Welcome to East Grinstead Rugby Round Up. If you are reading this on the website, or via Facebook, please sign up to receive this Newsletter via email, which contains loads of pictures and other content, please email m.marriott@btconnect.com and we will add you to the list.

MENS RUGBY
MASSIVE NEWS TO ANNOUNCE
We are delighted to let you all know that our 1XV have been promoted to Counties 1 - Surrey & Sussex. This is level 7 in the RFU pyramid. Next season is going to be awesome!!

More news to follow!

WOMENS SEASON REVIEW
The 2022/23 season was a stellar success for the women’s team as they won their league and secured a promotion to NC2!

The previous season had seen the women finish 4th in the league after a tough second half to the season. With the 2021/22 campaign being their first year in the league for 10 years, this was a respectable placing for the team, however this season, they were determined to achieve more and that’s exactly what they did!

Throughout the season, the women produced some excellent results, winning 8 out of 10 matches, earning them a 5-point lead at the top of the table. Such results were a testament to the determination and resilience of the team as many of the matches were played with low squad numbers with most players often playing the full 80 minutes. Nevertheless, the strong bonds and culture within the squad ensured heads were always kept high and level when matches got tough.

Within the league, the women not only came top but also produced some impressive statistics! Scoring a total of 300 points across 9 games, they were the top points scorers both at home and away and also conceded the fewest points at home. Furthermore, they also had the longest winning streak (5 games), with their biggest winning margin being a stonking 58 points.

The team are incredibly pleased to be promoted to NC2 South East South, with the hope of attracting more players and being tested in their abilities. This promotion will also see less travelling for the squad as they face more local teams, including Crawley, Seaford, Worthing and Hove. Excitingly, the league will also see the women fly to Jersey for one of their fixtures!

Aside from the league, the season also saw 4 of the women trial for the Sussex team with 2 women successfully making the squad. Anika Kraus and Amy Muggeridge have had a very successful season and the team are so proud of them both. So far Anika Kraus has started two games for Sussex and the team has one fixture remaining this Sunday.

JUNIOR RUGBY
Our Junior season has been spectacular. I’m sure all of us would join me in thanking Steve Floodgate for chairing this section so brilliantly. Steve has written this lovely season review. Thanks again Steve.

It was great to see the club busy again when we returned at the start of the 2022/23 season, with a mix new and existing smiling faces and, during the first half of the season, although there were very few festivals available, all eligible age groups were able to take part in some of these. At the end of September, many of our junior section players participated in the local Lidl Mudder event courtesy of Lidl Mudder, one of our sponsors, who provided us with several free participant and spectator tickets. Everyone who took part had a great time and enjoyed getting thoroughly muddy.

Either side of the Christmas/New Year break, the weather pretty much threw everything at us with torrential rain followed by freezing temperatures meaning we lost a few rugby days before things improved toward the end of January – the joy of playing a winter sport!
On 11th February the juniors provided mascots and ball boys/girls for our home game against Eastbourne and all were treated to a fantastic game (and a win for ourselves). Throughout the second half of the season, we participated in increasing numbers of age grade festivals hosted by other Sussex clubs. On 25th March, teams from our U8 and U9 squads took part in the St Patrick’s Day Festival at London Irish and then stayed to watch the game – a great day out that was enjoyed by all.

The 26th of March saw us competing in the Sussex Festivals, with each age group participating at different clubs throughout Sussex. This saw our U7s take part in their first tag festival which they thoroughly enjoyed. I’m also delighted to confirm that I have successfully managed to secure the U9 Sussex Festival for the 2023/24 season which will now be held at EGRFC. The run up to the end of the season, and the flurry of festivals that followed, saw most age groups away from the club most Sundays with all eligible age groups being away at Uckfield’s festival – experiencing some truly horrific rainfall and conditions reminiscent of the Lidl Mudder event – while the Sunshine 7s tournament was taking place at the club.

We continue to maintain and build on our involvement with local primary schools and had organised a Girls Primary Tag festival for girls in years 5 & 6. This was due to take place on 24th March but unfortunately had to be cancelled after several schools pulled out due to the rain – this was especially frustrating as our pitches were still playable! On 21st April, the weather was more favourable and we held the Sunshine 7s Mixed Primary Tag festival for girls and boys in years 5 & 6 which was well attended by 9 local schools. Next season we have already agreed that, in addition to these two established festivals, we will try to run similar tag festivals for girls and boys in years 3 & 4 and years 5 & 6 towards the beginning of the season to try to attract more new players into the club.

Throughout this season, we have seen new joiners across all age groups with increasing numbers of girls coming to training regularly, particularly at the younger and older age groups. It is important that we remember that rugby is very much a game for all and, as a club, we hope to continue to grow the junior section and encourage any girls and boys, who want to give rugby a go, to come along for a few trial sessions.

The end of the 2022/23 age grade season was formally marked last Sunday with our Junior end of season event and awards day where team photos were also taken. Each age group recognised their players and achievements and awards were given for Player’s Player (voted for by the players) and Most Improved Player and Player of the Year (awarded by the coaches). This was followed by a ‘Colour Run’ where the course included some rugby-based obstacles and was enjoyed by many of our junior players, siblings and their parents all of whom had an amazing time throwing and getting covered in paint. We were fortunate that the sun shone all day and this proved to be a fitting end to a fantastic season and a busy day at the club.

For those who are wondering, the ‘Barrow of Booze’ was won by an ecstatic Ben Gray with the ‘Trug of Spirits’ being won by Beckie Packham.
The pin board for the Wine Tasting and Tour vouchers is still available, behind the bar, for additional spaces to be purchased and the winner will be notified in due course.

Finally, as I confirmed at the end of season event, after four busy, enjoyable and often challenging years as Junior Chair, I will be stepping down at the next AGM. I would like to thank everyone for their support throughout this time and wish the next Junior Chair every success.

Cheers, Steve

INTERMEDIATE RUGBY
East Grinstead RFC were proud to see four players from our current Colts team selected for and achieving Sussex County honours for the under 17 team. On Sunday 14th May Sussex u17’s played Middlesex County at East Grinstead Rugby Club and our players were all instrumental in helping Sussex to a great win 22 - 12.

The EG players are Reggie Ward-Harris playing at Hooker, Harrison Lock at Prop, Will Bramwell at 2nd row and Connor Madden at no. 8. Both Reggie and Connor are attending Cardinal Newman College and with strong links to Premiership club Harlequins and top Championship side Ealing Trailfinders.

We are so blessed to have so many exciting and talented individuals coming from the East Grinstead youth section and many more following. We will be highlighting some of these players in Rugby Round up. First up is Bryan Karimezera.

Bryan was picked up by the Quins U18’s after a strong run of games for egrfc and Sussex too. He went well in the games and is being looked at by various national level clubs. We wish Bryan all the best as he pushes on to the next level of his career.

As mentioned above, Connor Madden is another player with a huge rugby future. He is now training with the Wales U18’s and Exiles, regularly training down at the WRU centre of excellence. He is also excelling with his county where he captained the side on Sunday when the Sussex starting skipper went off and he is doing well with his college, Cardinal Newman, appearing in the national final. All this alongside his relationship with Ealing Trailfinders. Connor is a busy boy!!

MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION
You may have seen the recent posts on our membership and communications for the coming 2023/24 season. If you missed it, please follow this link: Membership & Coms

Thank you to all who have already cancelled their old direct debit and bought their new membership. It is so helpful for us during the current difficult financial climate to have your support.

We have had lots of really useful feedback. Thank you to all who have contacted us with your concerns and comments. We are listening! There are a couple of points to clarify in reply. There has been some confusion as to when your new payments will commence. If paying by monthly direct debit, payments will not start until September. However, if you choose pay your subs in an annual payment, this will be debited straight away.

There have also been enquiries about how an existing VP can donate. You will find this option in the ‘fundraising’ section of the website. Please follow this link to find this page: VP donations

Thank you also for feedback from our Junior and Intermediate sections. You are so important to us! We have really tried to simplify our membership, however, we are urgently discussing the need to add more payment options due to your feedback. They will be added soon if appropriate. Many thanks for your patience. We are a family - Together we are East Grinstead RFC.

OTHER NEWS
If you have any news about any aspect of our rugby family here at East Grinstead, get involved and email m.marriott@btconnect.com. See you next week!!