Coaches Corner - last weekend of block 2

I write to you this week ahead of our game against Teddington RFC a team who came into this season in a very similar position to ourselves. They came up as champions from their respective league having only lost one game all season. So far this season they have two wins to their name but have played a number of the so-called bigger teams in the league and I am sure they will view this weekend's game as a chance to show how competitive they are.

We of course come into the game off the back of a famous victory away at London Irish Wildgeese. Not just a narrow win scraped in the dying moments but a resounding 19 point victory where we showed our control and quality throughout. We were followed to Irish’s Hazelwood ground by a huge swell of Beaconsfield supporters and buoyed by the bumper crowd our lads really put on a show.

The result was epitomised by our defensive effort with us repelling the Irish attack for phase after phase and then allowing the attacking threat that we carry throughout the team to come through. Particularly impressive were the Howells twins whose physical qualities and high level of skills consistently led to opportunities for our team.

I must make a mention of the incredible hospitality we received on the day. The clubhouse at Irish was buzzing (it’s always more enjoyable after a win!) and with a live band playing it was a real event. Following the game, once myself and Lee (forwards coach) had got changed we entered the clubhouse and several of their supporters gave us a round of applause and then a couple came up and shook our hands congratulating us on a great performance. It was a reminder of the fantastic rugby values that still exist in the game and it inspires me that we can create something similar at our club going forward. Yes we all have a desire to win but I hope we can all be magnanimous enough to recognise a great contest and endeavour when it is shown by our opposition.

After the game on Saturday we began a new tradition in the senior squad by giving out our first “Wingman” award. The Wingman ties in with some of the theming we are using around the squad this season and I wanted to create something that recognises those boys who are incredible team mates. The Wingman award is to recognise those who are excellent team mates both on and off the field. I decided upon the first award but the idea going forward is that players will nominate a team mate and share with us their reasons why. The first award has been given to Rhys Amos. It was an easy decision as Rhys is one of our cultural architects. He is a key driver of energy within the group, he is supportive of players on the field but he is also incredibly empathetic and kind away from the pitch. We value him incredibly highly and were delighted to be able to recognise him in this way. Players who have been awarded the Wingman will have a pin badge on their post-match attire. Well done Rhys.

This Saturday we celebrate Barney Gucklhorns 50th appearance for the club. Barney has been performing exceptionally well this season and has been integral as we look to establish an exciting brand of rugby. This was epitomised with him being recognised by Wildgeese last weekend as the man of the match. Please show your appreciation for a top man and player as he reaches this milestone. We look forward to seeing Barney in a Beaconsfield jersey for a long time to come

This week the 2nd XV make the long journey down to Hungerford. Following the disappointment of last week’s cancellation against Crowthorne who have pulled out of the league the boys are itching to get back to playing and pick up some wins to start moving up the table. Last week we had a whopping 27 players available to play which gives me hope that in the long term we might realistically be able to add a 3rd XV to our rugby offering. It was such a shame that we could not find a fixture for them as timings and other teams' availability worked against us.

This week the team is looking really strong with a number of players who I expect to be pushing for 1st XV spots in the near future. Max Brindley who joined us in the summer is a real talent and is making his way back from a hamstring injury and it is excellent to have club captain Luke Davis taking another step in his recovery from a knee injury. The quality within our 2nd XV is definitely something to be excited about as we know this will create great competition for places and drive both our senior teams forward. Best of luck to the 2’s this Saturday.

That’s it from me for this week. I hope you all enjoy the game on Saturday and thank you for your continued support.

Russ