Pearl's Corner - 21/04/23

A WARM WELCOME TO WESTCLIFF RFC

It is a comparatively short distance between the rugby clubs of Sevenoaks and Westcliff-on-Sea, and there have been many trips through the tunnel by our junior sides as well as, in recent seasons, senior team pre-season friendly fixtures.  However, this is our first regular season meeting since September 1978.

Founded 101 years ago in 1922, Old Westcliffians RFC provided a strong community-based home for former pupils of Westcliff GS who wanted to continue playing after leaving school.

Similar to many Old Boys clubs, Old Westcliffians went “open” in the early 90s and changed their name to Westcliff.  So, especially as this is probably the initial visit for many involved, we extend a warm welcome to all Westcliff RFC representatives.

They started in the Essex divisions and took a while to progress.  However, the change of name and becoming an “open” club gave lift-off.  Four promotions in seven seasons propelled them up the pyramid to level 6 at the end of 07/08.  Further promotions, combined with the odd relegation, eventually took the club to the elevated heights of the National Leagues in 18/19.  It has been tough going since then and this time round the mountain has been just too high for the men in maroon and orange to climb.

As we all know our own status in Level 4 will be decided this afternoon.  This is no end-of-season final match jamboree.  We have work to do and Westcliff would dearly love a final flourish to end a difficult season on a high note.

There is at least one match-day aspect that both our clubs can be acknowledged to be a cut above the rest.  The word is that the Westcliff President has given some pretty inspiring after-lunch speeches recently.  Our own Pres is pretty damn good at that too, including when eloquently replying to one or two other somewhat rambling orations of recent vintage.  While there is naturally huge interest and concentration on playing matters, both Sevenoaks and Westcliff members are indeed fortunate to have strong  Presidents, Chairmen and full Committees to guide our clubs through turbulent times on and off the pitch.   

Howard Pearl

Other National 2 East Division matches being played today:

Bury St Edmunds v Henley                           Canterbury v North Walsham

Dorking v Blackheath                                  Old Albanian v Guernsey

Rochford Hundred v Tonbridge Juddian       Worthing v Barnes 

Pearl's Corner - 31/03/23

A WARM WELCOME TO NORTH WALSHAM RFC

Ooh…er!  It’s definitely squeaky bum time as we approach the end of this our first season in the National Leagues.  We are in a contest to remain in Level 4 and today we play one of our fellow battlers for what amounts to, borrowing a hackneyed football phrase, a “six-pointer”.  The winner will take a minimum of 4 but probably 5 points and the loser a maximum of 2.      

So we welcome back everyone involved with North Walsham Rugby Club, one of our fellow promoted clubs from last season.  Our opponents will have travelled 150 miles to get here, but they will be used to extended coach journeys as they are the northernmost club in our division.  Knowing what is at stake no doubt the coach party from Norfolk will have set off early to avoid delays en route.  

Nicknamed The Vikings, presumably due to overseas visitors coming ashore many centuries ago, our guests started life as late as 1962 under the guidance of a local headmaster, Ken Marshall and the resident policeman John Mansfield.  The plan was to tickle the interest of the Walsham youth in rugby.  History relates that several families were somewhat daunted by John, in full uniform, knocking on doors on a Friday night asking if any lads were at home.

Starting off on school pitches, presumably courtesy of Ken, the club soon moved to Scottow their present home.  The early fixture lists comprised all the local Norfolk teams and the club thrived.  Pre leagues success was capped in 1984 by lifting both the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Cups.  

The advent of leagues in 87/88 gave The Vikings the impetus to move rapidly skywards, eventually involving 18 consecutive seasons in the National Leagues. That run came to an end in 10/11 and for the next eight terms they oscillated mainly between Levels 5 and 6.  However a stellar, but Covid induced and abbreviated, 19/20 campaign saw the Vikings gallop away with London 1 North.  As we know last season’s scrap for promotion places in London & South East Premier went down to the final weekend with both our clubs prevailing.

After a difficult start to the season the Vikings’ improving form since the New Year, as well as fixtures at home to Rochford Hundred and away at Canterbury after today’s match, has given them a sporting chance of avoiding the drop.  So, both Canterbury and Rochford will be especially interested in our final score this evening.

No matter the score today, we can salute Ben and Sean, our latest Centurion Heroes.  With 100 league appearances each they become the 23rd and 24th Mighty Oaks players to have cracked the ton.  May we continue to enjoy their skills and applaud them both for many more matches to come.      

 Howard Pearl

Other National 2 East matches being played today:

Barnes v  Blackheath                        Bury St Edmunds v Old Albanian

Canterbury v Guernsey                     Dorking v Tonbridge Juddian

Rochford Hundred v Henley              Worthing v Westcliff

Bowman's Blog - 31/03/23

Another double header this weekend at the Paddock. Now their league season is over the 2s play a friendly on Saturday against Old Colfeians while the 1s host North Walsham in a crucial National 2 East match. These two games come on the back of disappointing results in last week’s double header at Henley RFC; where the Seconds lost narrowly despite scoring four tries and the First team were edged out of a losing bonus point by a late Henley try. Both games were very competitive and as is often the case, managing the small details and getting to grips with the match officials interpretation of the laws proved crucial to the results.

Well, three games to go for the Firsts in what has been a real learning experience for the squad this season. We have adapted really well to a very high standard of rugby, having performed competitively, bar a couple of matches, throughout the year. We are now at the business end of the campaign with our destiny in our own hands (cliche alert!), with the squad fired up to tackle the remaining games. It would be a mistake to look ahead to the last game of the season at home to the already relegated Westcliffe and assume five points will be won. Nothing is certain in this league so our focus is entirely on the NW game.

Our visitors sit five points behind us in the table and showed how dangerous they can be when beating us in the corresponding fixture in early December last year. We will need to bring our A game to secure points from this match. We have undoubtedly played better at home than away this season - something we must improve on next year - so we are confident we can apply the intensity and our systems of play to compete effectively with North Walsham. It is also the case results have been better when we keep the penalty count against us down, so our discipline will also be a key factor.

Saturday looks set to be a bit wet for the last games before the Easter break, but what better way to wile alway a Saturday afternoon than supporting the 1s and 2s at the Paddock. As ever your vociferous encouragement is a big help to the boys. We will do our best to bring home the points that would go a long way to securing our survival in National 2 for next season.

COYO
Adam

1st XV v North Walsham RFC match day programme

Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on North Walsham RFC for this crucial game at The Paddock.

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1st XV v Barnes RFC match day programme

Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Barnes RFC for the first time at The Paddock. This is a postponed game from January.

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Bowman's Blog - 17/03/23

This Saturday our First XV welcomes Barnes RFC to the Paddock. This is the rearranged fixture from the game frozen off earlier in the season. It is the only senior men’s match this weekend. 

Last Saturday was a cracker. Sadly the 2s game was called off as Southwark was unable to field a team, but we celebrated wins for the 1s and 3s. A good victory away at Aylesford for the latter but the undoubted highlight was the victory over Guernsey in another close game, this time with Oaks coming out on top. The visitors started the game well and were difficult to shake off, but few (maybe even the begrudging Guernsey DoR😊) would have to admit the better team won on the day.

The boys showed what is required to win at this level. Oaks errors were lower than the previous week and the intensity was there for 80 minutes, against an experienced team who were forced into mistakes. It was a great atmosphere at the Paddock so a big thank you to all our supporters. 

This week we play Barnes, one of the best teams in the league, sitting in third place in the table. We were soundly beaten in the reverse fixture in the autumn, not able to cope defensively with their impressive back line. We will need to be at least as determined and organised as last Saturday to get something from a very good opposition. We know we have the capability so it will be about application and concentration (again).

Five games to go including Barnes and we would be wrong to assume we are out of the relegation woods just because of last week’s win. Although N. Walsham lost, Rocheford earned two valuable points from their draw with Old Albanians. There is still much to play for.

We look forward to seeing you at the Paddock, where the boys will be giving everything.

COYO

Adam

Pearl's Corner - 17/03/23

A WARM WELCOME TO BARNES RFC

Let us give a traditional Mighty Oaks welcome today to another first time visiting team in the imposing form of Barnes RFC.

We do not often entertain a club that began league life at a level lower than ourselves.  While disappointed that we were placed in Level 8 in 1987, the outfit now known as Barnes RFC started in Surrey 3, then a Level 9 division.

Our guests’ beginnings were, like ourselves, in the 1920s but under the name Old Harrodians as this was a part of the sports club for employees of the Harrods department store.  When Mohamed Al-Fayed sold the sports ground and clubhouse for housing development in 1990, the rugby arm found themselves with no ground or clubhouse.  This could have been curtains (excuse the pun) for them, but all the members got stuck in physically and financially.  They found and refurbished an old clubhouse near their training ground and began playing matches at that ground as well.

Now renamed Barnes where they were situated, and drawing from local West London talent, they began moving steadily up the RFU leagues pyramid.  Periodic promotions, and always competitive, by the end of the 2009 season they found themselves in a Level 5 playoff match hosting Bracknell.  An historic win elevated this essentially village club to the giddy heights of Level 4.  That first rarefied atmosphere season was one too far, and relegation pricked their balloon.  However, in a titanic four-way tussle, Barnes immediately prevailed again.  Apart from one blip in 16/17, which was immediately corrected, they have been prominent and powerful opponents at this level ever since.

Ed Alteirac, our 1st XV captain in 10/11 and an 84 appearances veteran, swanned off to Barnes RFC at the end of that season to seek pastures new.  Ed always said he would come back and try for his 100 mark, but I think that time has run out on him by now!  With both clubs in the same division, we wonder where Ed’s allegiance will lie today.    

Our visit to Queen Elizabeth Walk in October was a sobering affair.  However, Adam’s squad have adapted well to this unique level, especially at home. Our experiences since then, together with full vocal support from The Oaks Faithful, will hold us in good stead for today’s rematch.

Howard Pearl

Other National League 2 East Division matches being played today:

Bury St Edmunds v Blackheath                   Henley v North Walsham

Old Albanian v Westcliff                              Rochford Hundred v Dorking

Sevenoaks Rugby Club are delighted to announce a partnership with Wagamama Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks Rugby Club is delighted to announce a partnership with Wagamama Sevenoaks.

Wagamama Sevenoaks serves delicious Asian food inspired by the flavours of Japan; a place of positive eating for positive living.

Sevenoaks Rugby Club Commercial Director Adam Bowman commented: "We are delighted to be partnering with Wagamama Sevenoaks, where our members will be able to benefit from a 20% discount when dining at Wagamama in Sevenoaks on presentation of your membership card.  In addition, for Season 2023/24, we are very pleased that Wagamama Sevenoaks have agreed to be our Senior Squad "Player of the Month" sponsor.

Bowman's Blog - 10/03/23

The three senior fixtures this weekend see the 2s and 3s away at Southwark and Aylesford respectively, whilst the 1s host Guernsey at the Paddock.

Last weekend was disappointing for the Firsts and Seconds. The latter lost a crucial match away to Vigo, and have now played one game more than the two teams above them in the league, and are one point off top spot. Saturday sees their last fixture of the season in Kent 2 Counties league, so for Sevenoaks to be crowned champions they must do the business at bottom of the table Lancers and rely on Dover and Canterbury II to slip up in their two remaining games.

The First XV failed to compete at Old Albanians last weekend and were heavily beaten as a result. It was certainly one of our worst performances of the season and we need to bounce back this week to reach the levels we know we can. 

The season is entering a critical stage with a handful of games remaining. It looks like a shootout to avoid the second relegation place, between us, North Walsham, Rocheford and possibly Canterbury., who have played one more game than the rest. We have some tough fixtures ahead but if we can replicate performances like our recent display in the defeat against Bury, we should accumulate more points. That said we cannot afford to be off the pace as we were last week or also let our opponents sneak past us in those narrow encounters. 

I have said all season it is about concentration and consistency and we have played some great rugby during these last few months: however our defence needs to be better for us to secure points. The boys have put in so much this season, and have learned a great deal at Nat 2 level. There is a real belief we can perform and stay in this league. This must start with the visit of Guernsey on Saturday, a tough team who we shared the points with in the reverse fixture - in an exciting 28 all draw. They are a strong outfit so nothing less than 100% in all areas of the game will suffice.

I am pleased to say four of our last six games are at the Paddock, so our supporters will have a key role to play - as they will when we make the short trip to TJs in April. The lads feel a real lift when the Oaks’ roar goes up. We look forward to hearing it on Saturday 

😊

See you at the Paddock!

Adam 

COYO

Pearl's Corner - 10/03/23

A WARM WELCOME TO GUERNSEY RAIDERS RFC

Another team of Raiders has arrived in Plymouth Drive!  Having been involved in an extremely close encounter with Worthing Raiders seven weeks ago, we now welcome and entertain Guernsey’s version, who will try their luck against our Mighty Oaks. 

There are records of rugby activity in this Channel Island from 1913, but WW1 put everything on hold and it wasn’t until 1928 that the basic formalities to launch Guernsey RFC were completed.  Even then the standard was not particularly high and, of course, the German Occupation in WW2 didn’t help. 

To digress slightly, one particular piece of rugby history was initiated in 1920 by the inaugural match for the Siam Cup between Jersey and Guernsey. The trophy is a large circular rose bowl made from Siamese coinage. It is beautifully decorated in traditional Siamese style, with figures of dancing girls and elephant heads. It is the second oldest rugby trophy to be contested;  only the Calcutta Cup has a longer history.

The Cup was brought to the Channel Islands by Lieut-Colonel C H Forty, an officer based in Siam.  A fellow officer in his regiment was the son of the King of Siam. He was befriended by Forty and his fellow officers, and on eventually becoming King he presented the cup to Forty and his fellow officers as a token of their friendship. Forty donated the cup to the islands to be played for annually between Victoria College in Jersey and Elizabeth College in Guernsey. When rugby was no longer played by the two colleges it was decided that the cup should be contested between the two island rugby clubs each season; thus began the annual 'battle' for the Siam Cup.

During the German occupation of the Channel Islands in the Second World War, the Germans wanted the Siam Cup to be sent to their homeland for melting down and then used as funds to support the Third Reich. Strangely enough the cup 'disappeared' and was not rediscovered until after the end of the occupation. To this day, there is no record of the whereabouts of the cup during that period.

By the 1970s the trophy started to deteriorate from age and a replica was commissioned. The original was handed to the RFU in 1977 where it is displayed in the World Rugby Museum at Twickenham.

When the Jersey Reds turned professional the contest became uneven against the Guernsey semi-amateur side.  So now only professionals who have lived in Jersey for more than three years are allowed to play.  I may be wrong (again!) but it looks as though Jersey are the present holders thanks to a 14-13 win at the last encounter.  

Going back to the progress made by The Raiders in more recent times, with transport between the island and the mainland becoming easier more clubs were making the trip.  The Raiders started their League life in 1987 down at Level 9 in the Hampshire leagues.  Since then a steady upward progression saw them scale the heights of promotion to Level 4 at the end of the 2017/18 season.  Sadly for them, but fortunately for us, they suffered relegation straight away, which meant we met up for the first time in the Covid abridged 2019/20 season.  Promotion back to Level 4 was gained through their results up to the cessation of matches in March ’20. We followed them up last season to renew our rivalry this time round.

We had an exciting see-saw match in November finishing up at 28-28 thanks to a Jonny Short special with the match’s final play. Both sides are looking to preserve their Level 4 status as we approach the later stages of the season, so competition will be sharp and the win points an invaluable prize to gain today.         

Howard Pearl

Other National 2 East matches being played today:

Barnes v Westcliff                                    Blackheath v Tonbridge Juddian

Canterbury v Bury St Edmunds                 Dorking v Henley                       

Rochford Hundred v   Old Albanian           Worthing v North Walsham         

1st XV v Guernsey Match day programme

Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Guernsey Raiders once again at The Paddock.

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Hiring - Community Rugby Coach / Player

Sevenoaks Rugby Club – Community Rugby Coach/Player

Role:

Community Rugby Coach/Player

Overall purpose:

Sevenoaks Rugby Club is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated rugby professional to lead our Community Rugby Programme, as well as playing rugby for our Senior Performance Squad for the 2023-24 rugby season.

Reporting directly into Adam Bowman, Director of Rugby, this role will be responsible for -

·      Delivering high quality rugby coaching to primary & secondary schools in the Sevenoaks District, both in PE lessons & after school clubs.

·      Coaching a variety of enjoyable tag, touch, contact rugby sessions.

·      Building and managing key relationships with local primary & secondary school decision makers in the Sevenoaks District.

·      Delivering community holiday camps & festivals during school holidays.

·      Training & playing week in week out for the Senior Performance Squad.

We are looking for the successful applicant to start from August.

Essentials skills and experience:

England Rugby Coaching Award RFU Level 2 qualification, or working towards this.

Experience of coaching rugby to a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, and ability levels

Currently playing Adult Men’s Rugby, preferably with experience playing at Level 5 and above.

Enthusiasm and passion for developing rugby and individuals.

Ability to work to a flexible schedule.

Strong marketing and communication skills to support business development.

Driving License.

Must hold a UK/EU Passport or Ancestry Visa.

Working Hours & Pay

Pay – competitive and will be discussed at interview.

Accommodation opportunities available.

Community Coaching – Monday to Fridays during term time, c.9am-5pm.

Playing – Tuesday & Thursday evenings, Saturdays.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please get in touch with Director of Rugby - Adam Bowman.  Email - coachajbowman@gmail.com

Annual Partners Dinner - Season 2022/23

On Wednesday night we welcomed our sponsors & partners to our Annual Partners Dinner for season 2022/23.

A wonderful relaxed evening at the club, great food, plenty of rugby chat, and a great opportunity for us as a club to say thank you for your incredible support!

Thank you to all our sponsors & partners!

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Pearl's Corner - 25/02/23

A WARM WELCOME TO BURY ST EDMUNDS RFC

Second XV matches generate an affinity between clubs, even though the respective First XVs do not compete against each other. Up to now, this has been the case with regard to contact between ourselves and Bury St Edmunds RFC.  Our Twos have travelled the distance to north Suffolk on several occasions and enjoyed some cracking games at that level.  On the other hand, as far as I can figure out, until now the Suffolk contingent has not ventured south to us.  So today we are delighted to welcome Bury’s first team to Knole Paddock for the first time.   

Our two clubs enjoy the same inauguration year of 1925 so, if we are contesting in the same division in three years’ time, we’ll have a couple of good parties.

Culford School, situated about four miles north of the town, was the central point for senior rugby for Bury’s formative years until the move to their present Southgate Street home in 1963, by which time four sides were sent out every Saturday.

Then tragedy struck in 1974.  On their return flight from Paris after attending the 5 Nations international, seventeen of the club’s 1st XV were killed in the then world’s biggest ever commercial airline disaster.  As one would expect, it took both the rugby club and the town itself a number of years to recover.  However building on the community spirit following such a catastrophe, and thanks to the hard work and dedication of its members, a larger new clubhouse was built and then extended in the late 1980s which allowed everyone involved to move forward with optimism.

Mini and youth rugby were introduced and, of course, leagues rugby began in 1987.  The fruits of this new mini and youth structure began to be seen ten or so years later. Bury’s first promotion was achieved in 2001, the Suffolk Cup was won five times in ten years from 2004, and four further promotions were forthcoming, resulting in National League rugby in 2015.  They have been a major force in Level 4 ever since.

Our away match earlier this season was a tight game played on a lovely sunny October afternoon.  The Bury crowd proved to be the extra man as they ran out 29-24 winners.  We can’t guarantee a sunny day in the Garden of England today, but we are certain our followers will give The Oaks the same lift as the home support did four months ago.  Another intriguing tussle is anticipated.              

Howard Pearl

Other London & South East Premier Division matches being played today:

Barnes v Tonbridge Juddian                     Blackheath v Henley

Dorking v Old Albanian                             Rochford Hundred v Canterbury

Westcliff v North Walsham                        Worthing v Guernsey

1st XV v Bury St. Edmunds Match day programme

Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Bury Rugby for the first time at The Paddock.

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Hiring - Academy Girls Head Coach

Sevenoaks Rugby Club – Academy Girls Squad

Role:

Academy Girls Head Coach

Overall purpose:

Sevenoaks Rugby Club is seeking to appoint an Academy Girls Head Coach for the 2023-24 rugby season. The successful applicant will play a significant leadership role in taking our Academy Girls Rugby offering to the next level.

We are looking for the successful applicant to start between now and the summer, with training being held at the club on 1x evening a week and training and/or matches on Sunday’s.

This role will report into Alex Rolfe (Head of Academy Rugby), as well as working closely with Adam Bowman (Director of Rugby).

Context:

The Academy Girls Squad consists of u16 & u18’s RFU age bandings, and our objective is to create an environment which is enjoyable, professional, develops players on and off the pitch in preparation for adult & university life, is successful on the pitch, and produces players in the future for Senior Women’s rugby at Sevenoaks Rugby Club.

Essential skills, experience & responsibilities:

·      Minimum 5+ years hands on coaching experience either with Youth, Academy or Adult rugby teams.

·      Extensive knowledge of the game and best in class coaching practices

·      Session design & management

·      Managing and leading other specialist coaches in a team

·      Relevant coaching/teaching qualifications

·      Played/still plays rugby at a high level

·      Able to demonstrate innovation in coaching

·      Fit enough to run active and intense training sessions

·      Excellent planning and organisation skills

·      First class communicator who can design and articulate a rugby vision to players

·      Excellent motivator who can inspire and empathise with all rugby players and understand the different challenges and development phases they face and are going through

·      Responsible for driving content to the clubs existing social media teams and other forms of stakeholder engagement.

·      Must buy into the One Club ethos completely

Remuneration is available for this position and will be discussed at interview stage.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please get in touch with Director of Rugby - Adam Bowman.  Email - coachajbowman@gmail.com

Hiring - Casual Clubhouse Staff

Sevenoaks Rugby Club

Role: Casual Clubhouse Staff

Overall purpose:

We are looking for Casual Clubhouse Staff who wish to become a key part of the Clubhouse team.

Responsibilities

Bar

• Serving customers both on the inside & outside bar.

• Ensure products and fridges are fully stocked

• Collecting and washing glasses

Catering

• Basic food preparartion

• Serving food to tables

• Cooking & serving BBQ food during 1st XV matches

• Washing Up

Other

• Selling rugby clothing from our on site club shop

• Helping to maintain high standards of cleanliness

• Setting up and clear down clubhouse events

Experience & Skills

• An enthusiastic individual who is willing to learn

• Helpful and friendly

• Customer focused with a positive attitude

• Strong communicator

Remuneration is available for this position and will be discussed at interview stage.

If you are interested in becoming a key part of the Clubhouse team please get in touch with our Clubhouse Manager – Donna Baker. Email – srfc.clubhouse@gmail.com

Bowman's Blog - 27/01/23

After being frozen out last weekend, we have three matches on Saturday, with two being played at the Paddock. The First XV welcome Rochford Hundred and the Third XV play Canterbury, whilst the Second XV travel to Canterbury for their match. These fixtures come after mixed fortunes for our sides last time out. The 2s delivered a great result against Westcombe Park 2s to open up a four point gap at the top of the Counties 2 Kent league whilst the 1s suffered a painful defeat away to an impressive Dorking team. It was a horrible feeling to be “nilled” and the coaching staff and players were hurting after the Dorking game. It was a reminder, if one was needed, that in National 2 East nothing short of 100% intensity is required to get something out of a game.

During training over the last two weeks we have reminded ourselves how well we have competed this season so far: securing points with good wins and when suffering narrow defeats. There is real belief amongst the squad that we can return to delivering competitive performances and build momentum for the rest of the season.

The visit of Rochford will see us facing an opponent we know from our London and SE days. Back then and in the Nat 2 fixture earlier in the season we faced a strong opposition who play a forward dominated game, with backs who can take their chances. The boys are aware they need to step up their intensity this weekend, knowing that anything less will result in defeat. Rochford sits one place and two points ahead of us in the league. We know securing points against teams around us in the table this season will be vital. We are 12th place in the league but there is a lot of rugby still to play. 

Every match this season is critical, so it is vital we maintain our “Fortress Paddock” mentality in particular, making it an uncomfortable place to visit for any opponent. As I have said before, the noisy support we receive at home really spurs the boys on; as witnessed in the excellent second half performance against Worthing three weeks ago.

We look forward to seeing you cheering on the 1s and 3s at home and I promise we will be giving everything to deliver a strong performance. Thanks in advance.

Pearl's Corner - 27/01/23

A WARM WELCOME TO ROCHFORD HUNDRED RFC

Almost three years ago I prepared a welcome note to today’s opponents.  The first paragraph read as follows: “The ecstasy of promotion brings further benefits the following season including making new friends with clubs we haven’t played before.   Our elevation to Level 5 has brought us into contact with no less than five new clubs, and today is one of these five “first times” we have the pleasure of hosting new visitors.  So let us give the warmest of Knole Paddock welcomes to everyone associated with Rochford Hundred Rugby Club.”

Thanks to the Covid pandemic, that match was never played. Now, here we are trying again, with both clubs having been promoted to Level 4 in the meantime, so we can finally reciprocate the hospitality that Rochford have twice already extended to us.  

Rochford Hundred began life in 1962 as an embryonic idea mooted by two friends, and supported by a small loyal band of volunteers, to spread the rugby gospel among their local community.  An immediate piece of good fortune appeared in the form of a nearby school, including pitched and changing rooms, which had just been closed due to its proximity to Southend Airport. 

Players were recruited locally and the name Rochford Hundred emanated from the title of the area in which the club was situated.  The word “Hundred” is an old English name for the division of lands for administrative, military and judicial purposes.  

Their first full season was 1962/63 when they turned out two sides and a Colts XV.  However, for those old enough to remember, this was a freezing winter when snow covered all pitches from Boxing Day until the beginning of March.

Rochford’s star began to rise slowly but surely. In 1968 they purchased their own ground in Magnolia Road for just £3,200 and six years later Dickie Jeeps opened their clubhouse which itself had cost just £11,500.  Mr Jeeps certainly got around a bit in those days;  we noted earlier this month he also opened the new Worthing clubhouse in 1977!  Further expansions and improvements have followed. The present structure is a thriving rugby venue and a hub for the local community, as in the dreams of those who started the enterprise sixty years ago.

Over the last few years Rochford’s playing record has been remarkable.  They secured successive promotions in ‘17/18 and ‘18/19 both with 100% records and, as we know, they prevailed again in the abridged Covid season of ‘19/20.

Our away match against them this season was nip and tuck all the way with the hosts eventually winning 24-19. However, especially on home soil with the balcony roar spurring them on, The Oaks are strong opponents against any side.  We look forward to a combative sporting contest this afternoon between two teams intent on cementing their status in the National Leagues.               

Howard Pearl

Other London & South East Premier Division matches being played today:

Barnes v North Walsham                Blackheath v Old Albanian

Dorking v Canterbury                     Tonbridge Juddian v Henley

Westcliff v Guernsey                      Worthing v Bury St Edmunds

1st XV v Rochford Hundred RFC Match day programme

Thanks as ever to Gerry Diebel of Direct Design for pulling together the match day programme as we take on Rochford Hundred RFC for the first time at The Paddock.

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