GEORDIE GWYNN & JAKE PARKINSON
NATIONAL HONOURS pg.6
ALUN WALKER pg.12
CASS TUFFNAIL
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT pg.12
JAMES CORDY-REDDEN
CAREER FOCUS pg.10
WIN MATCH TICKETS
SPOT THE BALL COMPETITION QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
With the season heading towards a very exciting finish, everyone involved within the club are working exceptionally hard to ensure we achieve our objectives this campaign, and put ourselves in the best possible position heading into 2023/24.
Our men’s team have continued their consistent form in 2023, maintaining our lead at the top of the Championship table and securing our place in the Championship Cup playoffs. Our Trailfinders Rugby Academy at Brunel University have delivered another great season, with our women’s programme achieving an unbeaten campaign, and our men’s team winning the BUCS Vase Cup. We’re hopeful by the time you read this, our men’s squad have achieved promotion to BUCS Super Rugby.
Our women’s programme, headed up by Giselle Mather, is preparing strongly for what will be an incredible first season in the Allianz Premier 15s. Giselle and her team are working hard to build a talented group of players, coaches and staff. We’re excited to watch this develop over the next few months and look forward to announcing our squad in due course. Watch this space.
Over the last few months there has been a lot of talk about the future of rugby, and the structure of the game going forward. The new Professional Game Agreement will come into force ahead of the 2024/25 season and no doubt there will be changes made. While we don’t know how this will impact the structure of the game just yet, we must continue to plan accordingly.
Our ever developing and highly successful rugby programme
maintains its standing as one of the very best in the country. We have built an elite player pathway, with opportunities for players to progress through our partner schools, into our academy programme and eventually into our men’s and women’s programmes at Ealing Trailfinders. The future is incredibly exciting and we are hugely thankful for the significant support of owner Sir Mike Gooley and Trailfinders. As we head towards the business end of the season, I want to thank you for your great support. We have some important fixtures to look forward to over the next month and I’m excited to see you there!
Ben Ward
Our Men’s 1st XV at Brunel University secured the BUCS Vase Final with an impressive 29-19 win over Newcastle University. Flanker Sean Bundy was named Player of the Match following a powerful performance.
We enjoyed another fantastic week sponsoring the Rosslyn Park Schools 7s. The five day event is an important recruitment and awareness tool for our Trailfinders Rugby Academy and pathway programmes. Congratulatons to partner school Cardinal Newman who were crowned the U18 Girls Cup Champions.
Henley College players Annabel Meta and Lauren Knowler were selected in the recent England U18 squad. The pair played an important role in England’s 48-5 victory over Wales.
Director of Women’s Rugby Giselle Mather and players from Brunel University and Henley College attended Metro Bank Ealing Broadway for an International Women’s Day event. Giselle spoke to the attendees and outlined an exciting year ahead for Ealing Trailfinders Women.
We welcomed club partner Windsor Hill Mortgages and other industry experts to Trailfinders Sports Club for our inaugural Property and Investment Seminar. More than 80 guests were in attendance, including club players, for an insightful schedule of presentations and panel discussions.
Congratulations to senior Trailfinders Rugby Academy player Lefty Zigiriadis who became the latest player to make the transition to the Ealing Trailfinders first-team, earning his debut off the bench in the 50-12 victory over Cornish Pirates.
The Ealing Trailfinders community came together in March to support Under 15 player Tom who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. Tom’s Under 15s teammates played an exhibition fixture against Chess Valley RFC, a match dedicated to raising funds for Cancer Research UK. At the end of the game Tom’s Dad Chris was presented with a signed Ealing Trailfinders shirt.
The next generation of Ealing Trailfinders were invited to our recent girls rugby clinic. The rugby skills sessions were delivered by Henley College Head Coach Kim Oliver and Academy players from Brunel University.
With an eye on life after rugby, a group of Ealing Trailfinders completed a coffee and barista workshop at Artisan Coffee in Ealing Broadway. The players learnt how to make a range of coffees and craft their own coffee art.
GEORDIE GWYNN: It was incredible. I didn’t make the U18s squad in the summer, but it motivated me to put in the hard work throughout the season to give myself the best chance of being selected. Getting the call-up to the squad was hugely rewarding and a great moment for me and my family.
JAKE PARKINSON: It was a massive honour to be called up to the Scotland squad. I was unlucky to miss out last season with a wrist injury but to finally pull on the shirt and sing the anthem at Scotstoun was a huge honour.
GEORDIE GWYNN: I phoned my Mum and Dad. They’ve both been there for me and supported me throughout my rugby career, driving me across the country and coming to watch my games.
JAKE PARKINSON: As soon as I recieved the message I called my Dad to tell him the good news as I knew it meant as much to him as it did to me.
GEORDIE GWYNN: My Mum was born in Edinburgh and grew up in a small village between the borders and the capital called Fala. I have always been a Scotland fan and try to attend at least one Six Nations match each year. To pull on the shirt and get my debut against England at The Stoop was a surreal and proud moment. My family and friends were at the game so made it even more special.
JAKE PARKINSON: My connection comes from my Grandfather, Norman Stewart, who was born in Greenock. To pull on the Scotland shirt was such an honour, especially with the amount of great players who have worn the shirt before me.
GEORDIE GWYNN: The boys were extremely welcoming and easy to get on with. I loved training in a new environment, alongside great players, coaches and support staff.
JAKE PARKINSON: In the lead up to the Six Nations we completed a three day camp with the Royal Marines in Arbroath. It was a brilliant few days and we developed some great team cohesion. I also got the opportunity to wrestle a marine.
GEORDIE GWYNN: Getting my first cap was amazing. Although the result wasn’t the one we wanted, wearing the Scotland colours for the first time is a moment that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
JAKE PARKINSON: Securing a win for Scotland U20 at home to Wales after a long spell of defeats. To be in the team that broke the run of defeats was a massive achievement. HOW DID TRAILFINDERS
RUGBY ACADEMY AND BRUNEL UNIVERSITY SUPPORT YOU
YOUR TIME WITH SCOTLAND?
GEORDIE GWYNN: The coaches were very supportive throughout the tournament and were in regular contact to track how I was progressing. The boys back at Brunel have been putting out some really strong performances so I’m excited to get back playing with them for the final few games of the season.
JAKE PARKINSON: The Academy were excellent in supporting me throughout the camp, providing suitable training in my rest weeks to ensure I remained in top condition. Brunel University were very accommodating, helping me structure my lectures and deadlines around my Scotland commitments.
GEORDIE GWYNN: Being at Brunel has been massively beneficial. It’s allowed me to improve my rugby, push on and play at international level, whilst studying a degree at the same time. The whole programme shows a direct pathway to professional rugby at Ealing Trailfinders and provides tools, excellent coaches and world class facilities. It’s always good to have a plan B if rugby doesn’t work out, so being able to study and gain a degree alongside my rugby is hugely beneficial
JAKE PARKINSON: Having the opportunity to train with some of the best university players with world class facilities and under the watchful eye of a great coaching team is fantastic. Getting to complete a degree whilst competing at the highest level is very comforting and provides players with the opportunity to explore future careers in a range of industries.
Image Credit: Scotish Rugby/SNS
Fresh from representing Scotland U20s at the Six Nations we speak to Trailfinders Rugby Academy players Geordie Gwynn and Jake Parkinson.
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Astandard contract is normally two or three years long before someone then decides to re-sign or move on to their next opportunity. This is what makes Alun Walker’s time at Ealing Trailfinders even more impressive. He’s been at the club for such a long time that when he sat down for an interview, we double checked how long he’d actually spent in West London.
“Nine seasons, I think,” said the hooker. After briefly double pausing and double checking in his own head, he comes back with a more definitive response. “Yeah nine years I’ve been here, that feels like a very long time now I’m saying it out loud,” he jokes.
And he’s not wrong. The club has progressed an awful lot over the time he’s been at Trailfinders; from parttime to full-time, from National 1 to winning the Championship.
“I remember when I first joined,
really useful given the unpredictable British weather! But it’s not just here, the whole programme and facilities at Brunel University are also really impressive.”
Despite all these changes, for anyone to stay at a club for nine years shows an immense sense of commitment and belief towards the organisation and to the team.
we only had a grass pitch which we trained on once a week in the evening because we all had jobs in the day.
“The expansion has been rapid, we’ve now got two 4G pitches, a state of the art indoor facility, which is
“I’m a very competitive person and I think part of the reason that I’ve stayed is because when you see the club’s drive and ambition, they match my own.
“Everyone here, from the owner Sir Mike Gooley, through to the most junior member of staff, we all share the drive of wanting to push this club as far as possible.”
“I’VE ALWAYS FELT LOYALTY TO STAY AND ACHIEVE SOMETHING SPECIAL.”
“I think after my first year when I was injured for most of it and the club supported me, I’ve always felt loyalty to stay and achieve something special. Clearly that’s something we’re still trying to achieve.”
As well as feeling loyalty to the club, there are also the relationships that he’s forged on the pitch that meant he wanted to stay at Trailfinders.
“Both Will Davis and Luke Daniels signed in my first year and we’ve all stuck together throughout that time.
“I went to Will’s wedding and I wouldn’t have even met him had it not been for the club, and now they’re people I can guarantee are going to be there for the rest of my life. Reasons like this are a huge factor to why I’ve stayed.”
After spending nine years at Trailfinders, Alun is now one of the senior players within the squad and part of the responsibility that comes with this is to create new relationships with some of the younger players and pass on his knowledge.
“I think personally there’s a massive difference between when I first started to where I am now, it’s like it’s two different people.
“I look back and I was probably quite selfish when I was younger, only doing things to benefit myself.
“Now I’m older and I’m in the position where I’ve had bad injuries, times where my form was really good and times where it wasn’t, it’s nice to be able to pass on that knowledge to someone like Cam (Terry).
“He’s a great player and he’s only been playing hooker for two years and the progress he’s made has been immense. He’s always asking questions about how to improve and
wants to know as much as possible.
“I’m looking forward to the day when he turns around to me and says ‘I like that idea, but how about we do this instead?”
Following a knee injury in preseason Alun spent the first half of the season recovering and watching Shaun Malton and Cam Terry take their opportunity with both hands. It meant when the time came for Alun to regain his position he needed an opportunity to build his form and impress the coaches. That opportunity came in the shape of a brief loan spell at Premiership club Newcastle Falcons.
“It came a bit out of the blue. After being out for 12 weeks, I just wanted to get back to playing and they had a few injuries so I jumped at the opportunity when it came up.
“After nine years, the opportunity to be in a different environment was great as it’s very easy to get
comfortable and used to the same thing every week. Just being up there with new lads, new coaches, new staff, really refreshed everything for me.
“They had a real emphasis in terms of speed and collisions and I like to think I’ve picked up a few things up there that I’ve added to my game at Trailfinders.”
All these extras skills will be important as Alun and his teammates prepare for one of the tightest title races in recent years.
“As we come into the end of the season, the performances come thick and fast and I think there are a few games where we’ve got a point to prove and to right a few wrongs from earlier in the year.
“I know it sounds cliché, but every game is massive for us! We need to perform every week as there are no easy teams in the league. The only match I’m focused on is the next one.”
Growing up in Canada, playing rugby was never something a young Cassandra ‘Cass’ Tuffnail had ever really considered, but from the moment she attended her first session, she never looked back.
Now she’s excelling at Brunel University, captaining the women’s team and attracting attention from the
However, if we rewind to her childhood, it was in fact ice hockey that was the main love of Cass growing up. “I played ice hockey when I was younger, pretty much everyone did in Canada” she said. “I really enjoyed it and it was only when I got to university that I had to make a decision between the two.
“My brother’s friend played rugby and convinced me to give it a try. I loved the first training session and haven’t looked back since.”
After so long playing another sport, it would be easy to think taking up rugby might have been tough, but there were two things that stood out to Cass as she got more and more involved in
“From the second I showed up I fell in love with rugby. The whole environment and atmosphere of the team drew me in and I just felt like I
“And then the other thing I loved was the physicality. A lot of people don’t realise that unlike men’s ice hockey, women’s ice hockey is non-contact. So actually when I started to play rugby, I felt like I was finally able to be physical and use my physicality, without being penalised.”
After she found rugby, the next challenge for Cass was being able to play it
“In Canada, women’s rugby isn’t quite as common as it is over here (in England). It is getting bigger and I think their fourth place finish at the World Cup will help things, but there is nothing like the Premier 15s back home.
“One of the highest levels you can play is university rugby. So for me when I was over there between the ages of 18 and 21, I had this mindset that if I didn’t get noticed when I was there, then that would be it. I think that was the same for
“I think I gave a good account of myself playing in Canada. We came second in the university championships which was cool and a great achievement for the team and me.”
The big question for Cass after she finished studying at home was what to do next. That was until she came across Brunel and Trailfinders Rugby Academy.
“I knew I wanted to continue playing rugby, I just wasn’t sure where or at what level.
But as soon as I came across the programme at Brunel, it was clear to me that this was the place that would allow me to kick on.
“The facilities at Brunel are just amazing, the coaching is phenomenal and to have the opportunity to have someone like Giselle (Mather) watch your games and give you feedback is just priceless.
“Then we found out about the Premier 15s team and now having that clear path for us as athletes from Trailfinders Rugby Academy through to the elite women’s team is so exciting and an amazing opportunity for myself and the rest of the girls.”
“Within a regular routine we train and gym three days a week, normally on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday. On a Wednesday that’s when we have our matches for Brunel.”
“Then we all have loan clubs as well, most of them are competing in the Championship or Championship Two. So on a Thursday we’ll go and train with our loan club and on a Sunday we’ll play for them.
“It’s pretty full on, but I don’t think any of us would change it. You have to be quite organised to balance
your studies as well, but it’s definitely doable and the uni do support you with a lot of it.
“You have to put in the work if you want to be the best and I think everyone here can already see huge
“She helped me with my rugby CV and from there I managed to get a meeting with the Canadian head coach.
“Making my Canada debut against South Africa was simply amazing. Coming off the bench and helping my country to a big win was such a proud moment” Another area of her game that will certainly be an attraction to Team Canada will be her leadership and captaincy of the team at Brunel.
strides in their ability from when they started.”
And it isn’t just in her own opinion that she improved, Giselle has earmarked her as someone with huge potential, and Cass has even managed to grab the attention of Team Canada.
“Getting my Canada call-up still doesn’t really feel real! It was something I didn’t see coming, but after having a talk with Giselle about next season and where I saw my future, it became clear that she might be able to help me in terms of getting involved with the national squad.
“It was in preseason that I was first asked to captain the girls and I jumped at the opportunity. I like to think that I’m a captain who leads by example rather than being a great wordsmith.
“It’s an honour to captain any team, but in particular to lead this team every week is a huge privilege. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come since preseason and how we’ve continued to work hard on the pitch and in the gym so we can become the best team we can.”
“To have someone like Giselle (Mather) watch your games and give you feedback is just priceless.”Image Credit: Rugby Canada
DoubleTree by Hilton London Ealing is only two streets from Ealing Common Underground Station, providing quick access to Central London and Heathrow Airport.
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Thanks to Hammersmith, Fulham and Ealing Council, we are able to provide free places on our holiday camps to children who are entitled to free school meals. Alongside participating in a great range of sports and activities, the children also receive a hot, nutritious lunch prepared by our onsite chefs. We also provide nutritional activities and information to help children lead active and healthy lifestyles. The camps have been running since Easter 2020 and so far have provided more than 3,000 free places to local children. Our latest HAF Camp location is Hillingdon Abbots Rugby Club.
Our Multi-Sport Camps continue to thrive with activity expanding to include rugby, football, cricket, netball and tennis. The camps are open to boys and girls, and remain an important opportunity for children to exercise, socialise, develop friendships and learn new sports.
We continued our school roadshow with a visit to Ealing Independent College. First-team players Kevin O’Byrne and Nathan Earle were in attendance to speak to the students, provide insights and answer their questions on achieving success in professional sport.
Go View London, a leading independent estate agents in Ealing, kindly donated a set of digital tablets to the Foundation. The tablets have now been donated to students to support their education, including pupils from Featherstone Primary School.
Arnold Hill & Co. have generously sponsored the Arnold Hill Cup which allows us to continue to provide opportunities for secondary school age girls in Ealing to participate in rugby. We have partnered with five local secondary schools to run after school clubs for an entire term, with roughly 60-70 girls attending. As the term comes to a close we will host an end of season festival where all the schools will compete for the Arnold Hill Cup at Trailfinders Sports Club.
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Ealing Trailfinders winger James Cordy-Redden does just about as much work away from the game as he does playing it, due to his keen eye for business.
When he’s not scoring tries, he is splitting his time on his other two projects, his property investment portfolio and helping to run Punchbowl Valley Vineyard, a wine vineyard in Surrey. We sat down with JCR to delve into his life as a player and as an entrepreneur, and how he balances his two passions.
“It’s not easy.” He says, with a cheeky smirk that perfectly reflects his personality. “But if you’re organised then it’s more than doable.
“We always have a day off, usually a Wednesday, and then on the days we are at the club, our training schedule is finished by 2pm.”
Making time away from rugby is only worth it if he’s committed to his businesses and making them a success. Luckily for JCR, both things apply.
“Investing in property is aways something I’ve been immensely interested in. I did real estate when I was at university and it was something I always wanted to go into.
“I started investing about five years ago and focusing on residential buy-to-lets seemed like the easiest route to start with while I was still playing.”
Although property has always been his interest, the same can’t be said for the vineyard. The passion behind that project lies with Cordy-Redden Senior, but it’s something JCR has been more than happy to help out with.
“The wine was actually my Dad’s idea. It’s something that he’s always wanted to do and so I’m just supporting him with that and then one day I’ll follow in his footsteps.
“It’s the type of thing that I can see myself getting into once I finish playing. It’s not currently as big as we’d like it to be but we’re looking to grow it over the next few years.”
One of the big motivations for someone like JCR when launching these businesses is making sure he’s ready for life after rugby.
“I think you have to be realistic as a rugby player and knowing that you won’t be able to play this sport forever. Most people spend more time retired from the game than they do playing it and so it’s really important to think about what you’re going to do next.
“Back in the day, I think the sport was really poor at preparing players for this and there was very much a mentality of ‘you should only focus on rugby and everything else is a distraction’ but thankfully that’s changed now.
“The club are also good in encouraging boys, especially the ones towards the end of their career, to think about
doesn’t
what they’re going to do next and supporting us through this process.”
However, it’s not just his life after rugby that his businesses have helped. JCR also thinks that having a focus away from the game has helped his performances on the field.
“Being a rugby player, there’s peaks and troughs throughout the season. One minute you’re hot and you’re playing every week, next minute you’re not playing at all.
“If you’re not playing, it can be very frustrating so being able to have something outside of the whole environment can be really beneficial.
“When you come into training, you know that when you’re here you can put your full focus into rugby, but it also gives you the ability to switch off and go and put your mind to something else when you leave.
“It means when things aren’t going your way, either in selection or form, you’re probably not going to be dwelling on it as much as if you weren’t doing anything else outside of rugby.”
And it’s not just in theory that this applies for JCR, after being involved in the first few games of the season, he found himself out of favour until the Championship Cup came back around in February. He used this opportunity to reclaim his place, claiming Player of the Month for February, before scoring five tries in two games at the start of March.
“I know as a bigger, slightly more physical winger, that the rugby played around December, January, February, is always going to be more suited to me.
“Often teams look to play less as it gets a bit colder, resorting more to kicking and putting an extra emphasis on the kick chase. I like to think winning the ball back in the air is one of my key strengths and so I know this time of year is often when I get my opportunity.
“Even with having my commitments away from the club, keeping patient can be tough. But it’s just about making sure I keep training hard, keep putting my hand up and still believing that your opportunities will come.
“And then when they do and you’re playing well and scoring tires, it’s great to be able to open a bottle of your own wine”
I am a financial adviser, which basically means we advise clients on everything financial from investments and pensions to mortgages and insurance. I work for a company called Prospera Wealth Management along with former player, Ben West.
Around three or four years before I retired from Ealing Trailfinders I started thinking about what I was going to do when I finished. I spent a lot of time doing work experience across different sectors to see what fit best with what I wanted to do after rugby. Once I decided that financial services was the avenue I wanted to take, I spent most of my downtime studying to gain the qualification and also working with Prospera, who were incredibly flexible in allowing me to do that around rugby.
I have really enjoyed meeting people and putting in place long-term plans to enable them to achieve what
they want financially. Rugby players are naturally quite sociable people, so it’s nice I get to go out and meet new people regularly.
My advice is to try as many things as you can. I learnt way more from jobs I didn’t want to do or that weren’t right for me. Rugby players have a lot of spare time so try and use it in a productive way. When you find something you want to do, gain as much experience as you can.
Looking back at your time at Ealing
The thing I miss most about rugby and Ealing Trailfinders is being with a group of really good people everyday. It’s such a unique environment and I definitely miss being a part of it. The club has grown massively over the last few years and it’s exciting to see what the next chapter holds.
Definitely when we beat London Irish in the Cup Final. It was an amazing game and one of the best team performances we had as a group. The shift we put in from start to finish was enormous and we thoroughly deserved the celebrations that followed.
ARTHUR ELLIS Again a close one, Andrew Durutalo and Simon Uzokwe are up there, but Arthur wins it by a nose.
RAYN SMID Out there on his own for me. Consistently the best player on the pitch every week and played every game for five years in a row. I taught him everything he knows.
STEVEN SHINGLER/ CRAIG WILLIS I couldn’t decide between these two. Trailfinders are very lucky to be able to call on both of these guys.
JCR is a
legend. He has been one of the best wingers in the league over the past five years and hasn’t lost any pace since he started.
PIERS O’CONOR Only played with him for a year, but it was clear he was going to be a top Premiership player.
Kept himself in mental shape all year. Was a great professional and a hell of a finisher.
WILL
LUKE
1 3 2 4 6 5 7 9 8 10 12 11 13 15 14
Used to hate him on the pitch. Was a top class operator though and I really enjoyed playing with him.
PAT
Like a juiced up Joe Munro. He scored one of the best tries I can remember against Donny. Players just fall off him.
Scared to talk to him for two years. But was always a game changer on the pitch and has scored some outrageous tries.
I have been in my position for roughly 20 months. I started working with the men’s first-team in January last year, so it’s been a great learning curve since then.
I have always had a huge passion for sport and food. I studied Sports and Exercise Science at University, and then completed my Masters in Sports and Exercise Nutrition. I love talking about food, I love creating nutritious meals and menus, and having the opportunity to combine the two in a professional sports environment, feels like the ultimate job for me.
My role is to support the players with their nutrition and hydration. I have one-to-one meetings with each player to speak about their nutrition goals and targets. I work with the players to take their body composition, making sure they are completing their specific training goals, whether that’s gaining or losing weight, or adjusting to a new programme. I also work daily with the chef and venue staff at Trailfinders Sports Club to ensure we are planning a nutritious daily menu for the players throughout their training week. When I am working with the Academy (men’s and women’s) I complete workshops with the players, highlighting the importance of nutrition, hydration and setting a daily meal planner. Additionally I complete cooking workshops for players to ensure they understand how to make nutritious food at home.
I create a weekly menu by analysing what the players have scheduled for the week ahead. I look at the intensity of their training load each day and then plan accordingly. We want to ensure the players are having the right amount of food and hydration for each day, whether that’s a heavy training day, a lighter session, or a day off. It’s important the players are processing the right amount of carbohydrates for fuelling their energy, and the correct amount of protein for recovery.
Away fixtures require further preparation because we need to plan accordingly, whether it’s a day trip or overnight stay. For overnight trips we need to ensure the food menu is planned and agreed with the hotel. Making sure food and hydration is available for the players on arrival and ensuring all supplements are in place and ready for the squad to use.
I love that every day is different, and every week has a new challenge. There’s always a busy schedule at the club, with different training sessions, and different opponents at the weekend. It keeps me on my toes and challenges me to adapt my plans each week. During the warmer months I love making different drinks to keep the players hydrated and cool during their session. I also enjoy helping the players with new snack ideas and fresh recipes for cooking at home. There’s always a perception that the nutritionist is the ‘food police’ and constantly watching what the players are eating. That’s actually not the case. If the players are fuelling themselves properly, making the right food choices and enjoying their food, I’m extremely happy!
Gemma Gow to find out what her role entails, how she compiles an effective menu and how she’s got rid of the ‘food police’ tag.
