A WARM WELCOME TO HENLEY RFC
The London Bus simile is in action. This is our third consecutive home match when we can give a warm Knole Paddock welcome to yet another club brand new to our fixture list. So again, we are delighted to be the hosts for this first ever match against Henley Hawks.
Henley also just happen to be the 100th different club we have played against in League competition since it all started in September 1987. No prizes for trying to guess all the names, but it reflects our ascension from Level 9 many seasons ago to our present National Leagues standing.
Old Henleiensians (yes I’ve double checked and that is the right spelling!), was formed in 1930 because recent alumni wanted to continue playing rugby after school. Competitive matches were played up to WW2 when the club disbanded but then reformed in 1954, for the same reason as previously. Then, as with several other Old Boys clubs they went “open” in 1963 and changed their name to Henley – probably much to the relief of other clubs’ fixture secretaries and spell checkers. All this coincided with their big move to Dry Leas where they have resided ever since.
Henley started League life in South West 2, equivalent to Level 6. Then, in 1990 a certain Clive Woodward took over the coaching role, with almost instant results. Promotion was gained in 1992 and again in 1994 to achieve National Leagues status. After Woodward departed to pursue his ambitions, two further promotions were gained to land them in Allied Dunbar 2, now The Championship.
As they moved up the RFU pyramid, in 1997 The ”Hawks” monicker was added to their name which the club have kept and celebrated for the last 25 years.
The Hawks’ final break with The Championship was in 2005 and since then they have oscillated between Levels 3 and 4, including four consecutive seasons in which they were relegated and promoted twice each. This is now The Hawks’ sixth season on the trot in Level 4 and again they are proving to be doughty opposition against all comers.
So The Oaks face another stern test, but other clubs’ website comments show that we are being noticed for our own durability. An intriguing Level 4 match between the established and the newcomer awaits.
Howard Pearl
Other National League 2 East Division matches being played today:
Barnes v Bury St Edmunds Blackheath v Westcliff
Canterbury v Old Albanian Dorking v North Walsham
Rochford Hundred v Guernsey Worthing v Tonbridge Juddian