Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Blackheath for the early season postponed game at the Paddock.
Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Old Albanian RFC for the very first time at The Paddock.
Last week saw good performances from both senior teams, but mixed results. The 2s secured a narrow victory at The Paddock, 15-14 against a strong Canterbury Second XV, whilst the 1s were beaten narrowly but achieved a losing bonus point at Bury St. Edmunds. It is worth mentioning what a great crowd we had for the 2s game at home cheering the lads on in the late October sun. Where did that weather go!!
This week sees the Seconds travel to Parkhouse for their league game whilst the Thirds welcome Cranbrook to The Paddock. The Firsts are also at home, hosting Old Albanians. The clocks have gone back and the weather has turned wet and windy so we can expect challenging conditions on Saturday for all of our fixtures.
National 2 East is presenting the First XV with the challenges we expected. Last week was a good example of us being able to compete well, but letting the opposition gain momentum at key times in the match, which at this level means we are conceding points. Discipline and understanding the referees interpretation is also something we need to work on, with two yellow cards at BSE last week not helping our cause. We sit in 12th place with 16 points in the league, making this week’s match a critical one. Our opponents Old Albanians are experienced National 2 participants so we know this will be a tough match. They are 5th in the league but lost at home to Dorking last week so will be keen to get back on track. We are expecting heavy conditions on Saturday and the lads will be up for a physical encounter against a very good team.
There are a number of players making their way back from injury, but as I have said before, this league requires strength in depth in the squad, and we will have players who can step up when called upon.
It is Bonfire Night on Saturday (I will resist the firework metaphors) and all three teams will hope to put on a cracker of a display (maybe not). Please come to support the boys at The Paddock. It makes a big difference. The noise when Jonny scored the winning try against Canterbury, was tremendous. Let’s do it again!
See you on Saturday.
COYO
Adam
A WARM WELCOME TO OLD ALBANIAN RFC
Our promotion to the National Leagues brings many challenges and opportunities. One of these opportunities is to play against new clubs, so today we are delighted to be the hosts for this first ever match against Old Albanian.
St Albans School was founded in 948, but it took another 976 years before a rugby club founded by Old Albanians was created; what kept them so long I wonder?! Their first changing rooms were a converted Great War barrack hut which they managed to survive in for quite some time.
A new ground north of St Albans was acquired in the late 50s together with a self-built accommodation, similar to our story in the late 70s. At that time, while retaining their name, the Club went “open” and increased its playing strength to accommodate six teams weekly.
OAs have a proud playing history, especially since the turn of this century, which coincided with the sale of their ground for housing development. After playing nomadically in 2000, they joined up with the school and moved to Cheapside Farm, since renamed Woollams in honour of a major school benefactor.
That move was celebrated in style by promotion to London 1. Solid improvement was maintained for the next decade and in 2010/11 National Leagues status was achieved. Since then OAs have oscillated between Levels 3 and 4, always turning out strong and competitive sides. Congratulations are due to them in lowering Blackheath’s colours three weeks ago.
Saracens use their facilities for training which has resulted in a strong connection with the Premiership outfit. Current international and well-known players including Maro Itoje, Nathan Earle, Nick Iswieke, and Max Malins have all pulled on the Old Albanians shirt, while in former times Jeff Probyn played on a regular basis.
Today will be a stern test for the Oaks, but one we relish and, with a following wind though not belittling either side’s promotion ambitions, one that we look forward to continuing for future seasons.
Howard Pearl
Other National League 2 East Division matches being played today:
Barnes v Canterbury Blackheath v North Walsham
Dorking v Guernsey Rochford Hundred v Bury St Edmunds
Westcliff v Tonbridge Juddian Worthing v Henley
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Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Sutton Winson to the Sevenoaks Rugby Club family and excited for our members to benefit from the excellent insurance & risk services on offer.
Gareth Roberts, Director of Sutton Winson, said: "We’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with Sevenoaks Rugby and look forward to supporting their members - whether that be help with arranging insurances or giving back directly to the club through our grassroots initiatives”.
The day has come at last! We are delighted to be playing our first ever Paddock National 2 fixture this Saturday. The pitch has passed inspection and we are looking forward to welcoming fellow Kent rivals Canterbury for what will be a challenging First XV fixture.
The season is now well under way for all of our senior teams, with last week being a tough one with the 1s narrowly defeated at Rocheford, but picking up a bonus point, and the 3s losing to an impressive Beckenham 2s. There was no fixture for the Oaks 2s as disappointingly Westcombe Park was unable to field a team. The Seconds sit proudly at the top of their league at this early stage of the season. They make the short trip to Sidcup on Saturday for their Kent Counties fixture.
The Firsts have had a mixed start to life in National 2 in terms of results, but we are pleased to have secured 11 league points from a possible 25. Performances have been generally good, perhaps with the exception of the away match at Barnes three weeks ago, but we know there is the need for greater consistency, ensuring our error count is low, and most importantly, being clinical in taking points when in scoring positions. If I were to characterise the main differences between this level and London & SE, it is the physicality and how clinical teams are in transition.
It just leaves me to ask for the usual noisy Paddock atmosphere for the game against Canterbury and a good travelling support at Sidcup. It will be an exciting day and we will do everything we can to play good rugby and produce a positive result.
COYO
Adam
A WARM WELCOME TO CANTERBURY RFC
It has been a long wait since February 2002, but we are delighted to welcome everyone involved with Canterbury RFC back to Knole Paddock. Before the advent of Leagues in the late 80s the Canterbury Saturday, involving six sides each, was an integral part of our fixture list and coincidentally always in late October as today.
Formed in 1929 CRFC started out with two sides and a Thursday XV with their first ground in the New Dover Road. They then moved to Merton Lane in 1937 which boasted one pitch and a small hut! Unlike some other clubs, Canterbury kept going during WW2, arranging matches mainly involving military personnel based in and around the city.
After the war, more ground was obtained at Merton Lane, and the clubhouse was built in 1953. These advances predicated success on the pitch, especially in 7-a-side competitions; then a first Kent cup win in 1975 set the seal on the club’s first fifty years.
The advent of leagues came at a bad time for Canters. After several relegations, they found themselves in Kent 2, the bottom division. Then the big revival began in 1991. Sure and steady progress was achieved in the 90s and would have been even more impressive but for RFU officialdom. Halfway through the 99/00 season, it was decided that there would be no promotion that time as the following season leagues would be organised on a home and away basis rather than larger divisions with once only matches. Canterbury finished top but did not get promoted. How would any club feel with that kick in the teeth? If it happened to us, Trevor wouldn’t have written to The Times, he would have got Laura Trott to raise the matter in Parliament!
Canterbury rectified the situation two seasons later and from there reached the heights of Level 3 for a season. They are now a major force to be reckoned with back in Level 4.
The cathedral city club also boasts a highly successful women’s rugby squad which was founded in 1994, an equally thriving wheelchair section started in 2014, and of course mini and junior sections for all ages to adult.
Our league history with Canterbury has involved ten matches to date, with the last one in 2002 as previously noted. The records show some good news and some bad. We lead 6-4 in terms of wins but the For and Against stats are unprintable due to a couple of right royal stuffings we endured down at Merton Lane. We did upset the form book in that Feb ’02 match winning 13-5, after losing 10-83 earlier in the season!
So the pendulum has swung and we find ourselves together again in what we always knew would be a highly competitive division. Both clubs are striving to be the pride of Rural Kent, so we are sure to witness a competitive afternoon.
Howard Pearl
Other National League 2 East Division matches being played today:
Barnes v Rochford Hundred Blackheath v Guernsey
Dorking v Bury St Edmunds Tonbridge Juddian v North Walsham
Westcliff v Henley Worthing v Old Albanian
Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Canterbury for the first home game at the Paddock this season.
Round 6 of The National League Rugby Review Show will be premiering at 6pm tonight on this link:
https://twitter.com/Natleague_rugby/status/1579850062544670724
Aztech Group, based in Sevenoaks, are a professional arboriculture and forestry contractor covering the Home Counties and London.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "Aztech Group have played a significant role in supporting the club in recent years, we are delighted to be extending the partnership and for all members to continue to be able to benefit from the 15% discount.
Adam Ashworth, Owner of Aztech Group, said: "“It’s a real pleasure to extend our partnership with Sevenoaks Rugby Club. Having sponsored the club for the past few seasons, it has been amazing to see the club go from strength to strength as they work their way up the rugby pyramid. We’re excited to continue our strong relationship with the members at Sevenoaks RFC and also to support the team this season as they take on a new challenge in National 2. Up the Oaks!”
MDM Timber, was established in 1989 as an independent Forest Products Importer and has grown from a "start up" business to today as a major player within the UK Timber industry.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are very pleased to be welcoming MDM Timber to the Sevenoaks Rugby Club family and are incredibly grateful for their support as we continue to grow our playing and support services.
Peter Holmes, Sales Director of MDM Timber said: "We are delighted to be sponsoring the "Mighty Oaks" for the first time and it is a pleasure to play a small part in such a successful and well run community club. We wish Adam his team and all the players throughout the club the very best for the season ahead. COYO!"
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CHS Networks are offering all members of Sevenoaks Rugby club the chance to become Cyber Essentials certified for free when taking up a support contract. Whether self-employed or a 50-user business, this is a universally recognised commitment to a good standard of cyber security for your business.
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Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are delighted CHS Networks have extended the partnership for Season 2022/23. We are incredibly grateful for the significant IT upgrade this summer and the ongoing IT support CHS Networks continue to provide the club.”
Neil Schwemm, Managing Director of CHS Networks, said: "We are really excited to be partnering and supporting the club again this year. We always support our local community as much as we can, and as part of our commitment we hope that the planned upgrades, IT services and facilities we are providing to Sevenoaks Rugby Club will go some way to help in their continued success.”
Sevenoaks Medical Centre, part of KIMS Hospital, offers patients fast and convenient appointments with expert consultants and access to a range of facilities for scans, tests and outpatient treatments all within a short distance from their home.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are delighted Sevenoaks Medical Centre have recommitted for Season 2022/23. Sevenoaks Medical Centre has played a significant role in supporting the club in recent years and we are delighted to be extending the partnership.”
Debbie Anderson, General Manager of Sevenoaks Medical Centre, said: "Sevenoaks Rugby Club is an important community partner for Sevenoaks Medical Centre, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with them for another season. We are looking forward to supporting them and all the players throughout the successful season ahead."
To find out more or book an appointment at Sevenoaks Medical Centre, please call 01732 775 800 or email enquiries@kims.org.uk.
Chris Potter Country Sports, based in Tunbridge Wells, are a leading retailer in shotguns, rifles, airguns, country clothing and accessories.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "Chris Potter Country Sports have played a significant role in supporting the club over the last 5 years, we are delighted to be extending the partnership and for all members to continue to be able to benefit from the 15% discount on all clothing, footwear and accessories."
Charles Harris, Owner of Chris Potter Country Sports, said: "We are delighted to continue to support Sevenoaks Rugby football club. Over the last five years we have seen a great improvement in the development of the players, boys and girls, from 5 years old and upwards. A great community club. Good luck to all the teams for the 2022/23 season."
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are delighted to announce Knocker & Foskett as a key sponsor. Sevenoaks Rugby Club and K&F both sit at the heart of the local community and this partnership allows us both to closely support each other’s businesses. Located on Sevenoaks High Street they have a team of solicitors who are proud to provide a personal, high quality and efficient service to both commercial and personal clients.”
Barry Landa, Practice Manager of Knocker & Foskett, said: " The work Sevenoaks Rugby Club carry out in the Sevenoaks and surrounding community is exceptional. When the opportunity arose for Knocker & Foskett to be sponsors of such a well run club we jumped at the chance. We would like to wish all the teams great success for this and the coming seasons."
Dear Members,
Sevenoaks Rugby Club is delighted to announce a long term partnership with Berkeley.
Berkeley builds homes and neighbourhoods in London, Birmingham and the South of England and are hugely passionate about building quality homes, strengthening local communities and making a positive difference to people's lives.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Berkeley, with their new development Oakhill in Hildenborough soon to be unveiled.
It is an excellent fit and we are really looking forward to working closely together over the next few years."
Yours in rugby,
Sevenoaks Rugby
Henry has completed six epic challenges over the last six months in aid of Meningitis Now - click here to help him hit his target of £5,000 for this worthy cause.
🌊 80-mile, 4-day hike and wild camp in Cornwall
🏴 125km, 2-day Scottish Highlands Ultra-marathon
⛰ 100km, 1-day Ultra-marathon in the Peak District
> Dartmouth Sprint Triathlon in Devon
> 24-hour Ultra-Running Relay at Endure24
🚴🏼♂️ 930 mile Ride Across Britain (Lands End to John O’Groats)
National League Rugby is producing a series of articles designed to explore the different elements which come together to make levels three and four the heartbeat of quality rugby.
In our first article, we highlight why the blend of clubs - from an historic perspective - adds a layer of authenticity and intrigue to National One and Two.
To say the start of the 2022-23 National League Rugby season has ‘exploded into life’ might actually be an understatement.
Teams have flown out of the blocks, produced some dazzling performances and most of all, put on a show for the masses who flock to all corners of the country to absorb rugby at levels three and four.
From Tyndale down to Plymouth Albion, from Preston Grasshoppers across to North Walsham, National League Rugby is already entertaining us and the campaign has barely begun.
What is also noticeable about this year in particular is the concoction of clubs all competing across National One and Two, not just from a geographical point of view, but from an historic perspective.
Teams such as Fylde and Clifton are some of the most established clubs woven into the fabric of National League Rugby. Wharfedale and Stourbridge have been at this level for over two decades whilst many sides have provided the springboard for some of the most successful players in the game.
Arguably though, Blackheath encompass all of these elements. Relegated from National One last term, which ended their 18-year stay in the third tier, they remain one of the cornerstones of National League Rugby and as managing director Russ Ticehurst proudly says, they are the oldest ‘open’ rugby club who were formed in 1858.
He rattles off some notable names who have represented the South-East London side including Fred Stokes, who attended the meeting where the RFU was created, William P Carpmael, the founder, first president and captain of the Barbarians, ex-New Zealand player John Gallagher and Jacquie Edwards - Blackheath Women’s Captain – who played in the Women’s World Cup in 1994.
When professionalism arrived in 1995, Blackheath were a level two side but the loss of financial support and various opportunities meant any newly signed players all departed and the club had to fall back on the safety blanket of the National Leagues.
Since then, Ticehurst has seen it all at ‘Club’. He had two spells as a player, and coached the mini and junior section for eight years before taking on the role of chairman and now managing director.
Striving to be the best has never been lost on one of the most historic clubs in the sport but since the Covid-19 pandemic, the bigger picture and stability has been a major focus of Ticehurst’s and Blackheath’s.
“The post-Covid review made us look at the “risk and reward’ on offer with 1st XV promotion from National One,” says Ticehurst. “We could see the risk but we were struggling to match that up with the reward.
“Every club, and particularly Blackheath, has aspirations and a desire to play rugby at the highest possible level but we must settle where our finances put us for the time being.
“Sadly, we could not avoid relegation last season, but in the meantime, what has come from our decisions is a thriving mini and junior section, girls section, a reinvigorated Women's and Men’s section and we are all looking forward to playing for ‘Club’ this season and beyond.”
That sense of community and growing from within is reinforced time and time again across the National Leagues and newcomers Newport (Salop) can relate to Blackheath when it comes to this mantra.
Despite there being 89 years between the two clubs, they share similar values and are now playing at the same level, albeit in different leagues. This just highlights how diverse and unique the National Leagues truly are.
On their way to promotion in 2021-22, Newport’s squad included 15 players who have played in the club’s junior or Colts’ teams or who are longstanding players. Six of the squad have accumulated 100 games or more for the 1st XV.
During their rise to National Two West, Newport have never veered away from their ethos; ‘Community, Pride, Passion’ and the Shropshire outfit have their pens at the ready to write the latest chapter in their history.
“Everyone is absolutely buzzing”, says chairman Peter Maher. “I always think with a rugby club that the first team sets the tone. We always felt we were part of an important rugby club, but now our name is on the map. We are travelling nationally and it is just brilliant to see us on this stage.
“It is also often being said to me that having a first team playing at National League level would be a diversion from our values. I think it is quite the opposite.
“I think it brings everyone together in the club and brings a focus. It gives people an aspirational target and it is just raising the bar for everybody at the club in terms of performance, and giving us a real identity. We are excited for the journey.”
Maher says Newport is still a growing town of around 15 to 16,000 people. With the rugby club at the heart of its community, many residents will be excited by the adventures which lie ahead this season and that emotional attachment can apply to all 56 teams who have their own stories to tell up and down the land.
Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Dorking for the first home game of the season.
We are playing at Sevenoaks School on Saturday 24 September at 3.00pm.
