THE FRIDAY GANG
ROBERT (BUGSY)
The Friday Gang was formed a few years ago to save the club money, specifically on line marking and pitch maintenance.
The Gang grew from a couple of willing volunteers to a band of a dozen or more enthusiastic members who meet every Friday morning. Through the winter, their tasks are mainly pitch-based, including cutting and marking the lines. During the offseason, they have decorated changing rooms, repaired and painted posts, and carried out maintenance on the clubhouse and Plain Pond pitches. A hearty breakfast is usually enjoyed by all, and the group provides the club and each other with much-needed support.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, the Friday Gang was awarded Volunteer(s) of the Year for their great work.
talent to boost the team now and again.
A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY
Wiveliscome, or Wivey, is a small town of about 3000 souls, nestled in a combe (or valley) some 9 miles east of Taunton in Somerset. It was known for its breweries and in the middle ages the Bishop of Wells had a palace here (coincidence?)
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871; Guy’s Hospital became the first club registered; while we in Wiveliscombe (population then 2000) followed just a year after in 1872, joining some 21 other clubs.
The Club was founded on August 22nd 1872 in the Lion Hotel, Wiveliscombe. Club colours were then blue and white, changing to the traditional red around 1880, though as a sash then, not a hoop and now predominately blue with red.
Wivey’s first game was on November 26th against Independent College, now Taunton School, and winning 10 Rouges (touchdowns) to 1 on a very wet Wivey pitch
You can’t talk about Wivey RFC without talking about the local Hancock family. They were from banking and brewing and William and his wife, who later became Club President, had ten sons, two of whom, Frank and Froude, became internationals, one for England and the other for Wales, while no fewer than seven sons played rugby for Somerset; Frank (6), Froude (47), Herbert (2), Ernest (32), Leonard (5), Ilbert (1) and Dawbeny(7). A total of 96 Hancock County appearances up until 1894!
It was Frank Hancock who put the final touches to the formation we know today. When captaining Cardiff in 1885 Frank introduced the ¾ line by taking 2 of the players from ‘half back’ and placed them ‘three-quarters back’. So that’s where half-back and ‘threequarters’ came from! Half back, flying half back (abbreviated to fly half) and fully (full) back. He became the first international captain to employ four threequarters when Wales played Scotland in 1886.
The Club quickly became one of the leading exponents of the game in the West and Wales.Gradually the fixture list was extended and the Club flourished until, largely under the aegis of the Hancock family, the 1880’s established it as being among the strongest anywhere and they were virtually invincible. Indeed, one old player who first appeared in 1880
recalled that there was a time when the Club declined to arrange fixtures with Bristol as they were not considered strong enough!
Around about this time, Wiveliscombe played Wellington away in what must have been one of the very earliest floodlit matches, the ground being floodlit by electric arc lights, the current for which was supplied by a dynamo, worked by a traction engine. This was a sensation in 1878.
The first record of the local derby played between Wiveliscombe v. Wellington was on Christmas Day 1884
and played at Wellington. This has remained a traditional fixture to this day, although now played on Boxing Day alternating home and away. It is believed to be the oldest regular rugby club fixture in England and attracts a big crowd annually with many die hard supporters walking the 6 miles to burn off the excesses of Christmas day When the First World War came most of the payers joined the forces, with the survivors resuming in 1919. Early in 1919 Wiveliscombe decided that the most appropriate Memorial to those who had given their
"You can’t talk about Wivey RFC without talking about the local Hancock family.
lives in the 1914-1918 War was a Recreation Ground (known as the Rec) where we still play. Club HQ and changing rooms were at ‘The Bear Inn’. The club now has a clubhouse on the Rec.
When the RFU introduced leagues Wivey wanted none of it, being quite happy to be selective about who they played in ’friendlies’ and, given the strength of the club at the time, where they were often able to punch above their apparent weight.
However, very few clubs stayed out of the leagues,
SHAUN STACEY FORMER PLAYER, SUPPORTER & SPONSOR: SC FORECOURTS
As a family, we have had a long association with the club. Growing up, my dad played for the club, was a formidable prop, and captained during the Centenary year. He was instrumental in introducing compulsory training at Wivey too. I played for the club as a junior and then from U16s upwards. SC Forecourts was the club’s first sponsor, and we have continued that ever since.
Wivey has always been a rugby town, so if you played rugby, you naturally went to the club and participated in all the events that were regularly held there. I remember playing three games over a weekend with my mates on occasion!
I was very fortunate to come through with the likes of Gary Sharland, Rob Weaver, and many others and to be part of a very successful Colts team—a great and memorable period in the club’s history. We were the first team to win one of the Somerset Cups. We were a very close group of friends who socialized together, often going out on Saturday nights and, occasionally, piling into a transit van to head off to a nightclub! Not just a team on the pitch, but a team in life too—an incredible period of
my life with friends like the Hodges twins.
We also had a great relationship with Taunton School. One of my best friends was offered a scholarship there—the story goes that we beat the school so badly they decided to offer him the opportunity!
After breaking my kneecap twice, I continued to play for a while but eventually realized I shouldn’t. I finished with senior rugby and went on to compete successfully as a shooter for Great Britain, earning 50 caps.
Wiveliscombe Rugby Club has always had a fantastic atmosphere, and I get down there as often as I can, balancing it with business and my travels to World Shooting events. I have three daughters— Emma, Jessica, and Rebecca. Emma also shoots for Great Britain, works in Formula 1, and we’ve even competed together on national teams. Both of us captained England teams last year, which is both rare and historic for a father and daughter.
For me, it’s the spirit at Wiveliscombe Rugby Club that makes it such a great club to be part of. I will always be grateful for the bonds and friendships that the club has helped me build.
SCForecourts
"so Wivey’s fixtures dried up and the club was forced to join the mainstream in the 1988-89 season, when the 1st XV finished as undefeated Courage League Somerset 3 Champions. Played 39 Won 34 Lost 5. Points for 1020Points Against 308
Wivey firsts play in Counties 1 Tribute Western West and are currently high in the League, with the 2nds and Woman’s Team also high in their leagues. We have Juniors and Colts and play teams across Somerset and Devon.
and the Stacey
Thanet Wanderers
RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB
“Your club, our club, one club! Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club is a friendly, welcoming club where I can meet people with similar interests to me. It is a place where I feel comfortable, like being at home.”
CHIRS PANTELI
CHAIRMAN
I first started playing for the club some 45 years ago as a thirteen-year-old, at the time playing colts rugby. I played throughout my teen years for both the club and school teams before moving to London for university. I stayed in London for eight years, then relocated back to the area just after my first son was born. I resumed my rugby career with Thanet in the seniors, finally hanging up my boots at 35, which is quite young for a prop forward. I then started coaching mini rugby. My eldest son wasn’t particularly interested, but I remained connected to the club and began mini coaching again with my younger two— one boy and one girl. After coaching for several more years, I stepped back in 2015 to become Junior Director of Rugby. I was elected Chairman of the club in 2020, just before Covid hit, and I am now in my fifth year as Chair. The mood at the club is buzzing now, which is great to see. It obviously helps when the senior teams— both men and women—are winning, along with numerous successes in the junior teams. The introduction of the
Special Educational Needs Rugby, Walking Rugby, and Rugrats has opened up opportunities for every age group. These new elements have really accelerated the community spirit within the club. I sense a real team spirit off the pitch, with the members, coaches, and supporters. This is something I have been working hard with the committee to encourage—a culture of collaboration and teamwork throughout the whole club. It is worth mentioning that only one person at the club gets paid; everyone else, including the coaches, is a volunteer. I assume everyone involved enjoys being part of the club. My key indicator for success is “smiles on faces,” and I believe we are moving in the right direction.
The women’s section has been a great addition to the club, bringing an extra dimension to the club’s culture with their enthusiasm and drive. As the world has become more diverse, the club has had to adapt. We now have a full weekend agenda, with men’s rugby on Saturdays, Minis and juniors on Sunday mornings, and women’s rugby on Sunday afternoons. This has widened
the scope for membership and revenue, although it does present logistical challenges. However, the costs and expenses of running our teams have also increased, and the committee works hard to run the club professionally.
Girls’ rugby is growing slowly and is now essential for providing a pipeline to the women’s teams. We have worked with local schools to
encourage more girls to play, with limited success so far. If any girl that wishes to try out rugby, between 12-16 years please join us on a Thursday evening! Currently, we have affiliations with other local clubs where the girls train together and play competitive games at specific age grades. This is still a work in progress, with the ambition to have a full girls’ squad at each age group. There is likely
still a stigma around girls playing rugby, but it is slowly changing, and full credit goes to the dedicated coaches working hard to build this part of the club.
The club has approximately 300 juniors registered, with about fifty volunteer coaches and helpers. Sunday mornings are a joy, with a hive of activity in all parts of the park. Recently, the SEND team has started training on Sunday mornings, and the whole programme now begins with the Rug Rats (ages 4 and under).
Our club only functions because of the wonderful volunteers we have, and I am very thankful for their time and effort.
PETER RURANSKI
MARKETING & SPONSORSHIP, AND TRUSTEE
There is a positive atmosphere at Thanet Wanderers at present. The current club committee is very proactive and has undertaken a number of initiatives to improve the club’s facilities, including upgrading the men’s and women’s toilet areas and enhancing the various changing rooms. Longerterm plans include installing floodlighting on the 1st team pitch, upgrading the 3rd team pitch, and building a first-floor extension to the clubhouse to provide a separate function room. Feelings are very positive at the club.
Our men’s team are competing strongly this season competing well near the top of their league and our women’s 1st XV teams are unbeaten currently standing second and top in their league. The men’s 2nd and 3rd XVs are both fifth in their leagues, with the 2nd XV having a couple of games in hand. The women’s 2nd XV has won its only league game so far, and the minis and juniors are all enjoying their rugby and producing some very creditable results.
Our club is situated on council grounds, which limits our ability to develop the grounds. However, we do own our clubhouse outright, and we have invested
heavily in creating a facility that accommodates all our members. Over the past few years, we have invested in the women’s changing facilities, new boilers, a new storage shed for the juniors, upgraded floodlighting, and improvements to our main bar and function room. Despite the limitations on what we can do, I have plans to floodlight our main pitch, which will enable us to host rugby nights—a crucial way to bring more players back to rugby. We also plan to make the clubhouse more accessible to our disabled supporters and extend it to include another function room. By pursuing these plans, I believe we can strengthen the club by providing more options for people to enjoy rugby, as well as maximizing the use of the clubhouse, making it available to more sections of the community.
We currently run three senior men’s teams. The 1st XV was relegated last season (from Level 7 to 8). For the 1st XV, our initial intention was to cement our position in the league while rebuilding the squad. However, we have started well and currently sit at the top of the league, unbeaten in our first eight matches. Our intention remains the same, and we are taking it game by game. Any thoughts of promotion are not discussed, and we will see where we are at the end of this season. The 2nd and 3rd XVs are a bit more challenging. Like many clubs, we are seeing an exodus of senior men from the game, and on some weekends, we struggle to field three teams. Our ambition is to continue fielding three teams (with substitutes) that can compete competitively in their respective leagues.
This requires some creative thinking around training and scheduling games. Mid-week evening games are part of the solution. Recruitment campaigns are another key focus, as is providing a club experience for the whole family. Hence, our plans for club development.
The club is very much a community club. Since 2018, Thanet Wanderers has run a Schools and Community Programme, providing free in-curriculum rugby coaching to local schools throughout Broadstairs, Margate, and Ramsgate. The scheme
TONY BOYCE DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR RUGBY
Mini and junior rugby is one of the most important areas in our club, as this is where our next potential 1st team players—and possible premiership superstars—start their rugby journey. I also believe the things they learn in rugby, such as discipline, teamwork, respect, and integrity, will help them in their present and future lives. It helps children from the age of five upwards to make friends that will last throughout their rugby life within the club and right through to joining the 1st team. In effect, they are the future of our club. They are nurtured by our coaches, some of whom are former players of the club, and they, in turn, may become future coaches. Even their children could end up playing for our club. What an amazing family tree to have in a club.
runs throughout the rugby season from September to May each year, and during the 2023-24 period, 1,336 boys and 1,116 girls received in-school rugby coaching from fully DBS-accredited and qualified coaches. A couple of years ago, the project was extended to include children with special educational needs (SEND), and the SEND programme has proved very successful. Originally run as a separate entity, the children from the SEND initiative now train with all the other junior members of the club on Sunday mornings. Every Wednesday evening, Walking Rugby sessions are held for the over-50s, attracting both men and women, both club members and non-members. This season, the club started its “Rugby Rats” scheme, introducing 3- and 4-year-old children to rugby. Over the years, the club has donated
money to support a local secondary school’s Christmas food bank scheme, hosted functions to support our local hospice, the NHS, and prostate cancer research, as well as a number of other local and national charities. Every year in September, on the first official Sunday of the rugby season, a Community Day is held, inviting members of the public to participate in a day of fun and games. This event is supported by several businesses, making it a great day out.
Our sponsors (partners) are very important to the club. They provide one of the three main sources of income for the club, the other two being membership fees and bar takings. The club believes that sponsor arrangements should be mutually beneficial. While some sponsors may donate to the club from an altruistic standpoint, many smaller
businesses want something in return for their support. Therefore, it is important to maintain regular contact with sponsors. This is done by sending them a digital copy of the monthly newsletter, which contains information about what is happening at the club. They also receive a digital copy of every full-color matchday programme produced for every men’s 1st team home league game, as well as information on all social events and functions held throughout the year. Every season, the club holds at least one Sponsors’ Lunch, to which all sponsors are invited as guests of the club. Every attendee receives a gift from the club as thanks for their support.
Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club is a friendly, welcoming club where I can meet people with similar interests. It is a place where I feel comfortable—like being at home.
IAN LODGE
WOMEN’S HEAD COACH
The Women’s team made a triumphant return to Thanet Wanderers RUFC in the 2021-22 season, having been dormant since 2005. Starting with a handful of ladies participating in the junior girls’ training, the club quickly saw growing numbers and decided to start dedicated women’s training sessions in January 2022. Since then, the squad has grown to around 35 players, ranging in age from 17 to players in their fifties.
The first TWRUFC women’s game in 17 years took place on 27th March 2022, against Old Gravesendians at home,
resulting in a narrow 36-32 victory. Following up with tournament victories and narrow losses to higher-rated teams, the club decided to enter a league for the first time in the 2022-23 season.
The team joined the Inner Warrior (Kent) league in 2022/23 and went through that season unbeaten, winning all league and cup games, earning the Inner Warrior league & cup double. Given that success and the growth of the squad to over 40 players, the 2023/24 season saw two teams fielded for the first time in Thanet Wanderers RUFC history. The 1st XV competed two levels higher in NC2, while the 2nd XV remained in the Inner Warrior league.
Our aim for the 2023/24 season was for the 1st XV to consolidate their position in the NC2 league, with the goal of finishing mid-table. The 2nd XV was also more than capable of retaining their Inner Warrior title and competed well. Early-season results showed we were more than capable of mid-table, and we began setting our sights a little higher. However, after three defeats to Thurrock RFC, we ended up finishing as runners-up, while also reaching the quarter-finals of the National Junior Cup. The 2nd XV also finished as runners-up in their league.
For the 2024/25 season, both sides remain in the same leagues, NC2 and
Inner Warrior. So far, we are unbeaten in the league and have reached round 2 of the National Junior Cup.
The women’s squad benefits from a dedicated coaching team made up of
experienced male and female players at the club. They train every Tuesday evening, with matches typically taking place on Sundays, with early afternoon kick-offs during the playing season.
It was a truly incredible weekend, where all our children were given the full rugby tournament experience! The highlight for Rory was getting to do all of this with his teammates, that he now calls his friends.Thank you to all the amazing coaches at Thanet Wanderers for giving our children this amazing experience. Mike, father of Rory Appleton
THE WANDERERS SEND PROGRAMME ANDY BULL CLUB DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR
There are times in life when you become involved in something without knowing where it will lead. Often, a venture fades away or circumstances combine to render it a failure. However, the Thanet Wanderers SEND programme could easily have been one of those lofty ideas that never truly comes to fruition. Thankfully, the opposite has proved to be the case.
It was back in 2022 when Jimmy Green and I sat in the TW clubhouse, imagining what it would be like to add a SEND element to the club’s Schools and Community programme. My interest stemmed from having a 17-year-old son with Down Syndrome and the lack of sporting opportunities available locally for him. Jimmy’s enthusiasm was driven by his professional background as a sports master at The Bradstow School, a local SEND school that caters to children with more complex needs.
An outline plan was formulated, and The Wooden Spoon, Rugby’s charity for children, quickly became
involved, as did Inclusive Sport, which delivers sports to local children with SEND. Money was raised through Sport England, specialist equipment was purchased, and a team of experienced coaches was assembled from both inside and outside the club. Mario Garcia, the club’s under-7s coach, stepped in as head coach and immediately built a great rapport with the younger players. A wide range of programmes was developed, and the number attending the Tuesday evening sessions soon reached over 25. A post-training meal and
social time were integral parts of the session.
Everything was progressing well. The children were enjoying the sessions, but it soon became apparent that one important ingredient was missing: COMPETITION! Wanderers’ Community Director, Vicky Flower, an enthusiastic supporter of Wooden Spoon both as a player and fundraiser, heard that the charity was planning an International Tagfest for SEND children on June 22nd in Coventry. Andy Bull received an invitation to attend from Matt Mitchell,
the event sponsor, and it was time to raise the funds to fully support the expedition and gear the SEND section up for competitive rugby.
The club quickly stepped in, organizing a fundraising lunch that raised 50% of the target. Wooden Spoon then joined in and generously helped with travel and accommodation expenses for every club involved. The CT10 Parochial Charity also supported the event, and the fundraising target was nearly reached. After some tough negotiations with kit suppliers, hotels, and coach companies, everything was booked, and by the beginning of June, the trip was all set. All that was left was to get the youngsters ready to play!
For many of the children who attend the sessions, playing as part of a team is a very new experience, and for some, even stepping into the clubhouse can be difficult and daunting. ADHD, ASD, ODD, global delay, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy are just a few of the challenges many of these children face. Therefore, their preparation for the tournament had to be carefully managed. Special squad sessions were organized for those
MIKE FATHER OF RORY APPLETON
who chose to attend the tournament. Numbers were lower than usual, allowing for a greater coach-to-child ratio. Playing kits arrived, hoodies were produced, and fun games were organized for the coach journey.
Friday, June 21st arrived, and the butterflies were definitely fluttering. Everyone gathered at the clubhouse for pre-tour pizza and the ceremonial handing out of kits. The nominated captains, Rory Appleton and Sophia Kelly for the under-15s, and Ashley Cloake for the over15s, were presented with their playing kits by head coach Mario Garcia. The captains then presented the kits to each of their squad members. The coach was packed, and off they went on the big adventure. After the long journey to Coventry, most had an early night, but Saturday dawned brightly, and the sun shone all day.
The Tagfest was held at Broadstreet Rugby Club, an impressive ground with a wonderful clubhouse and equally warm welcome. Gazebos were expertly set up, goody bags were handed out, and it was time to get the players warmed up. The highlight of the morning was undoubtedly the team introductions, where the teams were announced over the PA system, and the squads ran through a tunnel of Wooden Spoon volunteers to cheers from the players and spectators.
The rest of the morning was spent with warm-up games, allowing the teams to be properly grouped for their afternoon matches. Even during these early warm-ups, friendships were being forged between the players and coaches. In the afternoon, each team played three matches, each lasting 8 minutes with a 2-minute break. For those who needed extra support, a coach was allowed onto the pitch with
them. The referees were lenient, and the true spirit of rugby prevailed throughout the afternoon. Amazing performances were delivered by all the players, and the combined results for the two Thanet teams were P6, W4, D1, and L1. While the results were never the main focus, it’s a testament to the coaches that the squads were so competitive in their first-ever matches against other teams.
The over-15s were short on players for the day, but players from larger squads stepped in. We even had one boy join us whose mother was born in Thanet, and he decided to play with us for the rest of the tournament. In our last match, still a couple of players short, the special guest of the day, Jodie Ounsley, a former Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs player, was persuaded to don a Wanderers shirt and play alongside the boys. She was joined by two of the mums, and this proved to be the biggest victory of the day. As a thank-you, we presented Jodie with her shirt, and she promised to have it framed and hung on her wall.
Once all the games had finished, it was presentation time. Each player and coach received a wonderful Tagfest medal, and each team was awarded a Wooden Spoon Tagfest trophy. Coach Andy Bull commented, “I can honestly say that the weekend was probably one of the most enjoyable and enriching I have ever spent. Watching over 200 children and young adults participate in a rugby festival was joyous to watch, and even more so because we had a small part in making it possible. Never did I think, two years ago over that pint, that it would culminate in something as magical as this. Watching the players sit down to breakfast together, with the older ones looking after the younger ones, was lovely to see. Parents were able to watch
their children participate in a way they had never thought possible. I remember seeing a mother cry at her daughter’s first training session two years ago. I walked over to see what had happened, and she told me she had never seen her daughter catch a ball before. That girl played in the Tagfest on Saturday and excelled, scoring her first try.”
It won’t be long before the Tuesday night training sessions move to Sunday mornings so that the SEND players can train alongside their fellow club members on an equal footing—an important part of the club, as capable of scoring a try or grabbing a tag as any other member.
The SEND Programme at Thanet Wanderers is staffed by volunteers and depends on charitable giving. It allows children with Special Educational Needs and
Disabilities to become part of a team, feel included, and excel in ways they and their parents never thought possible. That’s the rugby way.
PAULA MOTHER OF SUMMA MORGAN
We watched our little girl start her rugby journey two years ago with Thanet wanders when she couldn’t catch a ball. Two years later she was given the opportunity to play in her first tournament and went and got a try. That memory will live with us forever and Something we never dreamed she could achieve. It’s moments like that provides our children with confidence and belief that will help them with the challenges they face daily. But most importantly puts the biggest smile on their face.
LINDSAY PANTELI
SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
THE BIKE SHED LTD
I grew up in the local area but wasn’t originally from here. My parents are both Scottish, having met each other in Canada before relocating to Margate in Kent in the early ‘70s. I met Chris, the now club Chairman, when we were teenagers at school, and while he was a player at Thanet Wanderers, the rest is history as they say. We’ve just celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary.
Chris had an earlier connection to the club, but as our children started to grow up, I became more involved. Our youngest, Charlie (19), is a first-team player but is currently away at Cardiff Metropolitan University. However, the club is still our weekend go-to place. Our middle daughter, Stephanie (20), is studying sports coaching at Oxford Brookes University, and our eldest, Josh (31), works for Birmingham University as a project manager. Josh spent some time playing junior rugby at the club, while Stephanie played junior rugby until she was 10, before moving into swimming. She also played some hockey and now teaches swimming and returned to play for the ladies’ team for part of a season before heading off to university. Charlie’s definitely our rugby child, and the reason he decided to study at Cardiff Met was so he could enjoy playing rugby in the Bucs teams while pursuing a sports media degree,Charlie plays Fly Half.
I’m at the club almost every week to watch all the
games and attend away matches too. Part of my business involves working for the rail industry, and we also own a bike shop in the local area. The Bike Shed( Kent) Ltd, is a club sponsor and has been for the past four years. We provide the club with post protectors, flags for the pitches, and have sponsored the colts, as well as at the annual local schools’ derby, Bike Shed sponsors the warmup tops each year.
On the pitch, we’re looking forward to the home fixture against Old Elthamians. We recently lost an away match, which, by all accounts, was a close game and didn’t really reflect how well we played, so we’re looking forward to the return match at our place.
For me, it’s the camaraderie that makes Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club such a great club to be part of. Everyone is there for each other. Having watched Charlie come through the club into senior rugby, I’ve seen how well he was supported as he matured. It’s just like one big family. Now that he’s away at university, I’ve found myself naturally trying to mother the lads in the first team. The social aspect of the club is very special, and after the matches, you can see how we’re all together and in it together. Many of us revolve our lives around the season and its fixtures because we don’t want to let the players down, and likewise, the feeling is reciprocal—it really is a two-way street.
MARC HARRIS
SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
C WATKINS PLUMBING LTD
I’m from Whitstable, and the company is based in Ramsgate, so we’re local to the club. Our Chair Lady, Malvina—my mother-inlaw—has had a long-standing relationship with the club. Her husband, Wyn Watkins, played for Thanet for many years, starting in the 1970s.
I get down to the club as much as I can, given work and family commitments, and I’m planning to attend the supporters’ lunch at the end of January. I’m really looking forward to seeing a senior match. As sponsors of the Minis & Juniors, I tend to watch them whenever I’m visiting the Wanderers. As a business, our focus is on helping out where we can with the development and support of young players who are attracted to the environment and all that a great club like Thanet Wanderers can offer. Alongside this, we are keen to support local schools and community programmes. With membership exceeding the 100 mark through these programmes, it’s fantastic to see it thriving.
As a sponsor, we are very proud of our connection to the club. After signing a three-year agreement and following further discussions
with Peter, we are now in our second term and fourth year of sponsorship.
The big difference for me, and what makes Thanet Wanderers RFC such a great club, is the way they truly involve people. What sets them apart is their community engagement across the local area. Their ability to build such strong relationships with schools and the wider community is outstanding. Nearly all the schools in the Thanet region are involved with the club in some way. Furthermore, the SEND programme expands their reach even further, bringing in a broader community. Ladies’ rugby is thriving, and the Minis & Juniors section is huge, with many girls taking up the sport. It’s not just about the 1st XV—Chris and the team have adopted a cross-community approach that has attracted even more members to the club. This success naturally breeds further success.
The philosophy the Wanderers have fostered is quite special, working to a very high standard of participation and engagement. When Peter approached me three years ago, I was convinced that this was the type of initiative and plan I wanted to be part of—and I haven’t been disappointed!
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”Very proud of our long standing association with Thanet Wanderers Rugby Club!”
"The philosophy the Wanderers have
fostered is quite special, working to a very high standard of participation and engagement.
ALEX DAVIS CHAIRMAN
Midsomer Norton
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“Midsomer Norton RFC is a caring group of family and friends who punch above their weight and stay true to our values. With our players coming from the local community, we’ll be around as long as rugby union exists. Many say rugby union is struggling, but we will not go gently into that good night. We want to be the last gang in town.”
I started playing for the club mainly when I returned from university, though I did play a bit before that. I began as a struggling third-team player and ended as a somewhat better second-team player before effectively retiring due to shoulder injuries a few years ago. I was always keen to help, and after lockdown, I became a young Chairman at the age of 30. There were many challenges during the lockdown, but we formed a dynamic, youthful committee and have since pushed forward.
The mood at the club is incredibly positive. Like many clubs, it was challenging postCovid, but we’ve bucked the trend, generally experiencing growing player numbers. We’re fielding three sides in the men’s league system, as well as a social side mainly comprised of veterans who’ve returned to the game through our touch rugby sessions. Former players also help out around the club in a variety of ways – including maintaining our fantastic pitches.
The mood was, of course, boosted by last season’s victory in the Papa John’s
Community Cup Final. We beat Ashford 39-38 after a Scott Anderson try and a Tom Rideout conversion in the final minute, winning the Counties 1 South Shield. It was a match that will live long in everyone’s memory.
So far this season, things have been going really well on the field. The pressure was on this year. Despite a mid-table finish in Counties 1 and proving our quality in the
aforementioned Papa John’s competition, South West Rugby and the RFU demoted us (along with three other sides) from Western Counties 1. There’s only one promotion spot, so there’s little room for error if we want to return to Level 7, where we feel we belong. But the boys have risen to the challenge so far! Our head coach, Tom Page, started in January and has been joined by Ru Deane.
Our First XV, captained by all-around club legend Joe Button (who also cuts the grass, builds the bonfires, and fixes everything), currently sit at the top of Counties 2, having scored the most tries and points in the country. We’ve had some massive wins, probably a bit too onesided at times, which makes the more challenging games even tougher – although we just put in our most
impressive performance of the season to win away at 2nd place Minehead.
A community club is only ever as strong as its lower teams, and if we’re honest, one of the most important aspects has been how our Second XV has improved. From struggling to field a side a couple of years ago to now having eyes on promotion from Counties 3 in the near future, the progress has been incredible. Our Third team numbers are so strong that we’re now occasionally rolling out a fourth or veterans’ side. Results for the Thirds are less important—they’re about having fun and providing a place for our young Colts to make their transition to senior rugby.
We are looking to improve our current facilities at Norton Down, where we’ve been since the 1970s. We plan to build a new clubhouse and facilities, and we hope to consult our members on the designs in the near future and begin fundraising.
This season the First XV is looking for promotion and would like to achieve cup success as well! The Second XV hopes that, if injuries are kind to them, they can secure a top-four position and
continue to build a strong foundation to challenge for promotion in the next year or two. The Third team will look to maintain strong numbers and provide more social rugby for those who want it—many of whom are at the beginning or (often elongated) twilight stages of their careers.
I don’t think our Junior Section could be any more important to the club. As a strictly amateur club, we rely on our youth products, and I have to say, we’re very good at it. The vast majority of our squad have played in the Junior Section before their Senior careers. In fact, two seasons ago,
when we reached the Bath Combination Final at The Rec, all 22 players and our thencoaching team had come through the ranks.
We are a family-friendly club, and Senior or former players lead or help out with junior training every week. We always strive to offer a clear pathway to the Senior Section, regardless of a player’s ambitions or abilities. Lockdown meant we lost a couple of years, but we are back now with almost a full complement of youth teams, including the return of the Colts, who are led by Julian Hawkins.
We have good numbers of girls in our Minis, but
sadly, in the past, they have had to stop when they reach Junior levels. However, that is hopefully changing. Much like how we grew our men’s numbers after lockdown, we are building the girls’ section through touch rugby sessions. We now have a fantastic group of adult women training on Wednesdays and Junior Girls on Sundays. Lots of effort is being put into building the numbers so we can establish a sustainable women’s pathway in the next few years.
We also run touch rugby for veterans on Thursdays and are starting a mixed-ability group in the new year.
First ever team (estimated 1936, colourised by Alex Davis)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR CLUB
Formed in 1936 after a charity game to raise funds for the local hospital, Midsomer Norton RFC is based at Norton Down in Somerset. The club has been at its current site since 1976 and runs three senior sides in leagues. The vast majority of players are products of a thriving youth section.
Perhaps Norton’s most famous season was 1975/76 when the club won 35 out of 36 games under captain Nipper Pratt. The club became the first ‘junior club’ to win the Somerset Cup under captain Bill Guild in 1980, which annoyed much of the local establishment. They won the trophy again a decade later, with Steve Pratt as captain.
Norton has reached a number of finals in the last decade and last got their hands on silverware in 2015, winning both the Somerset Vase and the Bath Combination Vase. In 2023/24, they reached the final of the Bath Combination Cup, beating Bath University in a thrilling semi-final, before claiming the Papa John’s Cup victory the following season.
We are definitely a community club. We engage with local businesses and have a number of invaluable sponsors who contribute greatly to the club, including many volunteers. We are at the heart of the community and run many events, engaging with local schools (one of which is next door!), providing space for them.
MARC ANDERSON FORMER PLAYER, COACH & SPONSOR: WYVERN RISK MANAGEMENT
We moved as a family from Reading to the area in 2005. One Sunday morning, I turned up at the club to watch the juniors play, thinking my own playing days were behind me. My boys were keen to play rugby, and during that visit, I got chatting to club stalwart Martin (Jock) Dury. He mentioned that the club had a veterans’ side at the time called “The Optimists”. The name appealed to me because they only started the season playing in October, optimistic they could get through a season without injury! The October start was practical too, as the ground was a bit softer. And so, my playing career resumed.
My boys, Ben and Scott, were in different age groups, so I started coaching with Jock on Sundays. The junior section is truly the heartbeat of the club. I continued coaching for several years, taking on roles such as VP of the junior section and guiding/coaching teams from U9s as they started tackling, all the way through to colts. I finally hung up my boots at the age of 50, managing a run-out with my eldest lad Ben against Frome. When The Optimists entered a league, it
became challenging for some older players, so I shifted to 2nd team rugby for a while and thoroughly enjoyed it. What stands out about the club is the ethos of the juniors: everyone gets match time and plays, from U6s onward. This inclusion is crucial. They may not have been the most decorated or won the most medals each season, but every child was given the chance to enjoy the game, supported by fabulous parental involvement. The junior section remains strong to this day. If you look at the current 1st XV, it’s remarkable that only one player in the
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squad, a very talented one at that, hasn’t come through the club’s ranks. When I was coaching the U15s, we saw a significant shift in team dynamics as players came from seven different schools, making it an interesting mix.
Socially, the club is a hub for the local community, especially on Sundays when it’s absolutely buzzing. As a business owner, I wanted to reduce waste at the club and its impact on society. For the past three years, I’ve sponsored reusable plastic pint and half-pint cups. These cups, featuring a bespoke logo designed by a colleague at Reading RFC, include player images and my business branding. Priced as a refundable £1, they’re environmentally conscious, reducing unnecessary waste as they can simply be washed and reused. I think it’s a small, but meaningful, step toward sustainability.
At the present time it’s clear that our 1st XV is too strong for this league following their demotion last season, which raises questions about how to maintain motivation when the team scores so heavily against many opponents. That said, respect must go to those teams who turn up and give it their best. Our lads remain focused, committed, and keep training hard, which is commendable under these circumstances. Where some clubs struggle for numbers, our 3rd XV has a pool of 24 players! In fact, with such strong numbers across all three senior sides, we could practically field a fourth team.
The Papa John’s Final last season was a fantastic event, with Dings hosting eight teams on the superb astro-turf surfaces across the weekend. It was a well-organized occasion that brought so many people together, making it truly special.
Both my boys are now serving in the military. Ben, who serves in the Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm), played U23 rugby and is heavily involved in weightlifting and cross-fit. He’s now a qualified strength and conditioning (S&C) coach and assists Tom (head coach) with the 1st XV sessions on Thursdays and match days. Ben recently launched his own S&C business, and his dedicated, player-specific plans during training and match days have been very popular. Regardless of the weather, he ensures a compulsory warm-down and stretch-off after every session.
Scott, my younger son, a first team regular scored the winning try in the Papa Johns Final. He’s a Royal Marine, plays representative rugby for the RM Corp as well and is a truly versatile player. In that final, he played Hooker, No.6, and scored as a winger—his coach even said he’d never seen a player cover so many positions in one match!
One of the great initiatives Alex Davis (our chairman) has introduced is digitizing and colorizing old black-and-white club photos, restoring them in Midsomer Norton’s colours. Each year, a full-size picture of the 1st XV is placed beside these images. Additional historic photos, for which wall space isn’t available, are now displayed digitally on one of the club’s TVs as a photo book celebrating the club’s history.
The dedication of people like Ian Hancock, one of the club’s “old boys,” is truly remarkable. He picked up a group of boys at age seven, coached them through to colts, and then started over again—not once, but three times! When you have that level of commitment in your coaching team, it naturally encourages players to stay within the game.
Looking forward, as the club enters its next chapter, I see further opportunities for development. Enhancing the catering offering and hosting business-focused events could attract new audiences who wouldn’t normally engage with rugby. Picture this: a good lunch, a chance to meet the skipper, and a programme in hand—it could help elevate the club to the next level and reach new supporters.
For me, Midsomer Norton Rugby Club is a truly special place. It delivers on the pitch, supports the local community, and provides a welcoming focal point for people of all ages, shapes, and sizes. It’s grounded in that old rugby ethos—rooted in inclusivity— that makes rugby such a unique and cherished sport.
TOM RIDEOUT
PLAYER & SPONSOR:
FDC LAW
I was born and raised in Midsomer Norton and have never left the region. My dad, Adrian Rideout, played for the club, is a committee member, and the current fixture secretary. At 62, he still pulls on his boots for the odd vets’ game and was really the reason I became a player, starting in the mini and junior section. I actually moved away from rugby for about 10 years when I was nine and played football during that time. At 18, I returned to rugby. The team I played for at Paulton Rovers FC, a very successful club in their own right, decided they weren’t going to run a reserve side anymore, so there was no stepping stone for me. My dad suggested I look at adult football elsewhere. I visited some other clubs but didn’t like the feel of them. Once again, my dad suggested I give rugby another go. So, I joined the club, played for the
fourth and third teams, and just seemed to grow into both rugby and the club. I’ve been there ever since.
Kicking is a massive part of my game, and I do feel my footballing career helped me develop that skill, guiding me toward the full-back and flyhalf positions.
Last season, even though the crowd at the Papa Johns Cup Final was the largest I’d ever played in front of, I couldn’t hear a thing. Even as I placed the ball on the tee, I couldn’t hear a pin drop. I did think that if I didn’t make the conversion, it would go down in the history books as a very difficult loss. However, defeat that day was not to be, and the ball flew between the posts!
This year, we are having a great season with our performances being very dominant. Despite being demoted due to league restructuring, we had to accept it and move forward, which is exactly what we’ve done. Dropping down to Level 8, even though we know we’re not a
Level 8 side, was just something we had to take on the chin. We have a very talented group of players and a great coaching team, but it’s never particularly pleasing to score so heavily against many of our league opponents. Huge respect, though, to those teams that showed up and gave it their all.
The company I work for, FDC Law, is a great supporter
of many local sports clubs. Our sponsorship came about because FDC knew I was part of Midsomer Norton RFC and were keen to support both me and the club. The relationship between FDC and the club has gone from strength to strength. My colleague at work, Max Meacham, is the club’s scrumhalf, and at such a young age, it’s great to have him involved. Max is also heavily involved in women’s rugby, which is wonderful to see.
For me, the reason Midsomer Norton RFC is such a great club comes down to the small army of volunteers who contribute across all areas. From the ground staff to committee members and coaches at all levels, there are so many people willing to help and make the club tick. These special individuals bring passion and energy, resulting in successful adult and junior rugby sections. We truly are a community and family club!
“Very Proud sponsors of Midsomer Norton RFC”
KERRIE KNOX
CLUB PRESIDENT
My connection with Dunbar Rugby Club began in the 1940s when my grandfather, Ronald Knox, played for the club. His son Colin, my father, then played in the 1960s and 1970s. My father also went on to become the Club Steward, running the original clubhouse at Winterfield, and later served two terms as Club President.
He was President during the Club’s Diamond Jubilee in 1983, when we celebrated with a large party at the Marine Hotel in North Berwick. I remember attending and feeling so proud of my dad. This memory led me to take on the role of President for the Club’s Centenary 40 years later.
My other involvement with the club comes through my son, Dylan, whom I’ve seen progress through minis, School of Rugby, and who now plays for the 1st XV at DRFC.
The general atmosphere within the club is one of optimism, with a real feelgood factor. The success of the 1st XV, combined with the achievements of the girls’ and boys’ teams, several great family events, and ladies’ nights, has brought everyone together, making it feel very much like “one club.” Long may that continue.
DAMIAN JONES HEAD COACH
Our 1st XV is currently at the top of the league, having won all seven of our games. We are fortunate to have good depth in our squad, with competition in every position. This has been reflected in our results, with a try bonus point secured in every game so far.
We work closely with our players to understand their needs, which helps us to develop them both personally
Dunbar
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“My story is not the only family story within the club. Generations of many Dunbar families have played for Dunbar, and this is why we have such a strong local community feel.”
and as a team. The club has invested in several new pieces of equipment this season, including individual scrum sleds, crash mats, and strength & conditioning equipment, to help develop players of all ages.
Our target for the 1st XV this season is promotion. Additionally, we want to grow the squad to be able to field a 2nd XV next season.
OUR HISTORY
Dunbar Rugby Football Club was formed in November 1923, and not long afterwards, it moved to Winterfield to play its home games. In 2001, the club moved to the Hallhill Healthy Living Centre, its current home.
The club began its long association with Skerries RFC in Ireland in 1952, and it remains one of the longestrunning Scottish and Irish club fixtures, with the next match
scheduled for February 2025.
Dunbar currently plays in the Arnold Clark East Region Division 2 and has previously competed in Division 5 of the original SRU National Leagues. The club also reached the 2012 RBS National Bowl final, where they narrowly lost to Helensburgh RFC on the hallowed turf of Murrayfield’s main pitch.
The club had a phenomenally successful Centenary Season in 2023, with Kerrie Knox, the firstever lady president, following in the footsteps of her father, Colin Knox, who was President in 1983.
After finishing second in the league last season, the club has had a successful start to this season’s league campaign, with its young team leading the way and playing an exciting brand of free-flowing, running rugby.
ROWAN ARMATAGE, RUGBY CLUB DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Girls’ rugby at Dunbar RFC is booming, thanks to the incredible support from parents and volunteers. This support is a driving force within the club. We’ve been fortunate to have a core group of girls who have progressed through minis and stuck with it, supported by our coaches.
Our vision at Dunbar is to support girls at all levels, providing the opportunity to play and train while showing them that they can pursue a career in rugby. Hopefully, the success of the Scottish Women’s National Team will inspire them, too. We’ve supported this by sponsoring two players within the Edinburgh University Ladies’ team, creating a relationship with senior women players and supporting the women’s game.
We have girls traveling from outside Dunbar to be part of the section, which is boosting both our numbers and the quality of training. We also aim to help clubs in the surrounding area establish their own girls’ sections, creating local opposition and boosting the overall quality of rugby.
We currently have three age groups: Under 12s, Under 14s, and Under 16s. Our Under 16s have teamed up with Dalkeith RFC to create more regular playing opportunities. Our Under 14s have gameplay opportunities throughout the week with the East Emerging Schools Championship and events held by rugby clubs around Scotland.
All three age groups train on Monday and Wednesday nights, with our Under 16s also training on Wednesday mornings at a local gym facility.
Our goal is to establish our own Women’s senior team, with teams for all age groups.
This is only the beginning of our girls’ section, and we’re a long way from the finished product, but we will continue working toward that end goal.
CLUB CELEBRATIONS
Our club celebrated its 100th anniversary in the 2023 season, organizing various functions and events to mark this huge milestone. One of the events was a past players’ reunion held at one of our regular supporters’ venues, Laurence Brunton’s Castle Hotel. We held a quiz to guess how many brothers had played for the club since the 1980s, and we estimate over 40 brothers have been involved—proving that the club is definitely a family club.
Over the years, club members have participated in numerous community events, from Dunbar Civic Week to helping out at our local lifeboat day and organizing charity events.
Most of our members come from the Dunbar and district area. Our team is very young, with players who have progressed through the Dunbar pathways—starting in mini rugby, moving on to school (youth teams), and now playing for the senior team. It hasn’t always been easy, especially with Dunbar being so close to Edinburgh, where some of our youngsters head off to university and further education and then decide to play for other clubs. At one point, we fielded four senior teams, but at present, we are only able to field one senior team, although the squad size is larger.
We hope to restart a 2nd XV later this season to ensure all players get a game each week. Our aspiration is to keep this talented squad together, progress up the leagues, and eventually make it into the national divisions.
This year’s success in leading East League 2 at the halfway stage has generated a lot of local interest, and we’ve had great support at both home and away matches.
CLUB FACILITIES AND SUPPORT
We moved from our old premises at Winterfield to our current location at the Hallhill Sports facility, built to accommodate multiple sports within Dunbar town.
Since then, we’ve relied on local businesses to help keep the club financially sustainable through various sponsorship opportunities. This support is especially important, given the recent cost-of-living crisis. Their generosity enables us to fund all our teams, from juniors to seniors.
We currently have a strip sponsor for our 1st XV from our local brewery, Belhaven, who have supported the club for many years and have always had a close connection with Dunbar RFC.
We’re also pleased that AEGON Asset Management has offered strip sponsorship for our youth teams, which is greatly appreciated by
everyone at the club. Additionally, we have a new strip sponsor for our mini rugby teams, Wigman Holidays Cove Farm. The family has a longstanding connection with the club, and we look forward to seeing our young players in their impressive new club colours.
Viridor has generously given the club a grant towards rugby equipment, and we have pitch-side boards sponsored by many of our local businesses.
As our playing numbers increase, we are acutely aware that we need continued financial support to ensure this growth can continue.
JOE SAGO, 1XV PLAYER AND MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
I first joined the club when I was 9. At the time, I was a keen footballer, but my dad was an ex-professional player, and that wasn’t going to fly with him. My brother, sister, and I all joined the club, and flash forward 22 years, I’m now representing the 1XV while my 10-year-old son plays in the minis and juniors. My rugby journey mirrors that of many of our players— drifting away to other clubs while at university or living away from home before returning to play alongside
Oundle
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“One of the most rewarding parts of being at ORFC is seeing how far the club has come in such a short time and watching a superb standard of rugby on a weekly basis.”
my friends. I’ve had a great connection with the club. It’s a really close-knit group, with everyone helping each other to succeed.
From a development perspective, the club wants players to reach the highest level possible, so they will always do what they can to open doors and support players along their pathways. From a personal perspective, there are people from all walks of life who are always happy to lend advice, offer mates’ rates, or help with things like moving house.
On the whole, the mood at the club is very positive.
There is a lot of progressive change happening quite quickly, which naturally brings some friction, but the majority are enjoying seeing the senior sides do so well, and the numbers in the minis and juniors are growing. We have recently reintroduced a Women’s side and have been blown away by the uptake. Quite a few of the new players had never touched a rugby ball before, and now they are excited to get stuck in and play their first match.
As the club becomes more successful, many members have stepped up on a voluntary basis to help drive
the vision forward, and we are so grateful for each and every one of them—from the minis and junior coaches to the committee and groundkeepers.
For the 1XV & U23s, it’s been an incredible but somewhat frustrating season so far. We are so happy with the position we are in, with both the 1XV and U23s being unbeaten! However, both sides know there is more to give, and our performances haven’t always reflected our potential. I’m sure the coaches would have something to say about this, but week by week, we’re getting there, and the performances are beginning to reflect that.
Training has been amazing, with 30-40 players regularly attending. This allows us to create a competitive environment that drives standards among the team and also gives new and younger players the chance to learn from more experienced players.
The main thing is the ‘no d*ckhead policy,’ which ensures everyone gets along within the sides. You’re genuinely playing alongside your mates, which makes all the difference. We work hard for one another on the field, and you don’t want to let your mates down, so it brings out the best in everyone. However, you know that if things don’t go your way, you have an abundance of people throughout the club who will pick you up, both on and off the field.
Our development plan is simple: to get to the highest level possible for all teams. Our short-term goals are to get the Women’s team up and running in the league structures, get our U23s playing regularly in a competitive league, and push
our first team upwards into the national leagues.
In the minis and juniors, we want to continue offering a platform for young players to develop their passion for the game, learn valuable life skills, and feel part of a community. This year, we launched our junior academy structure to not only develop young players but also raise our coaching standards through continuous development and support from senior coaches. This provides a clear pathway for players to grow into senior players at whatever level.
Off the pitch, we have identified a need to develop the existing facilities to achieve our ambitions. Like many clubs, we are often victimized by the British weather, and we regularly have to cancel training sessions and matches due to waterlogged pitches. Additionally, we would like to have four senior sides in the coming years—1XV, 2nds,
U23s, and Women’s teams— alongside our Vets team. With so many sides, we will need more changing facilities at the club, so watch this space!
We have applied to enter the RFU league structure, having met all the entry criteria, and hope to allow our academy players to gain valuable game time and progress as senior players.
Mini and junior rugby is at the heart of what we do at Oundle. Our mini and junior sections, catering to children aged 7 to 17, meet on Sunday mornings from September to April. These sessions are more than just training; they’re about fostering a love for the game, building skills, and creating a sense of community among young players and their families.
We’re incredibly proud of our reputation as one of the most successful clubs in the area for youth rugby. Over the years, we’ve seen many young players progress through our
ranks, with some going on to compete in the Premiership and even at the international level. This commitment to nurturing talent ensures that our club remains strong and continues to grow.
For us, mini and junior rugby isn’t just about the game; it’s about laying the foundation for the future of our club and creating opportunities for young people to thrive both on and off the pitch. It’s an integral part of who we are.
We have recently revived our Women’s team and have been blown away by the uptake.
PETE CROOT
PRESIDENT
OUR HISTORY:
“In April 1976, a group of teachers from Prince William School and some friends decided to try and form a local rugby team. They formed the committee and set about establishing Oundle Rugby Football Club. This culminated in the first match being played that September against Bedford Blues 3rd XV.
The first few years were a nomadic existence, with various meeting venues and pitches borrowed from Oundle School. In 1979, the current premises were secured, and the building of the clubhouse started. It was a tea room relocated from a local nature reserve and opened in 1980, officially by Sir Clive Woodward.
The first Colts team played in 1982, and since then, the mini and junior section has steadily grown.”
It’s amazing to see a Women’s side developing at Oundle.
We have had some passionate and amazing people join the club, and they’ve made an immediate impact.
Sofia joined us this summer, having never played before:
“Joining Oundle Rugby Club has been an amazing experience. I’ve always loved sport, but I’d never played rugby before, so I wanted to try something completely new and push myself out of my comfort zone. The team spirit in rugby is something people always talk about, and
I was excited to be part of it. Since joining the Oundle team, I’ve been blown away by how supportive and welcoming the coaches and players are. It’s such a fun and empowering way to learn, grow, and be part of something special!”
We are really grateful to everyone who decided to come and join the team, to our coaches, and to those working behind the scenes to get the team up and running. Rugby is a game that should be enjoyed by all, and we want to offer our female athletes the same opportunities that we offer our senior sides.
A few years ago, the club made the decision to introduce paid contracts for players in the senior section. There are two tiers of contracts: senior and academy. Provided players train twice and play at the weekend, senior players receive £50 per week, and academy players receive £35 per week, all paid through RFU guidelines. These contracts create a mutual commitment between players and the club. Not all players are contracted, and not all contracted players have accepted a wage.
Next season, we intend to mirror the offering given to our senior men’s teams and offer academy contracts to our women’s team players to ensure we are supporting them to achieve the highest level of rugby possible.
A few years ago, we joined the O2 Touch initiative set up by the RFU, which saw a great uptake. While we have drifted away from the scheme, we now have a weekly social touch rugby setup that runs year-round on Thursday nights. During the off-season, we run two sessions to accommodate both under 16s and mixed over 16s.
GRAHAM SNELLING FOUNDING FATHER
“I have been involved with ORFC since its inception in 1976 as one of the founder members. During the past 48 years, I have been Captain, Club Captain, Chairman, President, and now have a role as 50th Anniversary Committee Chairman leading up to celebrations in 2026.
The club was initially formed by staff and students at the local secondary school, and the mini & junior section was run on Saturday mornings before the seniors played. The current first team has 5-6 ex-students in it, all of whom are products of our mini and junior setup. The current President, Pete Croot, is also an ex-student.
One of the most rewarding parts of being at ORFC is seeing how far the club has come in such a brief history and watching a superb standard of rugby on a weekly basis. The 1st XV are current league leaders and have gone unbeaten so far this season. It makes you feel proud when you see homegrown talent and new players performing so well and playing an open, expansive game. Another rewarding moment was last season when we won the Papa John’s Regional Plate final at Sixways. I am also a very proud father, as both of my sons are currently playing in the 1st Team.”
“Graham does them a severe injustice here, as the Snelling brothers boast over 350 1XV caps between them.
We need to make sure we consolidate our position in the league by Christmas, and we are hoping to get through injury-free—always a difficult one. We have strength in depth this year, and I would say that every position in the 1st XV has competition, which is a healthy situation to be in. We are also looking
at our facilities and grounds and considering how we can improve them in the coming years. We are led by an inspirational Chairman, Aly Kachra. He is a dynamic individual and definitely the youngest Chairman in the East Midlands, if not in the RFU. I should also mention our coaching team, who have all been dedicated and professional in their approach.
Here’s looking forward to National 2 rugby next season—who would have thought it back in 1976!”
Graham Continues:
“We are definitely a community club—not only because of the geographical position of the clubhouse and pitches but also because of our approach to involving as many members of the community as we can. The town only has a population of around 7,000, but we draw players, both senior and junior, from around the area and feel we offer one of the best experiences for youngsters in the East Midlands. We are indebted to the Town Council, who are our landlords and who we have worked closely with over the past 40+ years.
I am always heartened to see so many individuals— too many to mention by name—who give their time freely to make the club what it is today, and we need to nurture these volunteers for the years to come.”
To echo Graham’s comments, being a part of the local community is central to our identity. We are a volunteer-run club, and we exist for the community, but without the community, we wouldn’t exist.
We host a variety of events throughout the year with local partners, from family days to charity matches, which bring people together and create a real sense of belonging. Our mini and junior rugby sessions
are also a big part of this, as they not only develop young talent but also bring families into the fold, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
When it comes to local businesses, we’re always looking to build strong partnerships. We offer sponsorship opportunities that provide valuable exposure while helping us grow as a club. Whether it’s sponsoring a team, a match, or an event, these collaborations are mutually beneficial and rooted in shared support for the community and the game.
Our sponsors are the backbone of our club; cheesy, we know, but genuinely, we wouldn’t be where we are without them. As mentioned, there has been a lot of growth at Oundle Rugby Club, and new equipment has been needed—new physio space for players and more room in the clubhouse. Without our sponsors, these things wouldn’t be possible. We have just onboarded some amazing sponsors for the coming season, and their names look brilliant on our kit. We hope to do them proud on and off the field, and we are really thrilled to be working with them to maximize our rugby offering to the local community.
From a wider view, the club is very welcoming of people from all walks of life. We have had new members join on social memberships just to come down and enjoy the community feel, and we have seen a massive uptake of people deciding to come and give rugby a go for the first time. It’s great to see these new members joining alongside the talented players coming through from U7s to the senior sides.
JASON NILA SUPPORTER & SPONSOR: SAMSTAIL
I’m originally from California and came over here to the UK for work. I live in a village three miles outside Oundle. At first, I didn’t even know Oundle had a rugby team. I was invited to visit the club, initially assuming they were perhaps a pub team. I trained with the guys, got chatting with the coach, and discovered they were a semiprofessional team! I had heard of rugby before but had never played, so it was great to gain a fuller understanding of the sport and get to know some wonderful people at the club.
This year, I started a non-profit company called Samstail and decided to sponsor the club.
ABOUT SAMSTAIL
One day, while on deployment in Afghanistan, I took a moment to feed a couple of stray dogs. As I watched them eat, my thoughts drifted to Samantha, my rescue dog back home. I could picture her perfectly— the way her eyes lit up whenever I walked through the door, the way her tail wagged when she knew we were going for a walk. She had been a constant source of comfort and joy, always by my side during the good times and the bad. I missed her
dearly, more than I could put into words.
In that moment, as I cared for those strays, I realized that the bond I shared with Samantha was not unique. There were countless dogs out there, just like those two, who were in desperate need of love and care. That’s when I decided that one day I wanted to do something more. Many years later, I am finally getting that chance.
Now, as we prepare to launch Samstail, I can’t help but think back to that day with those two stray dogs that sparked a mission to change the lives of many more. It’s a journey that began with a memory, fueled by love, and is now driven by a shared desire
to help dogs everywhere—like Samantha and those two strays I’ll never forget.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Samstail is to unite and empower dog rescues across the United Kingdom by creating a centralized hub that enhances visibility, facilitates resource sharing, and promotes collaborative efforts.
We strive to ensure every rescue dog finds a loving home, support the efforts of dog rescues, and raise public awareness about the importance of adoption. By connecting rescues, volunteers, and adopters, we aim to create a stronger, more effective network dedicated to the welfare and protection of dogs throughout the nation.
Additionally, we will actively fundraise through diverse channels, including donations, grants, sponsorships, and fundraising events, to generate financial support. These funds will be distributed equitably to dog rescues across the UK, addressing their specific needs and ensuring they have the resources necessary to continue their vital work.
"The mission of Samstail is to unite and empower dog rescues across the United Kingdom by creating a centralized hub that enhances visibility, facilitates resource sharing, and promotes collaborative efforts.
Old Technicians
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
“Is a place to come and be yourself. You will not be judged, and you will always have someone to talk to and help you if needed.”
DAVE EVANS CHAIRMAN
I first got involved with Old Technicians as a 21-year-old player in 1987. My friend, who was playing for Old Techs, asked me to come down and play. At the time, Old Techs had three men’s sides: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. After my first training session, I was selected to play for the 2nd team that Saturday. We played Plymouth YMCA RFC, and I managed to score a try on my debut, playing at scrum-half. The following week, I was asked to play centre for the first team, which I did, and I remained a first-team player for the next twelve years.
I then left the club for about five years while my son, Billy, was playing junior rugby for Devonport Services RFC. When my son reached the age of 16, he decided he wanted to play men’s rugby, so he joined Old Technicians in 2007. I watched him play and even managed to play alongside him on a few occasions. I then became assistant coach at Old Technicians, and it was at that point I thought I might be able to commit more time to the club. In the 2014/15 season, I became the Chair of Old Technicians and am currently in my 10th season in this position.
The general mood of the club at the moment is very buoyant. There is a great team spirit among the players, and we have a never-say-die attitude. Our squad of players is a mixture of older, experienced players
and younger lads who are relatively new to the game.
The players are all good friends with each other, which shows on match days, as they play for each other as well as for the club.
Our season has gone exceptionally well so far, and this can be attributed to the commitment of the players to training and the strength in depth of the squad, along with excellent training sessions provided by our three coaches: Shaun Bedford-Smith, Billy Evans, and Will Booth. As I write this, we are six games into the season and are undefeated, scoring freely. However, I am sure there are challenges ahead of us that will show where we stand.
Regarding development plans, we may have our facilities dramatically improved in the near future, with the prospect of a new retail development near the club. This would mean the
building of a new clubhouse and pitch, which would be amazing for our club.
On the pitch, we aim to continue the steady improvement the team has shown over the last few seasons, with a view to promotion in the nottoo-distant future. We have also recently started having second-team fixtures, something we have not been able to manage for the past 12 years. We see this as a very positive sign.
The ambition for the senior men’s teams is for the first team to push for promotion this season, building on the great start we have had, and to grow the second team to fulfil as many fixtures as possible. Success of the first team encourages new players to join the club, and already this season we have signed over 10 new players.
Our club was formed in 1932 by the old boys of Plymouth Junior Technical School. The school’s name changed in 1959 when the school moved to Crownhill in Plymouth and was renamed Widey Technical School. It then changed again in 1980 to Widey High College. The school was an all-boys high school, which closed its doors for good in 1988. The team has been at its current location since 1983, at Weston Mill Playing Fields, but prior to this, we were at Plymouth Albion and used their facilities. Before that, we were at Devonport Services and frequented the West Hoe Social Club.
We consider ourselves a family club first, as we have a good number of players’ family members who support and follow the club. We pride ourselves on being very welcoming to all members of our community. We also have local people who support our club, and we have brilliant sponsorship, thanks to the hard work of Roger Jewell, a local rugby legend who is very skilled at engaging with sponsors.
Sponsors are the lifeblood of our club, and without them, we would cease to function. Nine years ago, the committee made the decision to provide free rugby to every player. We do not charge membership or subs, as we feel this allows any player to play without barriers. This has proved really successful, and we continue to provide free rugby to all our players. Without our brilliant sponsorship, we would not be able to do this.
Old Technicians is a rugby family where people of all ages can come together and enjoy rugby, socialising, and enjoying each other’s company. It is a place to come and be yourself. You will not be judged, and you will always have someone to talk to and help you if needed. I genuinely believe that without our club, it would leave a massive hole in many people’s lives. It is our job, as the custodians of Old Technicians RFC, to ensure it continues to be a special place for so many people.
CHAIRPERSON
JOHN BARRY BULLOCK
Founded in 1873, as Falmouth Rugby Football & Athletics Club we are one of the oldest rugby clubs in Cornwall if not England! As we recently reached our 150th milestone in 2023, the club reflected on its rich history and its commitment to remain a central part of the community. The vision of Falmouth Rugby has always been clear: “To grow as a Club in the Heart of the Community putting
players first. This dedication is evident in the numerous individuals who have shaped the club’s legacy to date and continue to take pride in building its future. In 2023, Councillor Steve Eva, Town Mayor, presented us with “The Spirit of Falmouth Award” for providing 150 continuous years of rugby with a thriving Youth Academy and for services to the community. “As a rugby club, our vision is to create a successful and thriving community club.
Our mission is to achieve this by strengthening our community relationships and offering a venue, while producing consistently winning Falmouth teams for both men and women. Our guiding principles are to put player welfare first, create an open environment for all, and remain financially strong while being at the heart of the community!”
GLORY YEARS
The club has produced many prominent players, such as Edward John Jackett (Leicester Tigers 1904 – 1911 playing 183 games), a full-back who earned 13 England caps, represented on the Anglo-Welsh tour of New Zealand (1908) now known as ‘The British & Irish Lions,’ while also winning an Olympic silver medal. His brothers, Dick and Frank, and cousin Ivor were also key players for Falmouth and Cornwall, winning the Cornwall RFU Senior Cup in 1921.
“Johnny’s achievements were cemented locally in 1908 when he, along with his brother Dick and Jimmy ‘Trick’ Jose, won the Cornish County Champions of 1908. Only a few weeks later the same trio would win a silver medal at the London Summer Olympics. Johnny was, in modern parlance, “ripped” and earned invaluable pocket money while at Falmouth as a cyclist and a little notoriety as a nude model for Cornwall’s considerable community of artists between 1898 - 1904. Most notably was his long standing friendship with Henry Scott Tuke a famous painter of the Newlyn art movement who was based around Falmouth at the time. Richard known as “Dick’ played Club rugby for Falmouth as a forward, playing 71 times for Cornwall spanning 22 years from 1901 to 1922. He remains today as one of the top 5 caped players for the Duchy, and between 1905-1914 he played 59 times for Leicester Tigers scoring 8 tries and playing with brother Johnny 32 times. In 1906 Johnny played against South Africa for England at Crystal Palace in the inaugural tour of Great Britain in a 3-3 draw in front of 40,000. It is recognised as the event that coined the phrase “The Springboks” as a nickname. In that same game another former Falmouth player, a Raphael Anthony Jago, known
THE FALMOUTH WAY
At the heart of Falmouth Rugby is “The Falmouth Way,” a philosophy that emphasises creating a tight-knit community rooted in honesty, loyalty, respect, and dedication. As Vice Chairman, James Instance articulates, the Club strives to foster a sense of belonging and pride among its members. This commitment to community is echoed by many, including the club’s long standing members and committee who serve as role models and mentors in today’s ever changing world.
as England’s “midget halfback,” left an indelible mark on the rugby world. Capped five times for England and selected on seven occasions, Jago’s prowess at inside-half for Devon County! - earned him a place in rugby history. It was during his time in Plymouth playing for Devon, that Jago formed a remarkable friendship with James ‘Jimmy’ Peters, the first black man to play rugby union for England. The duo’s camaraderie extended beyond the pitch, often engaging in intense chess matches when not honing their rugby skills. The club has been a stepping stone for numerous players who have gone on to represent Cornwall and England, including Jim
George, who played for England 3 caps between 1947-49. And The Barbarians (1947). A remarkable feet given his only club was Falmouth! Falmouth’s success in the 1970’s also saw them hosting top English and Welsh Clubs such as Bath, Bristol, Harlequins, Exeter, Cardiff, Newport and Northern Irish clubs like
Ballymena featuring a famous tourist, Willie John McBride (April 1977). Today the Old Dunstonian continue one of the oldest continuous tours over the Easter weekend having visited 88 times since 1927. Falmouth, proved to be strong competition under the leadership of Graham Bate and the coaching of David “Benji” Thomas.” Winning the Merit table, County 7’s and County Cup in 73/73 and The League and County Cup 76/77. During the 70’s Barry Trevaskis was a key player on the wing. Trevaskis went on to a successful career at Bath in their golden decade 1979-89, setting an unbeaten record for most tries in a season (32). The club faced challenges in the 1980’s and 90’s, with a decline in support due to local dock closures. Despite this, Falmouth Rugby maintained a strong youth programme thanks to the likes of Bunny Williams, Jeff Maddern, Kenny Cox and Arthur Williams, which led to a resurgence in the early 2000’s. Under the guidance of coach Darren Chapman, (Cornwall & Camborne) Falmouth won the Cornwall and Devon League and Cornwall Cup double in 2003, marking the beginning of a new era of success.
MARK HITCHENS Youth Academy Co-chair
MARC ROSE Academy Coach and former player
EAGLES MEN & WOMEN
FALMOUTH RUGBY:
TOM SPILLER DOR
RECENT HISTORY
Falmouth Rugby’s history is marked by resilience and triumph. The club experienced a significant achievement during the 2016-17 season when the Eagles won the Cornwall and Devon League, securing the Alan Barbary trophy. This victory was a testament to the team’s hard work, under Graham Whitmore. Winning 24 out of 26 games and scoring over 1000 points while conceding only 269. However, the club faced challenges post-COVID, now finding itself in the Counties 2 Tribute League, where it has worked diligently to rebuild and stabilise its position currently sitting in the top three. The club is not just about its Eagles senior men’s teams; it encompasses a range of other teams, including Eagles Women’s and Colts, and a mixed touch rugby side known as ‘The Raptors.’ The Youth Academy, catering to boys and girls aged 6 to 16, reflects the club’s commitment to nurturing young talent and ensuring that rugby remains a vibrant sport in the community and its surroundings. “Being one of the oldest clubs in Cornwall, there is a lot of pride in being able to represent Falmouth Rugby Football Club.” – Tom Spiller “Spills” Director of Rugby who has over 400 caps to his name as player coach.
in the 2007/08 Season, and visiting the Club in its 150th year (1873-2023)
Tom, known universally as “Spills”, started his playing career in his hometown aged 7 a mere 22 years ago. Since then, he’s played over 400 first-team games for the club and captained the side for 5 seasons until taking over as Director of Rugby in 2022. His been telling us more about the players and teams. In 2016/17, the Eagles secured promotion to the Western Counties League after winning the Cornwall and Devon League, and the 2XV won the Cornwall Plate in 2019. Additionally, the first Women’s team was formed in 2023, marking another milestone in the club’s growth. Despite challenges in recent seasons, with retirements and injuries thinning the ranks, the 1XV reached the semifinals of the national Papa John’s Community Cup in 2023. The 2XV was promoted to the Counties Tribute 3 Cornwall League in the same year, reflecting the continued growth and resilience of the club. The club boasts an impressive roster of talent, including two British Lions—John Jackett #131 and Bundee Aki #837—along with four internationals (John Jackett #418, Raphael Jago #424, Jim George #768 for England, and Bundee Aki for Ireland), Jim George having played for the ‘Barbarians’, one England reserve Roger Pellow, several international trialists; Dick Jackett, Rodney Carne, Graham Bate, Barry Trevaskis, numerous county players. 8 of them in the U20’s in the last few seasons alone, as well as a Women’s County Championship Winner in Lydia Hawkins (2022). The recent achievements of former Youth Academy players, such as Jack Innard (England U20’s 2015 World Cup Finalist) and Will Becconsall, now competing in the Premiership with Exeter Chiefs, and others like Nat Dart, Jack King, at Redruth National Two level on the verge of the Championship with Cornish Pirates where Mili Hallam resides with Ollie Andrews (Coventry) and Matt Pritchard (Redruth) a former Colt has now signed. Mike Austin former Eagle is at Hartpury University and the likes of Sam Walker at Exeter Uni & Camborne. The success of the Colts this season further indicates a bright future for Falmouth Rugby. This season alone, Ollie Ward and Alistair Kennedy were selected for the Exeter Chiefs U17’s, all highlighting the club’s commitment to player development. “Former
JON BAGLOW Eagles Club Captain
EMMA PARKMAN
Hon. Secretary and Eagles Women VC
TOM SPILLER “SPILLS” DOR
BUNDEE AKI Playing
Falmouth Rugby players have shone bright in recent years, with Premiership Cup wins and Grand Slam victories.”
In 2023, two Academy players won The Premiership Rugby Cup on the same weekend that Bundee Aki a former 1XV player (2007) was part of Ireland’s Grand Slam winning squad. Exeter Chiefs defeated London Irish in extra time of the Premiership Rugby Cup. Two of the squad members involved in the victory were former Youth Academy players, Jack Innard, who captained the Chiefs to victory, and Will Becconsall, who came off the bench for Exeter. Jack had played for Falmouth’s under-16 team back in 2010. Will started playing rugby at the age of six for Falmouth Rugby Club and played for several age groups, including the Colts. Like Jack, Will then attended Truro College and became part of the Exeter Chiefs Academy, and at age 20, he helped Exeter win the cup. Will comes from a long line of rugby players; his grandfather Dave Addnall was part of Falmouth’s ‘70s glory team, and his father Darren Becconsall was also part of the league and cup-winning double side of 2003. Darren, a great scrum-half himself, has done much to bring future talent through club ranks. We are lucky to have his experience as our backs coach today for the Eagles Men. William is also the
nephew of former Leicester Tigers, Rugby Lions, Moseley, and Penzance-Newlyn scrumhalf Garry Becconsall. On speaking to Will at a recent volunteer weekend at our club, Will said: “The feeling is one I’ve never had before. I tried my best to act like it was another game, but in the back of your mind, you’re thinking, this is a Win to go home with a trophy or Lose and go home in second place. Our team was set on winning, and we are a tight knit group. We had each
Rugby, he said, “Thats easy! My father was my coach right through my time at Falmouth, whether it was Colts or U6’s. My mum Louise was also the physio offering her magic sponge for any bumps or bruises my team mates had. Also in the background was Bampa & Uncle David (Benji Thomas). They would help out with training. All, have definitely helped in making me the player I am today, so I want to say a massive thank you to them and Falmouth Rugby.” The mini section of
other’s back with one aim in mind! Playing in their back garden was tough, but we had a lot of Chiefs supporters there in high spirits, and lots of the squad coming up to cheer on all the boys playing. I remember some of the older boys saying to enjoy the game, as it doesn’t come around often playing in a Final.” Tom asked Will if he had any special memories of Falmouth. He said, “Lots of special moments from Falmouth with lots of special people. One being Graham Whitmore, who gave me my first chance in the first team. That was a tough day for the boys at Kingsbridge away, as it always is, but it’s one I won’t forget!” Asked who were pivotal figures at Falmouth
the club, now known as the Youth Academy, has over the years been successfully maintained due to the efforts of many dedicated Coaches and Parents, providing a good sporting outlet for the youngsters of the town and possible future senior players. Under the careful guidance of current co-chairs Mel and Mark Hitchens, the Academy provides a safe environment for over 150 boys and girls aged 6-16 to play rugby. “I am pleased to see that there is a core of parents now coaching the youngest age group, who played not so long ago in our league winning side! So, if that age group can also flow through all the age groups, who knows what talent might be nurtured.” Youth
Academy graduates Cam Hopkins (grandson of a Club Legend, Stuart Martin) and Bryn Owens are more recent success stories, having both transitioned from Academy, to Colts and the 2XV into the 1XV this season. “A mere glance at our Men’s squads on a Saturday will show you how many Academy graduates continue to play for the badge. We are also starting to see women now playing senior rugby, like Georgia Sanders, who is the first woman to have graduated. Lydia Hawkins is the captain of Falmouth’s Women’s XV, supported by VC Emma Parkman (Hon. Sec) which is rapidly gaining momentum in only their second season. They are keen to ensure it remains a Fun team. Lydia said, “We’re an amateur rugby team, with a real mix of people. We want to nurture women who never see themselves as sports players and encourage them to give it a go, giving them the chance to focus on themselves.” With Lexie Williams helping out as our Eagles Women’s coach and bringing her experience as assistant England Touch coach to Eagles Women, it’s an exciting time for the club as we build its future. Tom goes on to say: “I am fortunate to have such a great pool of volunteer coaches in our club. In the Eagles Men’s seniors alone, we have people like Paul Walker, father of Sam. Paul is in charge of special skills and is a former headmaster who brings structure and discipline. While our forwards coach, Josh King, who currently plays for the Cornish Pirates, brings a range of tips and tricks connected to the modern game. Being of a closer age to our current playing group, he also brings relevance. With these ingredients in place, we hope to cement our place in history once more in the near future, and awaken this sleeping giant. Anyone who feels they would like to play for us can email me at headofrugby@ falmouthrugby.co.uk
EAGLES WOMEN now in their second season and going from strength to strength.
BUILDING FUTURE GENERATIONS
The Youth Academy at Falmouth Rugby is a testament to the club’s commitment to nurturing young talent. With over 150 participants in any one season, the Academy provides a safe and encouraging environment for children to learn and enjoy rugby. Under the guidance of dedicated and qualified coaches, many of whom are former players. The Academy aims to develop skills and instil a love for the game. This season Ollie Ward and Alistair Kennedy were selected for the Exeter Chiefs U17 Academy. Their journeys from Falmouth’s youth teams to recognised players in the Exeter Chiefs set-up, highlights the effectiveness of the club’s Youth Development efforts, as players transition into Colts then Senior rugby.
HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
Falmouth Rugby has had a long-standing connection to the Recreation Ground, which became its home in 1887 says Chairman John Bullock. The ground has hosted numerous significant events throughout its history, including County Championship, County Finals, England Trials and International teams featuring the likes of New Zealand Māori (1926). The club’s commitment to the community is evident, with various sports and events having taken place at this central location such as; Athletics, Cricket, Football and even Go-karting.
Falmouth Rugby’s clubhouse
FUTURE TALENT
Alistair Kennedy (C) and MOTM lifts the U16 Cornwall CRFU County Bowl 2024
has undergone several renovations, particularly after a fire in the 1976/77 season, which led to the construction of the current Clubhouse.
This Clubhouse serves as a social hub for players and supporters alike, amplifying the club’s community spirit.
“The days when we could fill the Rec with up to 20,000 people may be gone, but we are proud that not only do we still sit at the heart of the town today, but we are still also at the heart of the community. Today, we host visiting fairs, the circus, a mobile butcher on Thursdays,
The Martin Jennings Run, an annual motorcycle event, as well as hosting the start of the Falmouth Carnival, managed
and led by the infamous Falmouth Marine Band, which is seen as the kickstart to Falmouth Week’s shore-side events for the South-West’s biggest sailing regatta. Great fun!” We continue to expand our role in the community. For example, we have built strong links with the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, hosted ‘Armed Forces Day; where we welcomed 650 uniformed personnel in to be fed and watered, before historically marching from the Club grounds through the town as the biggest military parade ever held in Cornwall. Most recently we held a sports day for King Charles School.
CELEBRATIONS
Bolingey Barbarians
Charity Match
A COMMUNITY HUB
Falmouth Rugby has always been more than just a sporting venue; it has evolved into a hub for community engagement. In recent years with efforts by the committee, the club has built strong relationships with local organisations, including the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival and community events like Armed Forces Day and local businesses. These partnerships highlight the club’s commitment to serving the community, providing a space for gatherings, celebrations, and support. The club’s facilities are frequently used for various events, ensuring that it remains a central part of Falmouth’s social fabric.
The “Thursday Gang”, a group of volunteers aged between thirty and eighty, helps maintain the grounds and facilities, showcasing the club’s reliance on community spirit and voluntary support. They are always looking for more willing members who can spare a few hours a week to join the gang. “The more volunteers, the more we can achieve together, but more importantly the more we can also act as a support network.” said Mick Stevens, Facilities Manager. If you can spare the odd hour the club would love your support.
EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES
In an effort to promote inclusivity and provide additional pathways into rugby. Falmouth Rugby introduced ‘The Raptors’, a mixed touch rugby team with the moto “To seize and carry.” This non-contact version of the game has gained popularity post-COVID and serves as a welcoming entry point for players of all ages and abilities aged 14 to 99. Coached by James Bunt and Lexie Williams and a strong identity, their involvement in organising the team, has been instrumental in attracting participants and fostering a
sense of player togetherness.
Lexie was the UK Coaching’s Young Coach of the Year in 2022. Lexie, who balances her career as a solicitor with her role as Assistant Coach for England Touch, led the England 27’s to a silver medal at the Touch Rugby World Cup in 2024. Led by these experienced players, touch rugby sessions have become
RAPTORS TOUCH
Mixed Rugby 14+
a vibrant part of the Club’s offerings, appealing to both seasoned players and newcomers. “The emphasis on having fun, while remaining serious with a smile! Aligns perfectly with the club’s overarching mission to create an inclusive and supportive environment.” said James known as Bunty (lead Touch Coach).
CELEBRATIONS
Falmouth Marine Band and ‘Oggy’ boys
150 MILESTONE SEASON: HELPING YOUNG HEARTS As the 150th celebrations kicked off in the summer of 2022. Chairman John Bullock and Jon Baglow, cycled 150 miles visiting other Clubs that were also approaching or had reached 150 years playing rugby. Raising money along the way for MIND, Children’s Hospice South West and Jay’s AIM who help clubs with defibrillators. In 2021, the Club were very kindly donated a defibrillator by the charity Jay’s Aim, which they promptly offset with donations from their 150th-year celebrations. Since then, the machine has been deployed 16 times and has (very likely) saved at least three lives, as it is the only unlocked defibrillator in central Falmouth. Every time the machine is used, the pads need to be replaced, and the club covers the cost of these replacements. “Whilst we can’t put a price on saving lives, as a small club, we are starting to feel the impact of running costs, which amount to around £700 per year. Very kindly, Jay’s Aim has offered to cover some of this annual expense, but we wondered if any of our amazing sponsors or public might be able to contribute to help alleviate the burden? This would allow Jay’s Aim to direct their funds to other important initiatives.” says Jon Baglow Eagles Club Captain sponsorship@ falmouthrugbyclub.co.uk
One of the notable creative drivers in the Club in recent years has been Danny Trick, who has dedicated himself to reviving the spirit of Falmouth Rugby and awakening this sleeping giant. Starting as a under ten player in the mini section back in the early 90’s, Tricky’s journey through the club has been marked by creating impact both on and off the field. His professional expertise in branding and communications has been pivotal in revitalising the club’s identity, especially during the significant 150th anniversary celebrations. Trick took on the role of Communications, as well as promoting the club’s history and achievements through various initiatives in 2022, including the creation of the ‘Falmouth Rugby Family Reunion.” This now annual event reconnects and engages past and present members, celebrating the contributions of all who have and continue to shape the club’s journey. Tricks efforts have not only helped preserve the club’s rich Legacy but also fostered connections across generations as well as attracting new crowds through club social events. “Just like his playing style, pass Danny an impossible task and he will crash through and deliver.” Says Chairman John Bullock, “That’s why he was made our Club Person of the Year in our 150th year.” “What a great honour to have been recognised in this milestone year, especially when we have so many worthy candidates who work so tirelessly behind the scenes, like everyone’s favourite club duo, Colin & Cath Trewavas who were presented with the Christine Baker volunteer(s) of the year Cup!...
It was my absolute pleasure to elevate this milestone in our Clubs History, and I am sure in another 150 years we will have done the future generations proud.” said Danny Valentine FernandoTrick now Co-vice Chairman.
COLIN & CATH
TREWARAS
Chirstine Baker
Volunteer(s) of the Year 2023
150 GALA DINNER
The 150 Gala Dinner featured comedian and Bath Legend Gareth Chilcott. The event brought together many generations and members, offering the perfect setting on the Clubs grounds to honour the contributions of past players and volunteers. The tent erupted with laughter when “Cooch” as he is more popularly known recalled his past day with Chairman John Bullock. “John Bullock, his a nice chap, isn’t he? Picked me up, took me to my hotel! But doesn’t he half go on! telling me about the Club improvements! May I suggest the best club improvement might be if you all chipped in and sent John away for a nice long holiday.” People were literally spitting their champaign out - a brilliant moment!
Says John himself. The Club Person of the Year Cup, The Presidents Shield and the Christine Baker Cup served to recognise the dedication of individuals who have made significant contributions to the club. This focus continues today celebrating both achievements and community involvement which embodies the spirit of Falmouth Rugby. “Having their names engraved on awards and printed on certificates, is some honour, and to be recognised by your piers in front of your teammates, friends, and ‘Rugby Family’ is second to none! We play for each other here, so these moments of reflection are special and something people will always look back on! Even in an other 150 years!” said Tom Spiller DOR.
TOM SPILLER Presidents Shield 2023
DANNY TRICK
Club Person of The Year 2023
THE FUTURE IS BLACK & WHITE
As Falmouth Rugby Club looks to the future, it remains dedicated to its foundational principles of community, inclusivity, and sporting excellence. The club is poised for growth and continued success.
Spiller, Director of Rugby, echoes this sentiment, emphasising the importance of fostering a supportive environment where players can thrive. His leadership, along with the collaborative efforts of the committee and volunteers, ensures that Falmouth Rugby will remain a vital part of the local landscape for years to come putting players first. Falmouth Rugby Football & Athletics Club (Falmouth Rugby) stands as a testament to the power of community, dedication, and resilience. As it continues to evolve with an ever changing landscape, the club remains committed to nurturing future generations of players while honouring its rich storied past. With a focus on inclusivity, engagement, and the love of the game, Falmouth Rugby is not just a club; it is a ‘Rugby Family’ that embodies the spirit of Cornish Rugby.
GARETH CHILCOTT Guest Speaker
Chair JOHN BULLOCK
My name is Danny Trick, and I began my journey with Falmouth Rugby Club in the mini junior section during the early 90’s, playing tight head. My first day, at just eight years old, was memorable—my coach was ‘Beasty’ (Glenn Wilkes), a dedicated former player. Initially, I felt overwhelmed when my teammates called me ‘Tricky,’ but my dad reassured me it was a family nickname, marking the start of my lifelong connection to this historic club. The first Trick to play for the club can be traced back to 1898. I fondly remember formative moments, like scoring a memorable try in 2001 that helped save us from relegation in the last game and the last minute of the season, and receiving praise from the legendary Bunny Williams. As I progressed through the ranks, I played a pivotal role in the “Eagles” who, in 2003, were crowned Cornwall League Champions and Cornwall Club Cup Winners for the first time since 1977. After moving away for work for a decade, I returned to Falmouth and briefly played again in 2014 before hanging up my boots. In the years that followed, I focused on coaching my son’s team, fostering a love for rugby in the next generation. The pandemic reignited connections with past teammates, reminding
me of our strong rugby family. As Falmouth Rugby Club celebrated its 150th anniversary, I offered my expertise in branding to help elevate its legacy. Collaborating with Chairman John Bullock, we aimed to honour the club’s history while preparing for its future. Together, we revitalised the clubhouse, reinstating the rich history and storied past as a total rebrand of the Club. The journey has been rewarding, so much that I have returned to second team rugby having used the club’s touch rugby as a pathway back! I look forward to continuing to support this beloved club in my current position of co-vice chair and communications.
NEVILLE CURNOW FORMER PLAYER & CHAIRMAN, SUPPORTER & SPONSOR: ROBIN CURNOW I grew up locally and played for Falmouth until 2023. My dad, Robin, was also a former player, and now my nephew, Rowan, plays there too. My dad was playing for Falmouth before moving to Penryn while I was growing up. I joined the Navy but always wanted to play rugby when I was home, usually in the back row at 6, 7, or 8. While based in Portsmouth, I would travel back to Falmouth on weekends to play.
I first signed for Falmouth in 1999. When I left the Navy in 2013, I continued to play. However, a few weeks after participating in a veterans’ game in 2023, I had three heart attacks. At that point, I decided it was best to hang up my boots. I joked to a couple of the boys, “I’ve played enough games of rugby over the years, stuck at the bottom of rucks getting punched, so I can handle a few more blows!”
In my later playing years, I wasn’t always on the pitch as I had shifted focus to sports physiotherapy and first aid, working with the senior men’s team and county sides. Despite that, I remained a registered player for the club and occasionally found myself added to the team sheet at the last minute.
Due to work and family commitments, I haven’t been able to get down to the club as much this season. It feels like it’s time to focus on things I couldn’t do when I was traveling so much with rugby. Looking back, I don’t know where I found all the time! I’m still a sponsor of the club through the family business, which my sister and I now run. My dad started it 56 years ago. We also sponsor my nephew, Rowan O’Regan, who usually slots into the back or second row. I had the privilege of playing alongside him in the 6 and 7 positions during my final season in 2023.
I always keep an eye on the results and make it down for
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“Very proud of our association with Falmouth Rugby Club!”
the Boxing Day game. Over the years, three generations of our family have played for Falmouth.
Falmouth RFC is truly a community club. When I first joined, I didn’t know anyone apart from a few Navy lads, but I was made to feel incredibly welcome. Back then,
your ability didn’t matter—it became like a second family to me. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats at the club—player, captain, chairman, first-team physio, and more—and I’ve always felt part of it. The club has always had a big heart, supported by the heart of our community.
JAMES CREMIN FORMER PLAYER, COACH & SPONSOR: CREMIN SURFACING
I grew up in Falmouth and started playing at the local rugby club when I was around 8 or 9 years old. At 14, when there wasn’t a team for my age group, some friends and I joined Penryn. Thankfully, Arthur Williams, a well-known figure from Falmouth, helped revive the Colts team at our club. Many of us would volunteer on Thursday or Friday evenings to support the
club. Arthur’s encouragement and dedication were instrumental in keeping us engaged, and I’m truly thankful for the positive impact he had on my journey, even if I didn’t always recognize it at the time. Looking back, his influence significantly shaped my development.
When I turned 16, Falmouth took over Penryn’s Colts team, allowing us to reunite. For the first time in over a decade, we had our own dedicated Colts squad, which gave me the chance to join the 1st
XV team at just 17. I had the privilege of captaining the Colts on Fridays and playing in the 1st XV on Saturdays. I was also proud to be the first club player selected for Cornwall U20’s in over 20 years.
Although I faced some challenges with back injuries that led me to retire at 24, I returned to Falmouth to help coach the Colts. Eventually, family and work commitments became my priority. While I might not be the most regular spectator, I enjoy visiting the club to reconnect with
“Very
familiar faces. People like Hughie Murton, a former legend who ran the gym while I was playing, left a lasting impression on me. Back in the day, he was incredibly patient with our energetic group!
The mentors at the club played a vital role in my life, providing guidance and support. My daughter, Darcey in recent years played for the club until she turned 11. Although there were challenges when the girls’ teams needed separate age and gender groups, we cherished our time playing touch rugby together, and she enjoyed supporting her friends at the Exeter Academy.
Falmouth Rugby Club has given me so much. I got my first job through the network, working with Dave Vincent and John Sewell at the local council. After spending years learning the trade, I started my own business, and I owe much of my success to the club’s support. I’m proud to be a Falmouth local, and it’s always a pleasure to walk into the club and catch up with everyone, even after some time apart. The foundation laid by the club has equipped me with essential life skills, like engaging and communicating with others, which I often emphasise to my kids.
A big thank you to everyone at the club for continuing to support one another and nurture our community and rugby family over the years.
JULIA EVANS
SUPPORTER &
SPONSOR: JULIA EVANS
ACCOUNTANTS
I come from a rugby family. My dad, Charlie West, and my brother, Alan McColl, have had long associations with the club. My son, Ollie, a winger for the 1st XV, is a product of the club’s vibrant junior section, having played there since the U10s. My husband Julian, our daughter Rossie, and I have been regular visitors to Falmouth over the years and truly appreciate the warm welcome and many friendships we have made. Falmouth Rugby has always played an important and vital role in our local community,
providing a place where people of all ages can enjoy a friendly and welcoming environment. The teams are performing very strongly this season, and the way the club has embraced women’s rugby is a testament to its inclusivity and forward-thinking approach.
As a sponsor, we are very pleased to provide support for the club. It’s great to see the club receiving much-deserved recognition in Rugby Club Mag. On behalf of myself, my family, and everyone at Julia Evans Accountants, we would like to wish everyone at the club all the very best for continued success as they head into the second half of the 2024/2025 campaign!
to be associated
“Delighted
with the success of Falmouth Rugby Club!”
West Norfolk
RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB
“Quite simply the main ingredients that make West Norfolk a great Club are our club house facilities and the warm welcome given to all visitors. But most importantly, the generous group of volunteers who give up their precious time to keep the Club running.”
STEVE SMITH
CLUB PRESIDENT
I first started playing for Milford Haven RUFC at the age of 24. A great place to return and reminisce enjoyable occasions and notorious tours to St Ives and Bristol. When I moved to Norfolk in 1991, a visit to West Norfolk RUFC and a warm welcome from the legend Pat Wakefield made my choice of a new club easy. Initially playing 4th team, a few matches and training sessions later and I was named in the 1st team where I played for several years before enjoying rugby at a slower pace in the 3rd and veteran teams. At that time West Norfolk veterans where a formidable team winning the Norfolk Veterans Cup on five consecutive occasions. My final game of rugby was at the age of 55. From 2006 I became involved in coaching my son Morgan together with our current Chairman Ian Trundley and our Director of Rugby Darren
Clarke, whose sons Jack and Connor respectively were in the squad. I was appointed Chairman between 2015 and 2019, during this time a number of changes were made requiring the Club to have a commercial and business-like focus. Part of this internal restructuring included the transferring of the governance into a Company Limited by Guarantee. In 2022 it was an honour to be appointed President.
Theres a great buzz around the club with a busy calendar of rugby and off field activities taking place or planned to take place this season. Our Centenary celebrations
started with a special dinner in September. The Club history was presented by members who have and still play a significant part in the clubs’ success. Several current and past captains, presidents, chairmen, players, plus our key sponsors reflected our 100-year journey.
Easter Saturday will see our 1st XV host an invitational XV which will hopefully include a few ex-internationals. John Moses our Vice Chairman is organising the event and has already been influential in generating £20,000 towards MND, one of the charities we’re supporting this season, the other being Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The curtain raiser
will be our Ladies XV against Kesteven. In May the Club will play host to the Norfolk Rugby Big Weekend and the return of the Trundley 7s Tournament. Time for your black tie and ball gowns as we host the return of the West Norfolk Rugby Ball on Friday July 11th.
Green King have kindly produced an extremely enjoyable Centenary Ale, whilst a newly commissioned Centenary Blazer is now available.
Both our Men’s 1st XV under the captaincy of Jack Wicks and Ladies XV captained by Emma-Jane Watson have had the perfect start to their seasons, with 100% winning records to date.
DAVIE NIMMO
FORMER
PLAYER & CAPTAIN, SUPPORTER
& SPONSOR: NIMMO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS LTD
I had the honour of captaining every team at the club apart from the fours. I played from
the age of 18 until my last game for the first team at 54. I’m originally from Falkirk, but it’s a long story. I lived in Africa for a wee bit, returned to Scotland, and then moved to Norfolk when I was 13. Charlie Curtis’s son Gareth, who played for Eastern Counties
and alongside Jason Leonard, led me to West Norfolk RFC when I was 18 to play Colts rugby. Usually playing in the openside position, I progressed to the thirds.
We had a captain at the time, Roger, who was brilliant and like a dad to many of us. He held on to his team for a couple of years, and I was happy to stay with him—the rugby and banter were great. Eventually, I went for trials and moved on to the 1st XV, becoming captain in the mid90s. Later, I dropped down to captain the 2nds, 3rds, and vets, often giving up my preferred flanker position to play at 8 or 6 and even had a go in the front row.
I’ve been a club sponsor for 25 years and enjoy giving back to the club. Unfortunately, I haven’t managed to visit in quite a while, but I’m determined to make an extra effort to see the guy’s next year. I’m also proud to sponsor the Ladies’ rugby team, which
I did some coaching with 19 years ago. The progress women’s rugby has made since then is phenomenal, and their knowledge of the game often surpasses men’s rugby.
The club has an impressive success rate of producing players who go on to play at the county level and of course, Ali Price, the Scotland international, also came through the club.
West Norfolk RFC is a fantastic family club with camaraderie second to none, which is what attracted me to the club when I was 18. I’ve been a member for 40 years, and the friendships I’ve made have given me many lifelong friends. I still see Roger often—he lives around the corner from a wee pub I own—and I also stay in touch with Pat Wakefield, Mr. West Norfolk himself, who’s still singing all the old songs. I’ve always looked up to these guys. Best wishes to everyone at the club for 2025!
Last season we advertised for a new Head Coach and were delighted when Jamie Williamson approached us. Having started playing for West Norfolk at the age of 6, and the seniors at 17, Jamie has been a great ambassador of the club for over 35 years. Jamie and his coaching team have focused on defensive play which has paid off, whilst they have also earned try bonus points from 9 of their 11 matches. Our ambition this season is to gain promotion and continue to expand our playing numbers allowing the Club to field regular 2nd team.
Our 2nd XV has not fared so well due lack of player availability, on paper we have the numbers, but match day availability has proven
difficult. A recent combined team with Ely provided much needed game time against March Bears 2nd. In 2019/20 season, our Men’s XV was only one match away from Twickenham when competing in the RFU National knock out competition, only to be denied by the outbreak of Covid. Last season our Ladies won the Norfolk Cup Final.
Over recent years the Club has continued to prosper and develop and has achieved the Rugby Football Union’s Club Accreditation for a third time. In 2022 a lift was installed allowing those unable to use the stairs, access to the first-floor clubhouse, this was recognised when we were awarded the Eastern Counties RUFC Facility of the Year as a result. Ian Trundley our chairman has been instrumental in undertaking improvement work at the Club over recent years and is currently overseeing the construction of new changing room facilities with work scheduled to be completed in March 2025.
Ben Jones and Nathan Hollands head up our Mini, Junior and Colt sections. These teams are vital to the
success of our club and is clearly evident this season with more than 75% of our first team under the age of 24, almost all transitioning through our mini and youth section.
Numbers continue to grow, with Sundays getting busier with seven players recently selected for Norfolk U18
An initiative, funded by Active Norfolk, where James Burroughs along with some of our girls/ladies’ coaches are giving 20 hours of rugby coaching to 12 primary schools in the King’s Lynn area, the sessions are already seeing new players at the Club because of it.
Ellen Collison, Head Coach of the Girls Section, was also recognised by the RFU as their “Game for All” Volunteer of the Year. Ellen picked up the award at Twickenham at a black-tie event surrounded by Rugby celebs and she has already spent her winnings on new equipment for the Team!
Both Boys & Girls teams are invited from West Norfolk Schools to play against their respective West Norfolk RUFC age groups, this year the event was held under flood lights giving players an enjoyable experience. The event is organised to encourage school players to experience Club rugby with the aim of joining.
The Felix Young Memorial Game between West
Norfolk Colts and Wisbech Grammar School will take place under lights on Friday 20th December, please join us to celebrate Felix’s life and his love of Rugby. Ali Price, one of our past Colt players, went onto play for Glasgow Warriors and made his Scotland debut in 2016, in 2021 he was selected and played for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
Our women’s team is managed by Head Coach and fellow Club Director Jane Middleton-Jones. The women train on Wednesday evenings and welcome new players at any time. Members range from international and county players to beginners who have never set foot on a sports pitch before, with emphasis on having fun, keeping fit and teamwork.
The women currently have the league’s top points scorer in Jade Nicholson and the top try scorer in Georgie Lingham. Georgie is currently representing GB in the World 7’s series. This season the women’s squad have four players already selected to represent the county.
Veterans’ rugby was extremely popular in the 1980’s and 90’s. During this time West Norfolk Vets were a formidable force regularly winning the Norfolk County cup. I recall on the eve of one cup final having 28 veteran players to choose from which seems incredible given current player shortage. Without doubt, Veterans rugby was one of the most enjoyable periods of my rugby career, playing alongside a group of great players, many of whom remain lifelong friends.
OUR HISTORY
In 2025, the Club celebrates its Centenary having been founded in 1925 at a time when there were only two other clubs in Norfolk: Norwich and Lowestoft Yarmouth. The club was initially based in Swaffham, moving to King’s Lynn in the 1930’s and based at the Dukes Head Hotel until the outbreak of the war.
The club reformed after the hostilities and began its association with North Wootton. Initially making its home at the Red Cat Hotel using the stables for its changing facilities, the original pitch was some distance from the hotel out on the marshes.
By the early sixties the club was running two sides regularly and the need for a dedicated clubhouse and ground became more apparent. The present ground comprising of 11 acres of land and a layout containing three full size pitches, was acquired in 1965. After draining and seeding the playing facility came into use in 1969 with the initial prefabricated clubhouse coming into use in 1970.
During the seventies and early eighties, the club saw significant development on the playing side with the senior side of the club expanding to three regular sides and a strong veteran’s team. During this period West Norfolk was the first side to successfully develop and run an under 19 Colts team. The latter part of the eighties and throughout the nineties has seen sustained growth of all rugby sections with the club developing a strong mini and youth policy resulting in representative sides at all age
groups from under 7’s through to under 19’s.
The continued expansion and success of both senior and more significantly junior and mini rugby during the latter part of the eighties had meant that the original clubhouse and facilities became inadequate. This lead to the last major building project to develop the clubhouse and improve both the changing and medical facilities. The project started in 1989 and was completed in 1992.
West Norfolk RFC offers local community organisations the opportunity to use the facilities. The clubhouse and playing fields regularly host local community groups both for outside and inside sporting, leisure, and fundraising activities. It is our
belief that physical activity, team sports, and a friendly welcoming environment help to encourage social cohesion and to discourage anti-social behaviour. As we prepare to celebrate our centenary year in 2025, and are anxious to ensure that current and future generations can continue to benefit from the availability of this community asset. Our sponsors play an extremely important part in our Club’s success helping to support our operational costs. Without them, West Norfolk wouldn’t be able to offer the facilities and equipment that it has, but we are always looking to bring in further sponsorship and support to help us achieve even more. There is a clear vision for the future of the Club set out in our Strategic Plan and the
associated blueprints, showing the expansion of the building and the facilities to help drive our Club further forward, both in our local community, and in the sport we all love.
No grassroots rugby club can survive without volunteers, and our volunteer teams here at West Norfolk Rugby Club are no different. We pride ourselves on the spirit, passion and commitment that each and every member of this team brings to our club, as we know that it means taking on additional roles on top of everything that people do in their own lives. From paperwork to managing the cellar, our secretary John Mellor is always in the thick of things when it comes to keeping the Club compliant and operational.
Past Chairman at Centenary Lunch Dinner.
LEE SHUARDSON SUPPORTER & SPONSOR:
BROWN & CO
I first visited the rugby club in 2019 as part of my role at Brown & Co. In 2021, my son Edward joined the club as an U13 player and is now playing for the U16s, usually in the second row. The team is having a decent season with a mix of comfortable wins and losses. They are a very capable group of boys who have come a long way and are now quite a sharp little rugby outfit.
Outside of school, Edward’s involvement with the club has really expanded his circle of friends. In his free time, he now has mates from four other schools he’s met through rugby, as well as connections with some of the Colts lads at the gym.
I’ve never pushed my son into sports and didn’t play much rugby myself, but I love what the game offers – there’s a position for everyone. When it comes to kids’ sports, I would recommend rugby to anyone, boys and girls alike. I have daughters myself, and I believe team sports are fantastic for young women. Being part of a team gives you a sense of purpose in any area of life and makes you feel special, and that’s what I love about rugby.
Edward’s involvement has also had a positive effect on me personally. I’ve formed
many friendships through the rugby club and met other dads with whom I now regularly socialize.
The inclusivity of rugby is something truly special, and West Norfolk Rugby Club embodies that spirit. It’s a real rugby family where everyone has each other’s back. Whether you’re making tea, coaching, playing, or simply a fan, there’s an important place for everyone at the club.
Brown & Co has always been a proud part of West Norfolk Rugby Club, serving as a longstanding sponsor even before my time with the company. It’s a great pleasure for us to support local initiatives like the rugby club. Best wishes to everyone as we head into the second half of the 2025 season!
Scunthorpe
RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB
“The most important part of our club is the pride of wearing the Green Jersey and always giving of your best for your own satisfaction, but most importantly to support your teammates in all circumstances. Once a Greenie always a Greenie!”
MALCOLM YATES HON. SECRETARY
I joined the club in 1973 from Doncaster when I took a new job and played 1st and 2nd XV rugby in the pre league era. I principally played back row and second row. I was 2nd XV captain for 3 years. I was one of several people moving into Scunthorpe at the time of an expansion of the steel works. However, during this period, and throughout the history of the club, the vast majority of the players were home grown. Local men who had played at school joined the Colts team and progressed through the senior teams, such as President Graham Migdalski, Chairman Liam Waldron and Vice Chair Steve Williams
The Scunthorpe Rugby Union Football Club were one of the first to initiate a mini junior system and this is a strong section of the club and still provides the bulk of the players in the senior men’s part of the club. I took to refereeing with the NLD Referee Society and eventually became involved with the Administration of them for several years. This led to my first admin role with the club as referee liaison officer. A role I still hold. When the club moved to level 4 for the first time, I was asked to be 4th Official and when the Secretary role became available and I volunteered for that, was appointed and am still in that role. I was
invited to be President of the Club and served my 2 years of office in 2016-18. I have represented the Club at both Lincolnshire and NLD Constituent Body level
and was granted the honour of being the Lincolnshire President and then NLD President last season. An honour for the club, which has been the centre of my rugby
life for 50 years. I have also been made an Honorary Life Member of my Club.
The general mood down at the club is presently very positive the 1st team are 9 wins from 10 in the league and sit at the top 8 points clear which equals 2 games, despite losing to York last time out, there is a quiet optimism and excitement about what this squad of players can achieve. Numbers at all training is fantastic, the senior men’s regularly get over 30 and the women are getting 15-20 players. We are very close to a regular 4th team and we hope to achieve this before the end of the season. We need to continue the positivity floating around the club to continue our successes.
This season has been AMAZING on the pitch.
The 1st XV is 9 from 10 and the 2nd XV aka ‘The Stags’ sit top of their league, also losing only once this season, both teams sit top of their respective leagues, and the 3rd XV are also competing well. The women made it to round 3 of the Papa John’s Cup and sit a lofty third in their league.
On the pitch our ethos is to play the highest possible standard with the local homegrown talent. We see 11 or 12 of the 1st XV squad turning out on a weekend are all from our junior section. Last season we ran 4 teams and the idea is to create another
unofficial age group. We recognise (especially through the forwards) that the players coming out of colts aren’t ready for the attritional nature of 1st XV or potentially 2nd XV rugby and we need to develop them to learn to play against adults, so we know it’s going to be a lean couple of years with ‘graduates from the colts’ but season 26/27 and beyond we should have a steady stream of youngsters coming through due to the amazing numbers in our mini section. They will go into a U21/Development style team where they will learn from players who have been and done it and can pass on their in-game wisdom.
We have had a major refurbishment of the clubhouse to update it and make it an outstanding venue for people to use other than just as a sporting club. The communication between the club and the community is a growing and increasingly important part of the development of the club. We are fund raising to update the changing facilities but spiralling costs have meant we have changed plans to complete these improvements in affordable stages.
Promotion is our ambition this season! We want our 1st XV playing at Level 4 and we know this is going to be very difficult as the nature of the league anyone can beat anyone. In terms of our 2nd XV, we want them accepted into the RFU leagues and they can then develop and be more ready to make the step to the 1st XV when or should it be required.
Junior & Colts are the lifeblood of our club, from
The girls section started in 2016 and the Women’s team currently have 9 regular players that have moved up through the pathway.
little Ruckers at 3-5 years and then every age grade until they are part of a pathway heading for 1st XV rugby or beyond, we are indebted to the amazing volunteers through the age grade section and the time they give to get kids playing rugby is amazing, we pride ourselves on all players having somewhere to go when they reach 18, for example, Lewis Talbot is 19, he is about to earn his 50th cap for our 1st XV and has been playing the sport since he was 5 years old.
Our Women’s Section is coming up to their 30th year anniversary of playing league rugby. They are planning a special celebration in April, the anniversary of their first ever game and they are expecting to be joined by many of the ladies that have played throughout the years. It will be a huge day for the club and we are all very excited about it. Trisa Mahoney has been involved with the Section throughout and is currently President Elect of the Club assuming her Presidential role at forthcoming AGM.
The Women are currently playing at Level 5, and are in a creditable third position. There is a new dynamic energy in the women’s team and we are very proud of them. Females of any age and ability are welcome into our club, we will have a position for you to play.
Additionally, plans are being made to start a senior touch rugby scheme and maybe a walking non-contact section to attract past players back to the club. There are a couple of ideas in the making, both out of season to start with, when there are lighter nights. The other thought is that they could be held in a
morning and then a beer at lunch time. We shall see.
Scunthorpe are a family club first and foremost. We offer a warm invitation to anyone who wants to play rugby at Scunthorpe. Scunthorpe is a socioeconomic deprived area and the areas of affluence is limited, we offer anyone from the local area and beyond somewhere to call their club. Players will often bring their kids to play and then they give back to the club by coaching after the club gave them so much. We want people to share in the responsibility of the club and be included, a feeling of inclusion means people are more likely to sacrifice for the common cause - for us that is the club and all sections buy into that.
OUR HISTORY
The club started in 1929. At the time Gainsborough were the only club in North Lincolnshire. There were 4 gentlemen under the guidance of a Mr J.W. Brooke, alongside Allan Collins Treasurer, Leonard Clugston, Secretary and Frederick Gough. The club took over the Gainsborough ‘A’ team fixtures and grew from strength to strength over the coming years. The club played at several grounds, including what is now our training ground and mini junior section base along with health and fitness areas on Burringham Road in 1938. The club finally moved to Heslam Park in 1952 and the costs of levelling the area was borne by Mr Heslam, a local business man, hence that we play at Heslam Park.
The post war years saw the club grow and become a leading light, playing matches against the top sides within a sixty-mile area. The club had several County players which continued throughout the years when county rugby was considered important. There have been many significant players who played at the club and went on to play at a higher level these were principally Alan Peebles who went to play for Headingley and Mike Lampkowski who also went to the Leeds based club and eventually played for England. There have been several players, both men and women, who have represented their country through the Fire Service, Air Force and Police, all of whom are recognised in the Louie Clayton Lounge, which honours one of the
leading members of the club both as a player, coach and administrator. Sandy Fraser was also a member of the club for a period of time; he played for Scotland ‘A’ against the All Blacks.
The club has been a leading light within NLD since the organisation of the RFU leagues and has achieved Level 4 status on a couple of occasions. The development of the playing membership has attracted some leading players from other Lincolnshire Clubs but the principal source of our players is all home grown.
Scunthorpe Rugby Club is without doubt a community club. We reach out to all secondary schools in the town and surrounding area with competitions held each year. The mini/junior section runs teams from 5-year-olds through every age group to Colts and transitions to the Senior Section. All cultures and religions are welcome as we are a sports club wanting to provide positive experiences for the young people of North Lincolnshire. The running of the club obviously takes a degree of organisation and financial backing. We engage with, and through our partner links, utilising social media and inviting local businesses into the club to watch us in action and encourage them to be proactive with the development of skills and developing healthy lifestyles.
The sponsors of our club are vital for the growth and development of the game, our club, its culture, and the health of the younger generations of the County. It has to be said that many of our sponsors have personal
SYMES
BAINS
BROOMER SOLICITORS
At Symes Bains Broomer Solicitors, we are proud to support Scunthorpe Rugby Club — a team that embodies community spirit, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence both on and off the field.
Our partnership with the club is built on shared values: teamwork, resilience, and commitment to growth. Over the years, we’ve been inspired by the club’s role in fostering talent, promoting inclusivity, and bringing people together. Supporting such a dynamic and passionate organization is an honour for us.
links with the teams that they support but, with the diligence of the Sponsorship Chairman this, in recent years, has continued to grow and we are constantly trying to involve different industries and communities in supporting the club.
Scunthorpe Rugby Club has always had its father figures since its inauguration. As young players there is and always was a group of ‘Alicados’ who were willing to share their experiences; more importantly their support for the current playing age group. There are always people who want to be in and around the club, to continue friendships forged on the field and off. Current players mingle with the players of the past, sharing experiences, discussing the last game. Going to the best bonfire and firework display in the town are all part of our Club. The Sportsman’s Dinner is always a sell out with a comedian but more importantly a sporting legend such as Dean
As a local business, we understand the importance of investing in the communities we serve. Scunthorpe Rugby Club does more than provide exciting matches; it creates opportunities for players of all ages to thrive, builds lifelong friendships, and nurtures a sense of belonging that benefits everyone involved.
Symes Bains Broomer Solicitors www.sbblaw.com
Richards, Doddie Weir, Ian Robertson and Kieran Bracken just to mention few.
If I may say, the Officers of the club at the current time are all past players of the teams we were part of in our youth: and this I think shows the depth of character and respect that we as members have for our Club.
The Club also have a Mental Health Group, “Tackling it Together”, which was started a few years ago and is there for anyone in the club or community to take advantage of. There is a tight membership which helps players and their families in time of need.
We fund life-changing projects across the UK and Ireland, using the power of rugby to support children with disabilities or facing disadvantage
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