Club Update: Youth & Academy Girls Rugby Leadership Transition

Club Update: Youth & Academy Girls Rugby Leadership Transition

Sevenoaks RFC can confirm that, after three fantastic seasons, Justine McDonnell will step down as Head of Youth & Academy Girls Rugby at the end of the current season.

Justine has played a pivotal role in developing and growing the section, investing significant time, energy, and care into building a strong and sustainable environment for players across the pathway. Her contribution has been significant, and the club would like to place on record its sincere thanks for everything she has given during her time in the role.

We are delighted that Justine will remain involved next season as part of the coaching team, ensuring continued support and continuity for the group she helped shape.

Looking ahead, we are pleased to announce that James Smith will take on the role of Head of Youth & Academy Girls Rugby. James has been a key figure in the Youth & Academy girls setup over the past few years. His understanding of the section and its people ideally places him to lead it forward. We are excited to see him build on the strong foundations already in place.

Everyone at Sevenoaks RFC would like to thank Justine once again for her outstanding contribution and congratulate James on his new role.

Up the Oaks!

James Smith

Justine McDonnell

Welcome to St Michael's Prep School!

We are pleased to share that St Michael's Prep School has become part of the Sevenoaks RFC family!

St Michael’s is a co-educational school for children aged 2 to 13 (Nursery to Year 8) set on 100 acres of countryside in Otford, Sevenoaks. St Michael’s is driven by a passionate belief in the value and power of learning: for children, for teachers, for parents and everyone who comes into contact with the school. St Michael’s is a place where each individual is known, valued and celebrated, where children are encouraged to embrace each day and be inspired by their lessons and co-curricular activities. They believe in providing a rounded education where children can pursue their passions and challenge themselves whilst enjoying a creative and innovative curriculum. 

Adam Bowman, Commercial Director, and DOR, at SRFC has commented, “We are very happy to welcome St Michael's Prep School to Sevenoaks RFC! We’re proud to be working alongside a local school that shares our commitment to developing young people within our local community.”

St Michael's Prep School have commented: "We are delighted to be partnering with Sevenoaks Rugby Club this year. With a strong legacy of rugby at St Michael’s and many of our pupils already part of SRFC, now is the perfect time to combine our communities officially. We are excited for this collaboration which will allow us to support the incredible work of the club.” 

We extend our thanks to St Michael's Prep School for joining us and we look forward to building a successful and lasting relationship.

Thank You and All the Best to Emily Burns as She Departs for Her New Role

Sevenoaks RFC can confirm that this Saturday’s fixture against Esher will mark Emily Burns’ final 1st XV match with the club before she departs to take up an exciting new full-time opportunity with a County Cricket Club as Cricket Operations Assistant Manager, where she will work across both the Men’s and Women’s 1st Teams, as well as the Hundred competition.

Emily’s impact on the club has been significant. She has provided first-class support across all playing sections, including the 1st XV and Senior Men’s Squad, alongside her work on the commercial side supporting sponsors and club events. She has also played a key role in driving the club’s communications across all platforms, including social media channels, producing the weekly newsletter and ensuring everything remains current and up to date.

On a personal level, Director of Rugby Adam Bowman added:
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed teaming up with Emily over the last 18 months. She has made a huge contribution across the club and has been a fantastic person to work alongside. We are incredibly grateful for everything she has done.”

Everyone at Sevenoaks RFC would like to thank Emily for her outstanding contribution and wish her every success in the next chapter of her career.

What an Oak – you will be greatly missed by all!

W A Thompson Joins the SRFC Family!

We are delighted to announce W A Thompson as our newest club sponsor, marking the beginning of an exciting partnership with a local, experienced, construction and building specialist. 

W A Thompson is a residential building contractor delivering high-quality new builds, extensions, refurbishments and heritage restorations. 

Adopting a project management-led, turnkey approach, their experienced team of project managers, surveyors and skilled traders work collaboratively to maintain clear communication, careful planning and exceptional standards throughout. Every build is carefully programmed around the rhythm of family life, with robust financial, contractual, health and safety processes underpinning each stage. 

Adam Bowman, Commercial Director of SRFC, has commented "We are thrilled to welcome W A Thompson as a sponsor of Sevenoaks RFC. Support from respected local businesses plays an important role in helping us continue to grow and develop. We are grateful for W A Thompson's backing and look forward to working together over the next year!"

W A Thompson have commented "For us it's more time on site than on the pitch - but the same hard graft of course, and we can certainly identify with the importance of determination, teamwork and camaraderie. Sevenoaks Rugby Club is a true beacon of the community, with a positive impact that reaches far beyond the pitch. W A Thompson is really proud to be supporting this year."

Moore Kingston Smith - Academy Talk 2026

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Tom Harris from Moore Kingston Smith for taking the time to speak with our academy on Sunday morning.

Tom delivered an engaging and insightful talk about the journey to becoming an accountant, sharing valuable experiences, challenges, and advice. The session was not only informative but also inspiring, helping our players to think more broadly about their futures outside of sport. Tom himself, has come through the Sevenoaks RFC playing pathway, progressing from our junior section through to senior rugby, giving him a real understanding of the journey our players are on and making his message all the more relatable and impactful.

We are proud to continue supporting our academy players both on and off the pitch. Thank you again to sponsors Moore Kingston Smith for hosting the talk!

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Megan Atlee✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are delighted to introduce Enhance Clinic UK, proud sponsors of Megan Atlee for the 2025/26 season!

Based in the heart of Maidstone, Enhance Clinic UK has built an excellent reputation for providing advanced aesthetic treatments in a welcoming and professional environment. From skin rejuvenation and anti-ageing treatments to specialist facial aesthetics, their experienced team is dedicated to helping clients look and feel their very best.

With a strong focus on client care, confidence, and natural-looking results, Enhance Clinic UK continues to deliver high-quality treatments tailored to individual needs. Be sure to check out their fantastic range of services and book your consultation soon!

A huge thank you to Enhance Clinic UK for their valued support of Megan and the club this season.

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series coming soon!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

Wagamama Player Of The Month - March

Congratulations to our Senior Men's and Women's wagamama Player of the Month, as voted for by their teammates!

Harry Alexander has won the award this month following a run of outstanding performances, breaking into the 1st team, and continuing to impress across both the 1s and 2s squads. Congratulations Harry for a great month of rugby, and an impressive try on your Nat 2 debut away at OA’s!

Justine McDonnell wins the award for her incredible commitment to driving the team forward on and off the pitch, and helping to motivate and focus the squad... all while keeping spirits high and tummies filled with delicious cakes!

🚨Don't forget - Members receive 20% off their wagamamas order when they show their membership card in the Sevenoaks branch🚨

Nations Championship Member-Only Ticket Ballot

We are pleased to confirm we have received our full allocation of tickets for this year's Nations Championship. The members-only ticket ballot is now open for members of Sevenoaks Rugby Football Club to enter.

Tickets can only be purchased in pairs, and we kindly ask that members apply for just one pair of tickets per game to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity. In the same spirit, if applying for more than one game, please note that if you are successful in the ballot for one match, you will only go into the ballot for the other game if it is undersubscribed.

To avoid disappointment, please ensure that your ticket applications are completed ASAP. 

You can enter the members only ballot HERE

U23's Host a Thoroughly Enjoyable Friendly with Sidcup

After freezing weather scuppered our last planned u23s friendly back in December, our academy graduates from the last few years enjoyed a high scoring runout against our old friends from Sidcup last Saturday. Both teams had squads of roughly 25 players and the ref gamely agreed to 3x30 mins.

The ball saw plenty of air as Oaks ultimately ran out comfortable winners, but with Sidcup bagging several tries of their own to make for an entertaining contest. A solid crowd turned out to enjoy the occasion, and a few beers afterwards!

We look forward to seeing plenty of the current crop of 23s pulling on senior jerseys in the 26/27 season!

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Harry Saxton-Martin✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Acelo, proud sponsors of Harry Saxton-Martin for the 2025/26 season!

A message from Acelo - ”Acelo offers specialist services for ambitious growth-minded businesses to improve results by optimising the design and performance of revenue-generating functions. Our team brings proven expertise and strength to quickly help you to spot and execute improvements that will change results in sales. We work in a partnership, focused entirely on increasing the return on your investment in the people, processes and systems that determine the quality and rate of growth of your business.

We get Sales, we get Technology, and we get Change....and we like Harry

If your business would benefit from achieving sustainable growth through increasing competitive advantage and winning systems of behaviour, we would love to talk. Email our founder on - stuart@acelo.ai”

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series coming soon!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

Rest In Peace Colin Foreman

We are deeply saddened to share the recent passing of Colin Foreman.

Colin was a well-respected and familiar face within our Sevenoaks community, having served as Bar Manager at the club for over 10 years. He played a huge part in the day-to-day life of the club, and his absence will be felt by all who knew him.

Colin will be greatly missed by everyone at the club and by the wider community he was such an important part of.

If you would like details of the funeral arrangements, please contact Donna Swallow on srfc.clubhouse@gmail.com

Our thoughts are with Colin’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Help our Centenary Fund reach £100,000

Help our Centenary Fund reach £100,000

As our Centenary season continues, we are reaching out to all members to ask for your support of the Club's Centenary Fund. Thanks to incredibly generous donations, the Centenary Fund is almost half-way towards its £100,000 target. 

If you can, we would welcome donations from £100 upwards. Each donation will be marked with a named, commemorative plaque in the Clubhouse. Your support will be greatly appreciated and seed a further 100 years of Sevenoaks Rugby Club, creating more rugby experiences for future generations. To donate please click here or contact Wooly or Nick Thompson.

In the short video below, Club President Mike Wooldridge and Director of Rugby, Adam Bowman explain the importance of the Fund and the role your kind donations will play.

Stonehouse Electrical & Sevenoaks RFC

We are delighted to announce that Stonehouse Electrical Ltd has come on board as a new sponsor of Sevenoaks RFC, and have committed to supporting the club for the next three years!

Stonehouse Electrical Ltd is widely recognised across Sevenoaks and the surrounding villages for its reliability, quality workmanship and honest approach. Offering a full range of domestic and commercial services - from rewires, to electrical testing, and garden, kitchen and bathroom electrics and lighting - the team prides itself on transparent pricing, clear communication and delivering work right first time. Serving areas including Sevenoaks, Otford, Westerham, Kemsing, and Borough Green, Stonehouse Electrical has become a trusted name within the local community. 

Adam Bowman, Commercial Director and DOR, has commented, "We are extremely pleased to welcome Stonehouse Electrical as a sponsor of the club. It is always special when a well-respected small local business chooses to support us. Community backing is a huge part of the club, and we are grateful to businesses, like Stonehouse Electrical, for their support as we continue to develop players and grow the club both on and off the pitch. We look forward to working with Stonehouse Electrical and hope members will reach out to them for all of their electrical needs!" 

Gerry Lewer, founder of Stonehouse Electrical Ltd, has commented, "We’re incredibly honoured to be sponsoring Sevenoaks Rugby Club. At Stonehouse Electrical we pride ourselves on working closely with the local community, so partnering with a club that has such strong roots in Sevenoaks and does so much for people locally really resonated with us. Sevenoaks Rugby Club has built something special both on and off the pitch, and we’re proud to be supporting an organisation with such similar values.”

Mighty Oaks Business Breakfast With Birketts!

Join us for the third Business Breakfast of the 2025/26 season with Birketts!

Event Details:

📆Date: Friday 24th April 2026

⏰Time: 08:30-10:30

📍Location: Sevenoaks RFC Clubhouse

Your Wealth, Your Legacy: The Five Estate Planning Decisions That Really Matter

For our next Might Oaks Business Breakfast, we will welcome Stephen Horscroft, Partner in the Private Client Advisory team from Birketts Law. Stephen will deliver a practical and engaging session on the five key steps every successful individual should take to protect their wealth, reduce tax exposure, and secure their family’s future.

Who can attend?

Our Business Breakfasts are a great opportunity to connect with fellow business leaders and club sponsors from the local area over a complimentary breakfast. Whether you are a sponsor, member, or a non-member we would love to see you there

CLICK HERE to sign up!

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Barnaby Thomas✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Dream Domes, proud sponsors of Barnaby Thomas for the 2025/26 season!

Dream Domes is a luxury marquee and dome rental company, based in Berkshire, but travels all across the South East, specialising in setting up unique-luxury structures. Their stunning clear domes and elegant arched domes are perfect for corporate events, weddings, parties and VIP festival experiences. Dream Domes tailor each structure to your specific needs and tastes. They are now open for summer bookings, so please feel free to drop them a message via their website or via email: Hire@dreamdomes.co.uk

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series coming soon!

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Annual Sponsors and Partners Dinner 2026

It was a pleasure to welcome our Sponsors and Partners to The Clubhouse last Thursday for our annual dinner.

It was a brilliant evening filled with great conversation and fantastic food. We enjoyed catching up with everyone and discussing how their support enables our club to be successful - helping us to grow, develop and provide for our members both on and off the pitch.

We would like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors and partners for their continued support.

Thank you again to everyone who was able to join us last week. We look forward to seeing you at The Paddock again soon!

Spring Family Fun Day at Montreal Estate🌸🐝

Spring Family Fun Day at Montreal Estate🌸🐝

🗓️ Saturday 18th April

⏰ 10:30am – 4:30pm

📍 Penn Farm, Penn Lane, Ide Hill, TN14 6BG

🚘 £25 per car

Experience the magic of Spring at the Montreal Estate and enjoy a day packed

with free activities for the whole family✨🪻:

• Animal corner

• Tractor rides

• Gun dog demonstration

• Chipping demonstration

• Conservation talk

• Chainsaw carving

• Farmer agility course

• Family fun games

For more information, please visit: www.themontrealestate.co.uk/events

ALL IN FOR THE OAKS 2026/27 💛💙

Over the past week, we’ve been proud to share the names of players who have signed and committed to represent the Mighty Oaks for the 2026/27 season. The following players have now been officially announced, showcasing a strong core as we build for the campaign ahead. There are still more signings to come—so stay tuned for further updates!

• Alexi Hickin

• Barney Stone

• Ben Adams

• Olly Green

• Tom Sarkesian

• Jack Ireland

• Harry Saxton - Martin

• George Strainge

• Kenny Lee

• Isaac Canham

• Teddy Moss

• Josh Livett

• Alex Rolfe

• George Northcroft

• Will Murphy

• Hanro Rossouw

• Joseph Foster

• Charlie Corrigan

• Cam Cummings

• Barnaby Thomas

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - George Strainge✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Eyelines, proud sponsors of George Strainge for the 2025/26 season!

Eyelines Opticians has been welcoming patients of all ages to its Sevenoaks High Street clinic since 1985. As an independent practice, it has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality eye care.

From comprehensive eye examinations to stylish frames, spectacle lenses, sunglasses, and contact lenses, the experienced team is dedicated to helping patients maintain excellent eye health and clear vision. Be sure to book in for your next eye examination soon!

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series coming soon!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

National Wooden Spoon Day❤️💙💚🤍

National Wooden Spoon Day❤️💙💚🤍

Today we celebrate National Wooden Spoon Day!🥄

The Wooden Spoon Charity has been changing young lives since 1983, giving children the chance to thrive by funding projects that engage children in an activity or sport🏉

3 out of 4 children with disabilities don’t get the chance to play sport at school. Last year hundreds of children with mild and severe learning difficulties came together for Wooden Spoon’s Inclusive Tag Rugby festival giving them the opportunity to be a rugby player. This is one example of where The Wooden Spoon has removed barriers and given more opportunities for young people with disabilities to play sport💪🏉

The Wooden Spoon also helps fund projects that build confidence, life skills and supportive learning environments through sport to support children and young people in the UK who are not in Education, Employment or Training whether that be due to poverty, low attendance or lack of opportunity💙💛

If you would like to read more about the incredible work the Wooden Spoon does in our local community, or donate to them, please visit their website🤝