SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST - START 12 NOON TILL LATE

WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE START OF THE SEASON

WITH SOME FUN TOUCH RUGBY - STARTING AT 12 NOON

BBQ WITH ROAST WHOLE LAMB - COOKED SAMOAN STYLE.

CLUB STALWART ROD ELSE WILL ALSO BE SAYING

FAREWELL AS HE'S MOVING DOWN TO DEVON!

Message from Rodders:-

Dear all

After first donning my boots for a stroll on the haloed North Rd turf in the Autumn of 1984, my time as a regular Townie is at an end - I'm moving down to Devon (Plymton St. Morris to be exact) early in September. 

I'll be at the 'do' on Sunday and would be great to see as many of you as possible, to say "cheerio", get smashed and talk the usual old b#ll#cks about the last 26 years of fun. 

Ripe Stilton and fine Port wine will be offered up to accompany the Veets dead sheep (you'll need it - I've seen how he marinades his lamb!!). 

Hope ta see ya there! 

Rodders 

(Rod Else)

EVERYONE WELCOME!

England Autumn International Tickets 2010

Stevenage Town Rugby Club received an allocation of 56 Tickets for each of the Autumn Internationals listed below: 

06 November 2010: England v New Zealand

13 November 2010: England v Australia

27 November 2010: England v South Africa

These will be issued on a first paid/first served basis based on payment of £60.00 per ticket paid in full to Neil Wilson before the end of July 2010.

Any Ticket Price difference will be paid or refunded once the prices and tickets are allocated 

Please contact Neil Wilson at neiljames.wilson@ntlworld.com to confirm your requirements and payment before the end of July 2010.

You need to be a fully paid up member of STRFC in order to qualify for an allocation and agree to abide in full by the RFU terms and conditions attached to the link below:

RFU Ticket Guidance for Member Clubs 

Club President Daryl Hayler was awarded the MBE for services to the Defence Industry in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List issued last Saturday (12th June 2010).

 The photo shows Daryl celebrating his award. The message on the cake reads: "Congratulations, Daryl MBE".

Daryl joined what is now MBDA in 1968 and, over four decades, has established himself as a key member of the company’s trials teams. He has led work on the Seawolf and Rapier systems - both of which are in operation with domestic and export customers – and delivered the successful trials activities for Storm Shadow. Today he is leading the multinational trials team for the six-nation Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile programme.

As many of you will be aware, the role of product trials is critical in the development and customer qualification of guided missile systems. Poor planning and preparation can, in the event of a failure, lead to significant collateral damage. The work demands engineering expertise, complex processes and covers a wide range of health, safety and risk issues. There is also a need for comprehensive liaison with the test range authorities to ensure that, in the event of an incident, there are effective and efficient trial abort options with minimal levels of risk impact for the team’s health and safety and the local environment.

We could tell you more but - well - we'd have to kill you! 

Outside work Daryl is a passionate supporter of rugby. As an ex player and an administrator with Bacavians and then Stevenage Town Rugby Club and the Hertfordshire RFU he continues to influence and shape the game’s development in Stevenage and across the county.

Congratulations to Daryl!

THE 2009/2010 ANNUAL AWARDS EVENING HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!

COULD IT BE YOU?

ANNUAL AWARDS HISTORY [click here]

Hertfordshire Rugby Football Union 

Press Notice 

Stevenage Towns Ian Crompton hat trick not enough for Herts 

Hertfordshire 30 Cornwall 32  

Despite a hat trick of tries from left wing Ian Crompton, Hertfordshire went down by two points to Cornwall in a pulsating Bill Beaumont Cup match at Hoe Lane last Saturday. This defeat leaves the much improved Hertfordshire fighting for survival in the top tier of the County Championship and a big win over Devon will be required next Saturday at Old Albanian. 

In a stark contrast to last week's performance against Gloucestershire, the Herts side showed outstanding spirit and determination against a strong Cornwall side and as a result were able to make the most of their fairly limited opportunities, taking Cornwall to the brink of defeat. All 22 players made valuable contributions as rolling substitutions were used throughout the game. Whether this contributed to the overall teamwork in the game is a matter for future debate and it certainly appeared that Cornwall misjudged one or two of their substitutions. 

The forwards struggled for parity in the scrums and although they competed well in the line out they still suffered from some wayward throwing in. In the loose they managed to get enough ball to release the backs and their defence was excellent. The backs used the ball well, resulting in four tries. However yellow cards played their part as Herts scored two tries while Cornwall were a man down and the final Cornish try came when Herts were two men down. 

The game opened with an exchange of penalties within the first five minutes, with Ian Morgan (St Ives) and Richard Gregg kicking the points. Cornwall then took the initiative and put the home side under some pressure. A kickable Cornwall penalty was reversed due to an indiscretion by a visiting forward and then a Cornish scoring pass went astray, so as the game went into the second quarter the scores were still level. 

Then on the half hour, following a couple of line outs 5 metres from the home line, a catch and drive enabled Cornwall's scrum half, Mark Richards (Redruth), to touch down in the corner and Morgan converted with an excellent kick. Minutes later Cornwall seized on loose ball and no 8 Mark Bright (Redruth) was over for a try converted by Morgan to put the visitors ahead 17-3.  

Herts could have cracked at this stage, but instead they put Cornwall under pressure via a break by flanker Paul Gustard and the visitors conceded a penalty 15 metres out. Their flanker Tom Rawlings (Cornish All Blacks) was sin binned, Herts took a quick tap penalty, ran it left and Crompton was over the line. Gregg added the two points and Herts were back in the game. Cornwall immediately took play into the home 22, but Herts counter attacked and forwards and backs combined to win some 7 or 8 phases to finally put Billy Johnson over the line. With Gregg adding another two points it was 15-17 at half time. 

The second half opened with three scores in the first six minutes. In the opening minute Herts were awarded a penalty 5 metres out following a late charge on Ton Newton. They elected to scrum, drove the bak row pick up, then won the ball for Gregg to gain three points with a drop goal. Herts were one point ahead. They ran the restart, recycled well and in a flash Crompton was over in the corner for his second try. A fine Gregg conversion made it 25-17.  

Cornwall immediately closed the gap when Morgan kicked a penalty following the illegal use of a Herts elbow. Both sides then fought hard for the initiative and gradually Cornwall gained the ascendancy, but the Herts defence held until, mid way through the half, wing Rob Thirlby (Mosely) scored in the corner to level the scores 25 all. Five minutes later Herts regained the lead when they ran the ball out of defence. Steve Ellis made a fine break and Crompton finished the move off for his hat trick. 

Cornwall now raised their game and their forwards laid siege to the Herts line. The defence held, but the referee found some defending illegal and first Handre Schmidt and then Paul Gustard were sin binned. That left 13 men to hold out for the last three or four minutes. Cornwall were twice thwarted from 5 meters out but finally Bright forced his way over for his second try to level the scores. Morgan gave his side a two-point lead with the conversion. There was just time for Herts to restart, but Cornwall stuck the ball up their jumper, kept their discipline and the referee blew for no side. 

So a fine game of rugby ended in a narrow defeat for Herts and now they take on Devon at Old Albanian RFC next Saturday, May 22nd, kick off 3.00 pm

Photographs

Hertfordshire: Tom Newton (Tring); Handre Schmidt (Cambridge), Stuart Smart (Hertford), Steve Ellis (Hertford), Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town); Richard Gregg (Old Albanian), Mark Evans (Old Albanian); Adam Gelman (Old Albanian), Charlie Hughes (Old Albanian), Rob Schillaci (Hertford), Billy Johnson (Hertford), Rob Dumbleton (Harpenden), Ian Hardcastle (Hertford), Paul Gustard (Old Albanian), Dave Archer (Cambridge) (Capt).

Replacements: (All used) Johan Van Dyke (Old Ashmolean), Jim Remfry (Caldy), Aaron MacDougall (Hemel Hempstead), Alfie Church (Hertford), Will Temperley (Luton), Morgan Thompson (Ealing), Ray Adde (Hemel Hempstead) 

Scorers: 

Hertfordshire: Tries - Crompton  36 min, 45 min, 65 min; Johnson 39 min. Drop Goals - Gregg 43 min

Penalties - Gregg 4 min. Conversions - Gregg  36 min, 45 min.  

Cornwall: Tries - Bright 31 min, 78 min; Richards 28 min; Thirlby 58 min. Penalties - Morgan 2 min, 46 min. Conversions - Morgan 28 min, 31 min, 78 min   

A great deal of thanks goes to the 5 "Pink Ladies" who organised fund raising and the management of this years Minis Tour to the East Coast.

Below is the Tour Programme and Report to give you some idea of what was involved and what great fun was had by all.

Many thanks to everyone involved a great testament to what can be achieved by an enthusiastic team!

Tour Programme & Thanks! click for more info.

Tour Report click for more info.

Cheers!

Steve Mudd
Chairman

Congratulations to Scott Quarmby, Ian Crompton and Adam Amos on achieving selection for Hertfordshire County

Hertfordshire XV v Gloucestershire.

Sat May 8^th 3.00pm KO at Lydney RFC

1. Adam Gelman                    Old Albanian
2. Matt Cross                          Hertford
3. Rob Schillaci                       Hertford
4. Billy Johnson                      Hertford
5. Scott Quarmby                  Stevenage
6. Ian Hardcastle                   Hertford
7. Will Temperley                   Luton
8. Dave Archer                      Cambridge (Capt)
9. Mark Evans                        Old Albanian
10. Richard Gregg                   Old Albanian
11. Ian Crompton                    Stevenage
12. Steve Ellis                          Hertford
13. Nathan Lambden              Loughborough Students
14. Stuart Smart                     Hertford
15. Tom Newton                      Tring
16. Jim Remfry                        Caldy
17. Charlie Hughes                 Old Albanian
18. Adam Amos                       Stevenage
19. Ollie Cooper Miller            Esher
20. Morgan Thompson            Ealing
21. James Watt                        Datchworth
22. A N Other                            Unattached

24 April 2010: London 1 North

Eton Manor 17 – 3 Stevenage Town

After the excitement of a last minute win the previous week over Ruislip, this was a lacklustre affair to finish off the league season, with neither side having the cutting edge to convert possession into points.

For much of the game, the sides were evenly matched and Eton Manor eventually ran out winners by engineering two moments of individual skill, which lead to tries.

For Town it was a disappointing end to the season, which has shown them improve significantly compared with their first season at this level. New players in certain key positions could see them continue with their progression next season.

With just two points separating the teams before the start, it came as no surprise that the contest was even for much of the game. Stevenage had a solid platform, with young prop Jacob Smith more than competing with his opposite, much bigger and far more experienced number in the tight. Smith is an exciting prospect for Town.

Tom Meller put in some fine defensive work with a series of telling tackles and his work in the loose resulted in several turnovers. Adam Amos made some charging runs and he was ably supported by Phil Pearson, who also had a good afternoon in the lineouts.

It took the home side only two minutes to get on the score board. A penalty almost immediately from the kick off, which somehow the referee failed to spot had not gone the requisite 10 metres, was converted by Eton Manor full back Anderson.

Town had periods of prolonged possession and benefitted on numerous occasions from some excellent kicking from hand by Kyle Lemon, who put his side into some promising attacking positions. Unfortunately, they were unable to make the possession count and were let down too often with handling errors and a lack on penetration.

Young fly half Dan Phoenix, another bright prospect, who has benefitted from a full season in the team, continued to catch the eye with his distribution and vision, but ultimately it was to no avail. Phoenix is definitely one to watch for the future.

Eton Manor extended their lead in the 35^th minute. Second row Twydell made a surging run and threw an outrageous dummy before setting up Anderson to score. Anderson converted his own try.

Eton Manor went into half time with a lead of 10 – 0.

Town started the second half strongly and were rewarded after only 2 minutes when Lemon kicked a penalty, to bring Stevenage right back into the game.

The visitors enjoyed a period of sustained pressure but were unable to convert this into points and Eton Manor sealed victory in the 72^nd minute with a brilliant piece of individual skill from fly half McKie, who carved a gap through the Town defence to score. Anderson converted.

So, the season ended in disappointment, but this should not mask the progress that has been made. Progress that can be built on if Town can find that cutting edge to convert possession into points.

Stevenage Town Team: Kyle Lemon, Ian Crompton (Jason Lacey 41 mins), Michael Wilson, Ed Burrell, Chris Wilson, Dan Phoenix, Gary Ottolangui (Rory Stewart 41 mins), Jacob Smith (Barry Cook 52 mins), Tavita Faamausil, Neil Bamber, Scott Quarmby, Adam Amos, Jordan Ross, Tom Meller, Phil Pearson

Subs not used:        None

Scorers:                 Pen:   Kyle Lemon

Other League Results:

None

Final League Table: