Welcome all to Hailey Road and our first game of 2025 with the 1st XV welcoming Old Centralians. Our 2nd XV are on the road to Oxford and our 3rd XV entertain Buckingham IIs with a 2pm kick off. Tomorrow our Angels are on the road to Solihull for a return fixture with Silhillian Ladies. I hope we kick off 2025 with some great rugby and get off to winning ways at all levels.
It is always nice to give credit to Club stalwarts and this week I would like to mention the Webb family who epitomise Witney Rugby Club values. Darren does a great job looking after the facilities and with Denise they form the backbone of the Witney Supporters Club, always on the side line cheering our players on. On the pitch, First Team Captain Matt Webb leads by example and usually finds his way across the try line with 9 so far this season. Brother Dan can always be relied upon to put in a strong shift having played all but 9 minutes of the 9 games he’s started so far. Thank you, family Webb, we appreciate all you do for us.
So, it’s a New Year, with new hopes and ambitions. I hope 2025 brings you peace, health and happiness, but most of all happy times watching our players in Black and Blue both at Hailey Road and on the road.
Want to do more for your Club? Why not sponsor a player? Packages start at £190+VAT
Get your name in the match programme, but more importantly you are helping develop WRFC players!
Charlie Bowyer WRFC Walking Rugby
Dom Coe Matthew Collins Furniture
Callum Godfrey
Barry Bowles & Tony Maycock
Ben Ling Glenn Davies
James Merriman AK Timms
Jack Strong Jason Strong Builders
Tom Gafney Ian Loughborough
Marcus Reading Celestra
Cameron Ayris
Milfield Contractors Ltd
Angus Brown Fowler Hicks Landscaping
Keir MacDougall
Gareth Lewis
Harvey Wattleworth TW Fitness
Jasper Nixey Rowles Roofing
Jack Daubney
Chris Delaney
Ollie Dawkins GMD Consultants
Haydn Clarke
Ready Set Solar
Connor Pummery Drive Engagement
Luke Manning Ashcroft
A massive thank you to all our
Player Sponsors
Want to do more for your Club? Why not sponsor a player? Packages start at £190+VAT
Get your name in the match programme, but more importantly you are helping develop WRFC players!
Ollie Toner Drive Engagement
Dan Webb David Willis
Matt Webb Shaw & Co Solicitors
Sam Winstone Mike Dunbar
Callum Cope JC Landscaping
Gareth Jenkins Matt Delnevo
Daniel Wilson Matt Delnevo
Harry Ward WRFC Walking Rugby
Josh Whitehead J S Motors
Liam Cook J Brand
John Mason Blanketmen
Mark Roberts Pole Position Scaffolding
Finn Ayris Haysham Electrical Contractors
Carl Campbell
Helen Phillips
William King Tetbury Accounting
Rees Wilson
Andy Billington
Owen Fillary ADR Services
Rhys Morgan
Hyatt Financial
Jon Derrick B Wastie Electrical
A massive thank you to all our
Come & Watch
Witney Calling!
With the festive season over and a whole host of broken New Year’s resolutions already on the ‘Well that didn’t Work’ pile, we concentrate on 2025 to play with all to win.
For this season we hope to install solar panels to help with the increased energy costs associated with running a Club the size of Witney RFC. The cost of the installation will be borne 50/50, with the Club having received a grant of £10,000 from the Carbon Action Fund. That means that we still must find an additional £10,000 from all ready depleted resources.
Whilst this is undoubtedly the right thing to do to reduce our carbon footprint and save the Club money in the long term, in the short term we will struggle. So, what can WE do? The easy way to ease pressure on the Club is with your continued support, bar and food sales are the Club’s main source of additional revenue, that and our beloved sponsors. If you know of a company who would benefit from supporting a local community sport’s club, then please put them in touch with John Williams our SponsorS’ Representative.
If you have any fund-raising ideas we would love to hear about them, but most of all, keep coming to the Club on match days, training days or even just a Friday night with friends, we would love to see you here and we appreciate your support. Here’s to a healthy and successful 2025.
What’s On @ Hailey Road!
Saturday 18th January 2025
Chairman’s Lunch kicking off at 11am. Some places still available so if you fancy starting the New Year with a great lunch followed by a display of rugby from our First Team as they host Swindon RFC. Go on, treat yourself and kiss that no drinking New Year’s resolution goodbye.
Saturday 25th January 2025.
Our very own Andrew Nixey is performing at Fat Lil’s with his band, Trauma UK. So pierce your nose, hang some paperclips off it, and don a black bin bag. Or you could just get along to Fat Lil’s for a great night of Punk and Rock. Tickets available here!
Saturday 8th March 2025
Chairman’s Lunch kicking off at 11am. Some places still available.
1st Things First!
Longlevens 33 : 12 Witney (HT 14 : 0)
T’was ever thus, or so it seems, indiscipline cost us dearly. The heavy downpour just prior to kick off made conditions difficult and it was Longlevens who adapted the better, taking their opportunities when they had possession. Although we didn’t get there often, when we got inside their 22 we converted but unfortunately we coughed up too much ball in the middle of the field and gave away far too many penalties to exert any sustained pressure. This is a young side and they have surely learned some life lessons in game management. Disappointed that we came away with nothing but really positive that we can address the issues and be better prepared for 2025. Man of the Match, Rees Wilson for an excellent game, under pressure at 7.
This week sees our first team kick off 2025 at home to Old Centralians with a 3pm kick off. Last time out at Old Centralians we came very close leading 26 : 29 into the last 10 minutes but a late try saw us finish a very close second. A 5 try bonus point and a losing bonus point the game finished 31 : 29, we can do better than that.
Walk-In Hairdressing & Barbering
2 Be or not 2 Be!
Witney 2nd XV 18 : 34 Milton Keynes
Not quite how we wanted to finish 2024 at home but some positives, firstly George Boswell got his first senior try, well done George keep them coming. Secondly, we don’t have to play Milton Keynes again this season. Two more Tries and Charlie Dunbar adding three from the tee. Adam Nobbs got Man of the Match for an excellent performance at prop, well done Adam.
This weekend sees our marvellous Twos on the road to neighbouring Oxford. When they visited us in September, they walked away with all five points but Witney secured themselves a try bonus bagging 4 tries in the 22 : 36 defeat. The forwards dominated set piece in that encounter but our defence wasn’t strong enough to cope with Oxford’s backs running powerful lines. Let’s hope our forwards can repeat the domination and our defence, which we know can be awesome, limits Oxford’s attack.
Oxford vs Witney 2nd XV 2pm KO
Witney 3rd XV 17 – 95 Banbury II
At half time the score stood at 0 : 0 but with an empty bench it was always going to be a tough ask. Tries came from Zach Way, Ollie Walker and Tom Young with Rob Mills grabbing a conversion. It could have been a four try bonus with the boys camped on the Banbury line for an extended period but alas it was not to be. Man of the match, Dan Lancaster for excellent work in the second row, but that’s about as much as we want to say about the last performance of 2024.
Now 2025 is here and our 3rd XV start the New Year with a game against Buckingham II with a 2pm kick off. Last time out in Buckingham the home team scored a bucket load running out 54 : 12 winners, let’s hope our 3rds can kick off 2025 with a home win.
Come on you Black and Blues!
Veterans @ Hailey Road
lar belief, you to have: enches of WWI a pacemaker! g either of preclude you aying, a letter from rent.
The Reality is:
You have to be over 35 years old and have been a member of Witney RFC for at least 4 weeks before match day. Sound like this could be for you? Why not come along to Club training nights; Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you need to ease back in gently, we have Walking and Touch Rugby on Thursday evenings. Contact Simon Copperwheat on: 07904 360561
I sit and wait, Does an Angel contemplate my fate?
Watch the Witney Angels
@Hailey Road
Sun 5th Jan 2025
KO 2pm
Silhillians Ladies vs Witney Angels
Sun 12th Jan 2025
KO TBC
Witney Angels vs Old Northamptonians Ladies
Sun 19th Jan 2025
KO TBC
Witney Angels vs Buckingham Swans Ladies
Angels Calling!
No match report to conclude 2024 as the Angels had a fallow weekend.
Witney Angels are very keen to attract new players in every position. If you know anyone who would like to join this fantastic group of ladies get them to contact Lou Gray or any of the Angels’ staff and players. All ages and all standards welcome.
Last time out on their visit to Hailey Road Silhillians ran in a bucket load with no score coming from the Angels. The score sheet didn’t reflect the effort put in by our ladies and we hope that they can cross the line in Solihull.
KO 2 PM
Silhillian Ladies vs Witney Angels
Witney RFC Walking Rugby.
The Witney Wizards is a group of older players, some with no previous rugby playing experience, all with one aim, to enjoy some fitness in a happy, social environment. We train once a week on Thursday evenings. Skills sessions, tactics, and competitive games, followed by a Supper Club and a social drink in our Hailey Road Clubhouse. The Wizards welcome people of all ages and backgrounds; we do have female players but could always do with more. The Wizards have played competitive matches at home and away, always draws a big crowd and above all else, is always fun. Think this is for you, why not come along and give it a Try!
The club have 8 tickets for England v Italy @ Twickenham on Sunday 9th March. Great tickets at only £119 each. Available to Club members and Sponsors on a First come First served basis. Contact Ian: tickets@witneyrugby.co.uk
