Thank You For Your Support On Saturday!

What a weekend!

Saturday was one of those days that reminds everyone what this club is all about. With 180 people enjoying lunch, a packed paddock, and incredible support ringing out from the sidelines, the atmosphere was something special. It was fantastic to see the touchlines so busy, filled with past players, loyal supporters, members, and sponsors all coming together.

The energy off the pitch clearly carried onto it. The noise and encouragement made a real difference, helping drive an impressive performance from the Men’s 1st XV. A huge thank you goes to Vine Meats for sponsoring the match day, and to our sponsors Birketts and The Rock Inn for being there to share in the occasion.

Director of Rugby, Adam Bowman, has shared the following “Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday - past players, members, supporters, and sponsors. It was brilliant to see so many at the lunch, with players and members from different eras coming together - the atmosphere was fantastic. Thank you for answering my rallying call at lunch and for bringing such incredible noise and support to turn The Paddock into a fortress. The energy made a real difference to the players out on the pitch - they felt it, and it showed in the performance. We’d love to see as many of you as possible back for our remaining home games. Up the Oaks”

Don’t forget to book onto our upcoming lunches and events, or donate to the Centenary Fund below:

Ladies Day - 21st February

St Patrick’s Day - 14th March

City Lunch - 16th April

Golf Day - 24th June

Centenary Fund Donations

Former Sevenoaks RFC Captains

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Kenny Lee & Max Skinner✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Nick & Susie Thompson proud sponsors of Kenny Lee and Max Skinner for the 2025/26 season!

A huge thank you to Nick and Susie for their generosity in supporting Kenny and Max this season. We are incredibly grateful for everything they do for our players and for the club. Thank you!

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

Enhancing Employment Across The Sevenoaks District

We are hosting a free workshop on 27th February 2026 in The Clubhouse, titled "Enhancing Employment Across the Sevenoaks District". The session is delivered by Runway Training and will focus on learning disability, autism, neurodiversity and mental wellbeing awareness.

This workshop will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to effectively support disabled and neurodiverse people in working, coaching, and sporting environments. You will learn how to create supportive, positive spaces for staff and customers through flexible practices and improved communications.

To book your space at this free workshop, or to find out more information, please email: LesleyBlackband@runwaytraining.co.uk

Join Us: Academy Boys Lead Coach

Sevenoaks Rugby Club is seeking an Academy Boys Lead Coach for the 2026-27 rugby season.

The successful applicant will join us during the summer of 2026 as part of our wider academy coaching team, contributing significantly to the delivery of our Academy Boys Programme, which includes training one evening a week and training/matches on Sundays and other times as required to deliver the role.

The Academy Boys Lead Coach will have responsibility for leading a specific area of the game (Attack, Defence, Backs, Forwards) within the Academy Boys Programme, with ownership of planning, delivery and review within that remit. The Academy Boys Lead Coach will report directly to Howard Packman, Academy Boys Head Coach.

Click here to read the full job description.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact:
Adam Bowman, Director of Rugby on coachajbowman@gmail.com

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Emma Bowman & Finn Smith✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Charles Harris & Peter Johnston proud sponsors of Emma Bowman & Finn Smith for the 2025/26 season!

We would like to say thank you very much to Charles and Peter for their generosity in supporting Emma and Finn this season.

We truly appreciate their support and everything they do to help support our players, and the club!

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

Date Update: City Lunch 2026

Join Us for Our 2026 Centenary City Lunch! - Updated Date

Celebrate this special milestone year with us at our second Centenary City Lunch on Thursday 16th April 2026, at Smith and Wollensky.

Enjoy an afternoon of exceptional dining, conversation, and celebration as we come together once again to honour the history and future of our club. Please keep your eyes peeled for additional announcements regarding guest speakers!

There are only 15 tables available so we encourage members, sponsors, and partners to secure their table of 10 as soon as possible. You can book your seats via our website or by emailing srfc.operations@gmail.com to confirm your booking.

We will be holding a raffle on the day so if you, your business, or someone you know would be interested in contributing any donations and prizes for our auction, please get in contact using the email below.

Don't miss out - book your table of 10 now!

Book here: Centenary City Lunch 2026 — Sevenoaks Rugby

For all enquiries: srfc.operations@gmail.com

February Half Term Holiday Camps

💫February Half Term Holiday Camps💫

Our Mighty Oaks Multi-Sport Holiday Camps are back this February half term, and have something for everyone⚽️🏀🏈⚾️🏉🎾

Our experienced coaches deliver a fun-filled programme packed with a variety of activities - from rugby golf & tennis to football, cricket, musical chairs, and other exciting team games.

We hope you can join us for what promises to be another fantastic Holiday Camp.

FEBRUARY HALF TERM SPECIAL - 4 DAYS FOR JUST £125 - Book here to secure your space!

🗓️Camp Dates:

Monday 16th February - Thursday 19th February

⏰Need Flexibility?

We offer early-drop-off and late pick-up options for every day of the holiday camps

📍Where?

Holiday camps are held at Sevenoaks RFC, TN13 3RP

👦🧒Who can attend?

Our holiday camps are open to U7’s-U14’s boys and girls (Year 2 to Year 9). We also welcome non Sevenoaks RFC members including those who may play at a different club.

START YOUR YEAR HEALTHY: Get Your Blood Pressure Checked this Sunday in The Clubhouse

🏉 This Sunday at Sevenoaks Rugby Club 🩺

Sevenoaks Medical Centre will be visiting The Clubhouse on Sunday 25th January to offer FREE blood pressure checks for members between 8.30am – 1pm.

Start the new year in a healthy, proactive way by finding out your blood pressure. Know your numbers.

The team will also be introducing their new family GP service, self-referral mammograms and MRI scans, plus an exclusive 20% off health checks for Sevenoaks Rugby Club members.

Pop along to say hello and get your free BP check while you’re at the club.

The Counselling Studio Joins The SRFC Family!

Sevenoaks RFC is delighted to announce The Counselling Studio as the latest partner to join the Sevenoaks RFC family.

The Counselling Studio provides professional counselling and wellbeing support, offering a safe, confidential space for individuals to explore challenges, build resilience, and strengthen their mental and emotional wellbeing. Their work closely aligns with Sevenoaks RFC’s commitment to supporting the whole person, both on and off the pitch.

Adam Bowman, Commercial Director at Sevenoaks RFC, commented:

“We’re delighted to welcome The Counselling Studio into the Sevenoaks RFC family. Wellbeing and mental health are increasingly important across our club community, and through this partnership our players, members, families and staff will be able to access professional wellbeing support both on and off the pitch.”

The Counselling Studio added:

“We are proud to be partnering with Sevenoaks RFC and look forward to supporting the wellbeing of players, members and their families.
Life can bring moments of pressure, challenge and transition, much like on the pitch. At The Counselling Studio we offer a calm, confidential space to pause, reflect and explore what’s needed to move forward with greater clarity and balance.”

Sevenoaks RFC would like to thank The Counselling Studio for their support and looks forward to developing a strong, long-term partnership together.

Rest In Peace Jonty Williams

In memory of Jonty Williams

Jonty Williams suddenly died on Tuesday 6th January aged 61. Son of Keith Williams ‘Cappo’ (a true legend of SRFC who led an unbeaten side in the 60s.) Jonty and older brother Richard kicked a ball on the touchline as young children and used to charge around the old Clubhouse! Jonty played for Albie’s Army in the 80s. He often would pop down and watch the 1st XV.

He was well known at the club and well loved. Rest in peace.

Rest in Peace Mike Gibbons

In Memory of Mike Gibbons

Mike was a hugely enthusiastic and much-loved member of Sevenoaks Rugby Club over many years.

A familiar and welcome sight around the club, he was often found on the touchlines on match days, programme in hand, encouraging supporters to part with a small donation for the good of the club. Armed with a wonderfully dry sense of humour and a mischievous ability to persuade, Mike was remarkably effective and always entertaining.

More than the programmes, it was his presence that mattered. Mike embodied the spirit of the club: generous with his time, committed to its success, and always ready with a wry comment or knowing smile.

He will be sorely missed — not only by his family, but by so many people.

Rest in peace, Gibbo.

Remembering Phil Selwood

Phil Selwood

We are deeply saddened to share the news that Phil Selwood, long-time member of Sevenoaks Rugby Club, passed away on 6th December 2025.

Phil was a big part of the Sevenoaks community and particularly the SRFC community over the years. Starting at the Club when he was just 5, he rose to become a key player in the Academy, then under the leadership of Larry Coleman, before progressing into senior rugby until he moved out of the area. Phil will also be well-known to many members and their families for helping Bat & Ball Sports in the Club Shop, where he was always a warm and familiar face, with a great sense of humour.

Phil (know by some as Woody) went to Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys.

He went on to work on the RNLI lifeboat at Portishead and more recently for the Bristol Ambulance Service, as an Emergency First Responder. He is pictured receiving his RNLI service award.

He will be truly missed by all who knew him.

Phil’s funeral will be at the Tunbridge Wells Crematorium at 13.00 on Tuesday 13 January, with a celebration of Phil’s life at the Club afterwards.

Christmas Carols 2025 🎶🎄

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a truly special, Christmassy evening in the clubhouse🎅☃️

From the carols to the festive cheer, it was wonderful to celebrate together🥂❄️

We hope you all had a fantastic evening✨

🚨✨Player Sponsor Spotlight - Ben Adams✨🚨

For this week’s Player Sponsor Spotlight, we are excited to introduce Aztech proud sponsor of Ben Adams for the 2025/26 season!

Aztech Group South East Ltd are professional tree experts proudly based in Sevenoaks, Kent, serving the Home Counties and London. Founded in 2010, Aztech has grown into a trusted name across Arboriculture (tree surgery), Forestry, Consultancy and Horticulture, delivering high-quality solutions for both rural and urban outdoor spaces.
With a strong reputation built on expertise, professionalism and attention to detail, Aztech is proud to support Sevenoaks Rugby Club, sharing the club’s values of teamwork, commitment and community. As a local business backing a local club, Aztech is delighted to play a part in supporting players on and off the pitch.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club members also benefit from an exclusive 15% discount on Aztech's services.

Stay tuned for more of our Player Sponsor Spotlight Series, and be sure to contact Aztech Group the next time you need a tree expert!

#ad #promotion #sponsorship

Mid Season Update From Co-Chairman Nick Thompson

Dear Sevenoaks RFC members

With this coming weekend seeing the final fixtures of the first half of our centenary season and the final ones of 2025 it feels a good time to reflect on what we’ve achieved as a club, what we are working on and what we can look forward to.

Our flagship senior XVs have had a very encouraging first half of the season. The men’s 1st XV under the expert guidance of the Director of Rugby Adam Bowman and his talented coaching team have found some real form in the last month of National League 2 fixtures leaving us 11th in the table with a mouthwatering home game to come on Saturday against Canterbury. Home grown talent Ben Adams sits proudly at the top of the National League scoring charts and recent academy graduate Jacob Ivell is our leading try scorer. Our women’s 1st XV promoted into NC2 South East had an excellent win against Beccehamians on Sunday pushing them up to 3rd in the league, under the guidance of Grant Scandling and Kelly Downey they continue to go from strength to strength.

The men’s senior squad continue to have unequalled numbers at training every week, regularly topping over 60. Our 2nd XV sit just below the promotion places at level 7 competing almost exclusively against other Kent 1st XVs. The 3rd XV sit second in their Kent League again competing against many 1st and 2nd XVs.

The women’s 2nds are competing in their RFU Inner Warrior League (for new starters to the game) for the first time and are proving to be very competitive again backed by record numbers at weekly training.

The academy, under new head coach Howard Packman and manager Mark Reay, are really finding their feet under this new leadership, training on Wednesdays and Sundays, regularly seeing 60+ attending with this number expected to be significantly higher in the New Year as school rugby drops off and the Kent academy league really gets into full flow. I’m personally really looking forward to seeing this group develop and eventually step up to our senior squads helping us to continue our stated aim and to maintain our current situation of having at least 50% of our senior squads coming up through the academy.

Finally on the playing front this Sunday sees the last training and matches of 2025 for our mini and juniors, who along with their volunteer coaches and managers etc are the life blood of Sevenoaks RFC. They continue to come through our pathway to represent our senior men’s and women’s teams imbued by their coaches and managers with that unique Sevenoaks rugby spirit and camaraderie that allows us to keep achieving outstanding results and producing outstanding women and men.

Off the field your committee are working very hard to make sure we are providing the best possible rugby experience for our members in a financially challenging environment. We are actively working with Sevenoaks Town Council (our landlords) to improve the standards of our pitches at the Paddock both in the short and long term, seeking grant funding from the RFU to be able to better drain and seed all of our pitches. We expect the council to upgrade and replace the floodlights on the cabbage patch in the new year and are actively participating in the STC local plan to ensure local sports facilities are included, upgraded or funding is provided via section 106 of the community infrastructure levy. We recently announced that in conjunction with our sponsor Fusion for Business we have secured a new energy provider from 2026 that will save us £10k a year against our current budget and is secured for three years. Great news and a meaningful contribution to the clubs financial bottom line.

We are striving to prioritise our rugby provision, pitches, facilities and overall member experience, however this all comes at an ever increasing cost. As an example, are you aware the cost of providing pitches for training and playing across the whole club has increased from c£25k 5 years ago to c£65k last season. We have seen a similar increase in the cost of our medical provision (which we see as an essential). We need everyone’s help if we are to continue to maintain and hopefully improve on what we deliver for our players from minis to seniors and to our wider membership. 

You can help in many ways by supporting the initiatives and events we are promoting. If you’ve been around the club over the last few weeks you will have seen the great work Steve Brook is doing reinvigorating and promoting our club Lotto (https://sevenoaksrugby.com/lottery). You may also have seen the Centenary Fund Tree on the wall of the clubhouse, the aim of the fund to make sure we can continue to fund our 4G training pitches, our medical team and our community rugby and coach development programmes. We have currently raised around £40k and need to reach at least £75k to maintain our current programmes and more if we want to improve on them (https://sevenoaksrugby.com/centenary-fund).

Please do support our events, we had over 300 at our fabulous Centenary Ball in September, this Saturday's Xmas lunch is set to be a 150 person sell out with carols to follow post game. In the second half of the season we have our former players centenary lunch (https://sevenoaksrugby.com/1st-xv-vs-london-welsh) , following last years successes we will go again with our city lunch (https://sevenoaksrugby.com/centenary-city-lunch-2026) , golf day (https://sevenoaksrugby.com/centenary-golf-day-2026) and a new addition to the calendar a clay shoot day. The more these events are supported, the more fun we have and you are helping the club provide the best possible rugby experience we can.

Most of all, I hope you will come down to the Paddock on Saturdays and Sundays, support our senior, junior and mini, men, women, girls and boys in their endeavours and enjoy the rugby and camaraderie that only a community rugby club like ours can produce.

For those that can’t make it to the Paddock this Saturday or Sunday, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. To the rest of you I look forward to seeing you for one final weekend of 2025 down at the Paddock in fine voice and festive spirit

COYO

Nick Thompson

Christmas Carols - THIS SATURDAY

Join us this Saturday for our annual Christmas Carols in The Clubhouse!🎄

Christmas Carols are happening this Saturday, and we hope to see everyone at the club for what promises to be a fantastic day 🥂

Festivities will kick off with the pre-match lunch, ahead of the Men's 1XV & 3XV games against Canterbury and Rye. After the match, be sure to join us in The Clubhouse as the celebrations continue with the Christmas Carols which will be starting between 17:00 - 17:30❄️☃️

There will be something for everyone to enjoy:

• A brass band leading us in all your favourite Christmas Carols 🎷

• A special visit from Santa and his crew 🎅

• Mince pies and festive fun for all members (from U5’s to the acorns - we hope everyone can join us!) 💙💛

Another Successful Business Breakfast!

Last Friday, we were delighted to host our latest Business Breakfast!

We were joined by guest speakers Georgina Burnett and Alix Carnegie from The Decluttering Crew, who delivered an engaging and practical presentation focused on how our working environments can directly influence productivity, efficiency and overall success.

Georgina and Alix shared a range of useful, easy-to-implement tips designed to help reduce distractions and inefficiency while creating a more positive and productive workspace. From the benefits of SAD lamps and the impact of plants, to the often-overlooked influence of wall colours on mood and focus, their advice offered something for everyone - whether working from home or in a shared office environment.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Georgina and Alix for sharing their expertise, and to everyone who attended and contributed to such a positive and engaging morning. We hope everyone found the session helpful and inspiring.

We look forward to welcoming you to our next Business Breakfast in 2026 - more details to follow soon.

Internal First Aid Training: Putting Player Safety First

Last week, we were delighted to host an internal first aid training session at the club, led by Dr Rob and Imo (paramedic). The session formed part of our ongoing commitment to CPD and, most importantly, player welfare and safety across all sections of the club.

18 players from our Women’s squad and 10 mini and youth coaches were in attendance. The session provided practical, hands-on learning, reinforcing key first aid principles and building confidence in responding to incidents on and off the pitch.

A huge thank you to Dr Rob and Imo for delivering such an engaging and informative session - we look forward to running more sessions like this in the future!

Parking At The Paddock This Weekend!

A quick heads-up for everyone visiting The Paddock this weekend: due to ongoing maintenance works in the car park, parking will be very limited. Please do walk to the club… or car share if possible!

See you for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of Mighty Oaks Rugby!

Sevenoaks RFC Secures £30,000 Energy Savings Through Partnership with Fusion for Business

Sevenoaks Rugby Football Club is pleased to share some excellent news with our members and wider community. Through our partnership with Fusion for Business (FFB), we have successfully finalised a new gas and electricity agreement that will deliver substantial financial savings for the club.

Working closely with the team at FFB, we have secured improved energy rates that will save the club £10,000 per year over the next three years - a total saving of £30,000.

This agreement directly supports our ambition to operate the club as efficiently and sustainably as possible, ensuring we can continue to prioritise our rugby provision, our pitches and facilities, and the overall member experience.

Fusion for Business joined the SRFC family earlier this season, and their support has already made a significant impact. Their expertise and commitment to helping grassroots sports organisations manage energy more effectively have been instrumental in achieving this outcome.

These savings represent a meaningful contribution to the club’s financial resilience and form part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen our operational foundations.

Strengthening the long-term sustainability of Sevenoaks RFC.