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.

SENIOR RUGBY
What a brilliant Saturday it was with both our Men’s senior sides on the road. Our 1XV visited Trinity RFC (Formerly Old Mid-Whitgiftian RFC) for their first away fixture of Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex. Those who travelled had a treat, as a proper nail-biter ensued. To read all about it, click here: Match report

Ben got some awesome pics. Click here to view them: Trinity pics

Meanwhile, our 2’s travelled to a traditionally strong Holbrook to try and follow up on their strong start against Shoreham the previous week. To read all the thrills and spills, click here: Match report

This coming Saturday, both teams are in action at home, so make sure you are at Saint Hill to cheer both sides on. Our 1XV welcome KCS Old Boys to HQ for their first ever meeting. While the 2’s want to put right last seasons result as they host local rivals St. Francis. Both games kick off at 3pm - See you there!

To make it the perfect rugby day, you have until close of play today (Wednesday), to book your pre match meal ticket. Please email Derek at: dhagencies@btinternet.com to grab a seat.

By popular demand, here are all the fixtures for the coming season for 1XV, Women, 2XV and Colts again. Get them in the diary!
To download 2023/24 fixtures, please click here: Senior fixtures

SANDY’S SPOT
Senior Coach Sandy shares his video diary with us.

Two locks this week. First up Amy, who tells us of the Womens pre-season 7’s tour, Steph’s nudity, Sussex and how the season is going: Amy vid

Next, First team legend and doppelganger Sam who explains the MOTM jacket for this season: Sam vid

AGE GROUP RUGBY
Our Juniors were blessed with another sunny day for a full house at the club on Sunday.

Some rain during the week had made the ground a little more absorbing for the U9’s, 10’s and 11’s with their new tackling and rucking drills. The U10’s were training hard ahead of their upcoming trip to the Chichester minis festival next Sunday.

Elsewhere the U7’s were getting into preparations for the children looking forward to their first competitive matches.

We had two new heads stepping up for the U6’s to take the coaching reigns of our newest starters, so a big thanks to Matt and Henry. Your commitment is key to the future of our club.

If anyone else is interested in getting involved please email: junior-chairman@egrfc.com

Our Colts welcomed a strong Tonbridge Juddians side, in the cup, to start their season with a bang. Three great trys from Read, Champain and Williams were not enough to prevent a 17 - 56 scoreline. This side is developing nicely and we are all looking forward to the visit of Haywards Heath in the league on the 1st October.

To look at Bens pics of the match, please click here: TJ's pics

BOARD MEETING
Over the last few issues of Rugby Round Up, we have been meeting your board members one by one and getting a short insight into who they are and how they support our rugby family. This week we are meeting Vice Chairman Matt Marriott.

Matt joined the club in 2000, and has played senior rugby every season since. He captained the 2’s for a number of seasons, his highlight, the team going unbeaten in 2019. Matt has been on the board since 2018 and does a bit of everything (Mostly, keeping the rest of the Board under control!), including publishing the vastly popular and best selling club publication, Rugby Round Up.

Matt loves his rugby family who have always been there for him through good times and bad. Pulling on the five ferns is still a massive honour. He is particularly looking forward to playing with both his sons against Hove on the 14th October (For 10 mins until the hammy goes).

MATT RATANA
Monday marked three years from the day that Matt, our head coach, left us after Thursday training, never to return. Matt was a big man in all respects, but for us, his big heart and huge passion for our club and the development of rugby as a totally inclusive and family sport, is what we miss him for most. His legacy is felt strongly in all areas of our club, from our thriving juniors, to our increasingly successful first team. We are certain that he would be proud of his rugby family here at East Grinstead RFC.

We are privileged to be included in many events through the year to remember him. We are especially proud of the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation who have raised so much money to support youth rugby initiatives. Last Thursday, a hardy Foundation possie set off from South Coast Gym, to walk to London Irish via East Grinstead RFC. To read more and find out how to get involved with the foundation, please follow this link: Walk for Matt

East Grinstead RFC are hosting the Foundation’s Rugby Camp again this year. This is for Boys and Girls aged 8 to 18 between the 23rd and 27th October. Please see the flyer attached for more info, or email Richard at: camps@mattratanarugby.foundation

ENGLAND RUGBY
With a break this weekend, before England men take on Samoa in the last group game on the 7th October, things look a lot brighter than I think we all expected. After a slow start, England found some attacking shape to dispatch Chilli 71 - 0 leaving us only needing a couple of points against Samoa to top the group, with a quarter final against resurgent Fiji the most likely outcome. For the Chilli match report, please click here: Match report

Meanwhile, the Red Roses were also in action, beating Canada 50 - 24. To read all about it, click here: Match report

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!!