Stoneham RFC: Story of a season

Match Report: 10th September 2011 - Tottonians 4th's 24 - 0 Stoneham

2011-09-13T02:13:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Stoneham travelled to Totton to face the rematch of the previous weeks fixture where we lost 12-30. However, this time we knew what to expect, we knew that the game would be dominated by physicallity and forward play, or at least that is what Tottonians would have liked. We were happy the previous week with some aspects of our game and unhappy with others, and it was clear from the outset that we wanted to rectify the mistakes of the previous week. We arrived and got changed, it is a new tradition that the previous weeks Man of the Match providesx rousing and stirring music for the pre match changing room, and last weeks M.O.M, Danny Lynch, was unavailable due to holiday, so his father Dean acted as proxy and choose the inspirational dolcit tones of Queen! so with the show must go on ringing in our ears we took the field for the warm up. Warm up went well, and nobody appeared to suffer from early morning world cup syndrome. Inspirational speeches from Coach Matt Southey and Captain Peter Lewis about being more aggresive and more disciplined than our esteemed opposition was the order of the day. We took the field fired up and ready!

Stoneham lost the toss and forced into Kicking, with the sun on our backs we started off well, showing our opposition we would not be bullied this time. However, we did concede an early try which Totts converted. But, this was not a portent of the match, and being 7-0 down after 7 mins was not an indicator of an imminent whitewash. The forewards performed admirably, holding their own in the scrum, diffusing the Totts giant lock but effectively blocking him at the maul, and we stuck to the game plan, making good yards up the field. The backs were not so confident and on occasion the link between the centres was absent. however, having said that it was another brand new centre pairing with another debutant, Travis Sawyer. Stoneham faught hard as did Tottonians and the game really became a war of attrition with neither team making significant ground and as a result penalties galore both sides giving away infringments at the breakdown. Mid way through the 2nd half Stoneham were perfectly placed to pick up their points which would have given us a boost going into the 2nd half, however, Reece Badger narrowly missed the kick. And, so, the half continued neither side's defence buckling or yielding and the half ended 7-0 to Totts favour.

Stoneham recieved the kick off, and Captain Peter Lewis embarrasingly knocked on, the shame of it, gutted, really really gutted, but gave us a chance to have a scrummage which had been going very well, defensively we were strong, our defense strategies working very well, and after repelling another attacke from Totts it was decided that it was time to give everyone a run out. Stoneham changed the entire back row, 2 of the front row and half the 2nd row, to give everyone a run out, in the end we used 6 front row players with Dean Lynch and Allan Rixon the only starting forwards to remain on the field at the final whistle. The backs remained the same, and although reshuffled was not changed which gave them valuable expereince. However, as the match wore on Totts wore us down and cracks began to form, we had managed to repel our line on numerous occasions but the pressure eventually told and 3 tries in total were put on us, including one, which as a front row/back row forward found embarrasiing, a push over try from the scrummage. It just goes to show the value of scrummage training, either live or on the machine it will be an area we look at in the coming weeks. Although the game finished 24-0 in our oppositions favour, i think everyone will agree it was not a fair reflection of the game overall.

Overview: game plan worked well as did defense but we do have a lot of work left to do to get things 100%, but it is along road, a long season and plenty of opportunities to get things right, generally, from a captains perspective i was very proud by the effort shown by all, very proud that no one gave up and we nearly scored through a Brian Cook/Paul Robjohn break. All in all very positive and a nother swtep forward. I am greatly looking forward to the league and cup seasons beginning, this season will be interesting!

Match Report 3rd Sept '11 Vs Tottonians 4th's

2011-09-07T03:32:00.000-07:00

Match Report: Stoneham V's Tottonians 4th's

Stoneham fielded a very strong side for our first home clash of the season. Although we were still experimenting, we attempted a winger at blindside flanker. Nick Davies began the game in the scrum, a position he has never played at before. But, before i talk about his performance we had some debutants to Stoneham Rugby, Father and son, Dean and Danny Lynch put on the blue and white for the first time for the club, Andy Butcher also pulled on a shirt for the first time. I was so happy to see so many players at the club, more than we can possibly house in one team, and the recruiting just keeps on ticking over. Maybe in the near future we will discuss a 2nd Team. The big news of the day is the return of Vice Captain, Wills Fuller, having stepped off the plane from the USA at 7 that morning he donned his kit and joined our back line.

With our enormous squad we were positive about taking the field against Totts, and a quick look at their line up it was clear we were facing a very experienced Veterens team, many would think a fit, young side should be able to run rings around a vets team, but, this is a side that has not lost in 2 years!! Youth and fitness no match for age and treachery??? we will see! The game started well, As captain i wanted the ball in hand from the outset so elected to receive having won the toss, it was clear the level of intensity from that initial contact, it was hard, it was physical and it was bruising. In my views this was a great fixture for us as it gave us a slap around the face and a few bumps and bruises, and goes some way to "toughening" us up. The game was dogged, it was a battle in the trenches and was a forward orientated game. The first scrum was telling, it was Totts ball, and as soon as we packed down we knew we had a battle on our hands, pack strength was fairly evenly matched, maybe leaning towards totts through experience and technique but for power Stoneham matched them, Totts put in and the ball came blind. Bit of a surprise that they were using that avenue, and those members of the club who know the gameplan well will know why. Brand new blindside Nick Davies was immediately under the cosh. Fortunately Backup soon arrived and we disarmed the attack forcing Totts to use the boot of their 10. This was to be a tactic they used for 20 mins in the first half, attack the blindside and use 10 for field possession. They did this until debutant Full Back, Danny Lynch, who from our own 22 ran back hard and found a path to their try line. Reece Badger added the extras and the game was poised at Stoneham 7 - 8 Totts. Our line defence was absorbing alot of pressure, but their fly half jinked, stepped, and went for the corner, he only just got it down before the cover tackles came in. Still stoneham back on the back foot. That was the story of the half really alot of niggling form Tottonians aimed directly at upsetting our players it is the classic old school tactic of get away with what you can and then act all innocent when we retaliate.

The second half started strongly with Stoneham putting Totts under pressure from the kick off, however, there niggling tactic worked and hooker Dean Lynch spent 10 mins with his thoughts. A man down Totts scored a couple of tries to take the game away. But not before Stoneham went on the attack. We fought, battled and got ourselves to their line, a couple of penalties later and from an opportunistic tap penalty Captain, Peter Lewis, ran unopposed to the corner to score, Easiest try i have ever scored as totts were all huddled around the ref disputing the decision.

Soon after we went up to full strength disaster struck. Flanker Adam McMillan got his leg caught under a Tottonian player and his game was over, it later was discovered that the injury was alot more serious and that he suffered ligament damage and a break. Adam is out for 3-4 months and maybe permently if his good lady wife has a say! The game finished much as it had started with both teams battling it out. but the eventual winners were Tottonians.

Result: Stoneham 12 - 30 Tottonians 4th's

The Coaching staff have many hard decisions to make with regards to selection, and can also take away alot of positives. As captain i can see how effective the gameplan is and how when we get it right we are devastating in attack and defence. Especially defence very proud how all the guys "Manned Up" in the contact zone. just need to step it up one more level.

Match Report: Verwood RUFC 29 - 5 Stoneham RFC - Match Preview Stoneham Vs Tottonians 4ths

2011-09-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

Match Report: Verwood RUFC 29 - 5 Stoneham RFC

27th August 2011, a week before the official start of the Rugby Union season, Stoneham and Verwood met at an unusual location for a training game. I say unusual as neither side were at home, due to circumstances at Verwood involving a cricket match and Stoneham pitches not being ready, i.e. no posts or pitch markings, the fixture was forced to a third location, Bournemouth RFC. We travelled down in high spirits and higher hopes, although we arrived late and had a very short warm up the first half was very promising. The match was played in 4 quarters. Stoneham won the toss and elected to receive, i chose this because i wanted us to attack right from the first whistle, i felt it would help to give the guys a bit of confidence to have the ball in hand and take the fight to Verwood from the very beginning. Didn't quite work like that, first match nerves got in the way and the ball was lost forward from the kick off. No matter, scrum time, those reading this from other clubs, those who are new to the club should be aware, Scrummaging is our bread and butter, we have strength, depth and aggression when it comes to the set piece, and rarely are we challenged there. Knock on's as a result do not worry us too much as we know that 90 times out of 100 we will win the ball back, and true to form we turned them over, and the set piece was the same story throughout the match. We won the ball and attacked with a No.8 pick up, now some might say that a No.8 pick up from our own 22 is a bit mad, maybe a defensive territory kick may have been prudent. However, with our new attacking style we throw caution into the wind, and i am convinced if we were on our 5m line we still would consider a No. 8 pick up and drive, after all why the hell not, fortune favours the brave, and we are fearless!

I digress, back to the match, a majority of the first 40 mins was played within 20 m between the 2 10m lines. neither side progressing, defence from Stoneham was good putting Verwood under pressure. Our attacks were effective, but we strayed from the game-plan, we went a bit headless and reacted to the game, for no other reason than exuberance. I am happy to encourage exuberance, but it does need to be backed up by skill. I must say that the first half was marred by an incident between yours truly and the referee. The story is, Will Barton, playing at Scrum half was dumped tackle, unceremoniously and in my eyes dangerously, i was right next to him when it happened and it could have been very bad, Will was ok, but i, as Captain, decided that i should have a word with the referee about it, after all he was stood 20 ft away and didn't see it. The proceeding discussion became a little heated and as it wore on i got more and more animated, i can only say that it was adrenaline fuelled and a belief i was right. It was done with all the best of intentions for the safety of my boys. But i was a dog with a bone and just wouldn't let go, to the extent that Matt Southey had to drag me from the pitch in order to save me from a card. Matt and i decided to continue the discussion, my annoyance at myself for over-reacting and annoyance at being dragged off the field just fuelled the fire, as a result Matt and i quaralled........not good for the team to see Captain and Coach argueing, but it was what it was, i deeply regret the incident, and hereby offer Matt my thanks and apologies!

Despite all this the first half ended 0-0. I will take this opportunity to say that Reece badger had a great start to the season and his career with the club. He only played the first half because of commitments but a great first half.

The second half was a different story, with the loss of Reece we had a reshuffle in the backs which, saw another debutant come on, JK's addition to the team Aaron came on never having played a game before, Verwood saw there opportunity and attacked that wing scoring 3 tries on the bounce, we adjusted and began to soak up the pressure a bit but the still got through for 2 more. Converting 2 they quickly scored 29 points. Still the Stoneham spirit lives on with another debutant scoring in his first game Jesse Harris, an unbelivably fast and elusive runner attack evaded tackle after tackle and scored a belter of a try through grit and determination. The conversion was missed...just, but Stoneham can take a lot from the game, welcoming the new players and settling the nerves of those who haven't taken the field for a while. the man of the match vote was close but eventually went to Arron Taylor, for what was the best game i have seen him play, he attacked at every opportunity and scooped up alot of loose ball and punished Verwood fro their mistakes. Well done Arron.

Final score 29-5 (L)

Match preview: Stoneham V's Tottonians 4ths (H)

In a change to the published list, Portsmouth 4th's have had to withdraw from tomorrows fixture due to lack of numbers. So, as they told us late last night (Thurs) we were naturally concerned we wouldn't be able to get a fixture, yet through the efforts of our fixture secretary, Noble Argue we now have 2 fixtures, one on the 3rd to replace Portsmouth and one on the 10th to fill that void, against the same opposition, Tottonians 4ths. We have previously had a mixed bag against this club, playing their 3rd's we have lost playing their 5th's/casuals we have won. So, how will we fair against their 4th's is anyones shout. What we do know is they are a serious club, they take their Rugby extrodinarily seriously and as such we need to prepare for a battle, i predict that their 4th's will be populated by rising stars from their colts and veterans. either way it will be a mix of youth and experience which will really put us to the test. We are still developing our game-plan, we are still experimenting with positions, not to give too much away but we will see a winger as a wing forward! Tomorrow's weather forecast is hot and sunny, summer has arrived in time for the season, so please everyone make sure they are hydrated, sounds silly, but overload on water as you will need it!

I am excited by this fixture, primarily because it gives me an opportunity to see some old friends at Totts and play against them, but also, and more importantly, because Stoneham are on the up! we all feel that this year could lead to greatness and good things for Stoneham, training is positive and upbeat with excellent numbers, tomorrow we welcome some more debutants to the club, and we will welcome them after in an appropriate style, but the greatest excitement is that we are off and running the season is now in full flow, and my mind is buzzing with the possibilities, lets turn those daydreams into reality and in the words of our esteemed coach......Fucking 'ave it!!!!!!!!!

Match Preview: 27th August 2011 Verwood RUFC V's Stoneham RFC

2011-08-26T00:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend sees our intrepid team travel to the resort town of Bournemouth. We are playing Verwood, which admittedly play 12 miles from Bournemouth but cant play on their own pitch due to a game of cricket. So, Dorset bound we are, Verwood and Stoneham have met many, many times, and has always been very different games. Over the past few years the games have been very tight. in 2009/10 season we tied for the season 1 a piece both home teams losing, and the same occured in 2010/11, with the home teams losing, so how will we play at a 3rd location. We will see, both teams will be playing a rotating squad utilising as many players as possible and seeing where the teams are at.

As for me, it will be my first official game as captain of this club, and i am relishing the prospect of captaining the team for the game, but as well, captaining the team for the season, we have had some new players come into the squad since i last wrote in this blog, and they will only bolster what is already a strong side. Selection is increasingly becoming more and more of a headache for the management team, we are looking at training and thinking what is the best possible combination in the front row, or at half backs or in the back row, instead of thinking well who can we slot in there? it is a great problem to be faced with, i hope that people will understand if they are substituted or left out of the team, as captain i will speak to every player if they are to be dropped, or if they are on the bench, and i aim to do so before we announce the team, one concern i have as a captain is that Stoneham has but one team with only 21 match day places available, we currently dont have enough for a 2nd team but we are getting ever closer, what we need to do is retain players in order to expand into another saturday side. So, what i guess i am saying is that we need every player to understand that if not selected or if they are selected on the bench, it is not a reflection on them, we just have more players than we are allowed and as a result we will give priority to those that have been at training, after all they will know the game plan.

Back to Saturday's upcoming fixture, targets for the game:

Complete plays according to the game plan
Make 1st up tackles in defence
communicate effectively
WIN!

Sounds silly setting targets for a game, but really does help to focus players. I have one concern over this upcoming fixture, yes, it is a training game, but, i dont want my guys getting into the mentallity that it is a training game, doesnt really matter if we win or lose, WRONG, every time we take the field this year we must have the, and i really cant think of anything less cliched, "Eye of the tiger", we must be aggresive, passionate and committed to put our bodies on the line, because believe me Verwood will want to impress their coaches and put one over on us. There is no love lost between the teams, we are very equally match last seasons results were, Stoneham 14-10 Verwood, and Stoneham 19 - 31 Verwood, one match a piece, this year though Verwood are, like us, expanding, and they will want to prove just how far they have come since we last met, I, personaly would like to show them that Stoneham is not to be underestimated. BUt, we will see, we have a strong side out, we have new players that are as yet unproven in the fray, and people in new positions, all i can say is, it will be an interesting curtain opener for the season, and i am throurghly looking forward to it. COME ON STONEHAM!! IT STARTS HERE!!!

Week 6: Belief

2011-08-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

With only 4 weeks to go before the first whistle of the 2011/12 season my thougts are a mix of excitement, nerves and apprehension. I am excited because it is a new season, a new look team, a new strategy and being a brand new year we have a blank canvas to impress and advance as a team. The results are plain to see at training, everyone seems to be picking up the game plan and everyone, every week is improving in leaps and bounds. In my 2 years with the club i feel that this year, at this point in pre-season, everyone is fitter than i have seen before, everyone has a greater level of excitment than i have seen before and the skill level is vastly higher than in previous years. So, why am i nervous? why apprehensive? simply, i am concerned that we do not believe. I spoke in an earlier blog of honesty, that an honest player will get up and set his targets and say i will get better and better. this is a great ethos and an attitude i believe wholeheartedly in, but i will now put a condition on it, this attitude is great for training, but on match day i want people on that field to believe they are the best, that they have the confidence and the committment to hit hardest, run fastest and be the best player on the field. If we believe that individually we are the best players then those 15 on the field with the best team!

OK? confused? Would not blame you if you were. i will explain further. When i wake up on matchday i get nervous. I start thinking "What if?" to me What if? is the worst question a sportsman can ask himself. it sows the seeds of doubt into the mind, can you image if Jonny Wilkinson stood back from the ruck in the dying minutes of the 2003 world cup final and saw Dawson lining up for the pass and thought What if i miss? then decides to take a safer option and the final goes to Australia. That is really the power of "what if".

What is the solution? simply, turn the negative into the positive. I say simply, doubt is never simple, but, what if you and i are the strongest/fastest/fittest? what if i believe that i can hit the hardest? what if i am the best? then the possibilities are endless!!! i am a huge fan of banishing the negative doubts and thoughts early on a Saturday. Everyone needs to find their own method of doing this but this is my schedule/routine. Routine and familiarity can really help a player on matchday, a routine can help settle nerves and give a sense of comfort and relaxation before the aggresion of a game. This is my routine:

- wake up, (sounds daft but always helps!)
- Shower
- Coffee (many people will say that caffeine is a diuretic and will dehydrate you, not true! equal wateris the key)
- breakfast ( hugely important, eat right before the game with slow burning carbs to properly fuel the energy you need for the day)

This procedure is where my "what ifs" start, i question everything like, "what if i get hurt?" or "what if i mess up?", "what if i let everyone down?" now comes the 2nd half of my preperation for a match:

- Hydration (i drink alot of water, around 5 or 6 pints before i set off that is before hydration drinks)
- Pack kit bag (something very theraputic about packing kit bag ready for a match, a sense of being prepared)
- Watch a Rugby DVD ( i have several from inside the lions tours, to Englands world cup behind the scenes, i find it beneficial to see the preperation and doubts professionals have)

During this period of my day my thoughts follow like this: oh look, xxxxx is doubtful, oh he did well, hang on, i can do better than that! then i am nearing my state of readiness, my doubts gone and by the time i get into the car to travel to the game i am fully in the belief that i am the greatest rugby player ever to have laced their boots!! sounds concieted, sounds bolshy, but it works for me.

being prepared mentally is just as important as being prepared physically, the fittest person on the planet can attempt to play rugby and fail if they are not mentally ready. We as a team this season to succeed need to have a mindset ready for victory, we need to believe that every time we take that field we will win. if we dont we dont, but i guarentee that if the whole squad belives it it will happen more often than not. Individually, if we believe that we will hit hardest, if when we take contact our opposite number will come off worst, if we believe that every pass we make will go to hand, or we will decimate everyone in the scrum then the battle is nearly won. We have 4 weeks to make it happen and get the mindset right. I have said it at matchday numerous occasions, i believe we are an excellent rugby team, i believe we have the strength and skill to play amazing winning rugby, now it is down to you! WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

Week 5: Heroes

2011-07-25T03:43:00.000-07:00

The last week has seen many developments within the club, most importantly the draw for the cup competitions has been made, the RFU EDU Junior Vase draw sees Stoneham play either the Metropolitan Police RFC or Reigate RFC at home. The home tie is especially pleasing to us. However, the games are to be played on the 15th October which coincides nicely to the day that we are due to play the preliminary round of the Gales hampshire plate where we have been drawn against the University of Southampton, last years finalists. Although this fixture is also a home tie for us it makes very little odds as we share a ground with the University so no home advantage for either side. What to do? well only one option really, one of the fixtures will have to be moved to the Sunday and we play twice in a weekend. This will be a massive ask and will really test us. Fortunately, we have the depth in players to "swap out" our front rows, switch people around and have 2 teams with th eminimal amount of players required to play in both matches. I, as captain, will happily and eagerly play in both matches, to be honest, i cant wait!

Why have i titled this weeks blog "Heroes"? because that is what we will need this year. Last season, there were so many heroes in the Stoneham set up, many unrecognised at the end of season awards. Players like Nick Davies (winger) who seldom missed a game, and was always at training. Heroes like John King who was a terminator out on the field, never getting hurt, or if he did playing on regardless, Alistair McEwan, the plucky prop who never gives up, Brian Cook such a decisive runner from full back who threatened and scared the opposition every time he got the ball in hand. Most of all, my hero of last season was the only player to play in all fixtures, Wills Fuller, his positivity, consistancy and determination not to miss a game even if he did have to get changed on the sidelines a minute before kick off, speaks to me on a level that gives me the determination and grit to fight to match such a feat. Ask many players who there heroes are, some will say anyone in the current England team, if you ask a back rower they will say Lawrence Dallaglio, a front rower might say Jason Leonard (who is a legend and no mistake) ask a back and they will say Jonny Wilkinson, but ask me and i will give the same answer, it is the 17 team mates taking the field with me on a astaurday, it is those giving up time with their families after long weeks at work, it is those who take days off or swap shifts to be part of Stoneham Rugby, it is the amateur ethos that are the true heroes of Rugby Union, the professional players, the full timers are great and superb ambassadors for the game (with some exceptions) but thohse that stand tall on a saturday that risk injury and therefore earnings to enjoy the game with their friends are the true heroes of the game.

It will be my absolute honour to lead Stoneham this year, through league and cup campaigns. back to the cup though, Stoneham have been absent from knockout Rugby for a while and i just wanted to finish up with a few words about it. Cup competitions are unpredictable, one can talk of favourites and underdogs but the truth is, it makes no difference, you can win you can lose, in Cup rugby there is only a tomorrow if you win, as a result every player will need to give 150% to progress, but the accolades on offer are worth it, 6 games will see us play at Twickenham, a big ask? yes, will we get there? possibly not, but there is always a chance in knockout rugby and with the Hampshire plate we are 5 games away from lifting the trophy! It will be tough, it will be challenging, but you know what, with the heroes we have in the club there is absolutely no reason, i repeat NO REASON, why we cant do it!!!! so, it just leaves me to say BRING IT ON!

Week 4: Hopes and Dreams

2011-07-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

This weeks entry is a wee bit late. During the off season period not much is happening in the Stoneham world. So i will take this oppurtunity to express my aspirations for the forthcoming year. Those of you who are looking from outside the club wont know the history of recent years, Stoneham has been a club under increasing pressure to succeed, simply because over the past 7 years our league campaigns have been sorely poor. Before the 2010/11 season Stoneham had one 2 league games in 6 years! A poor effort really. However, 2010/11 saw some upsets and shocks, winning 4 games and drawing one. A great achievemnet and our best performance for many a season. i will examine the history in the following paragraphs and examine some of the events that led to the poor performances.

Cause:

Stoneham RFC was created in 1979 under the name AC Delco RFC, a works club, a popular club with a nice home ground, Bar etc, however, 7 years ago, the company went into decline and the club was forced out of its home. It precipatated a decline in numbers as the club began their nomadic lifestyle, playing and training where they could for minimal cost. It was once said that Winning was easy, Losing is hard, and after a run of losses the club spiralled into a run of seasons withoput victories, languishing at the bottom of Hampshire 3, a league that no longer exists, the club was invited to leave the league system and enter the merit competition, after a fight they retained their place in the league system but needed numbers! a heavy recruitment drive saw myself among others join the club and begin the rebuilding process, i, myself was terribly unfit, could barely run around the field without collapsing into a big heap, but, i endured, i continued and fought to find my form, i believe that my rise to my best is similar to Stoneham. So, with increasing pressure, loss of players and an environment where the rugby fraternity was laughing at us, the team that hasn't won a game, that often took the field short of players. However, they have survived.

The future:

As Club Captain i have so many aspirations and dreams for this plucky club that has changed my life, Joining Stoneham Rugby has been the best decision of my life, the people that i have met have enriched my life, the rugby i have played has been some of the best i have ever played, it has been challenging, it has been rewarding and sometimes it has been disapointing! But, from the ashes a powerful team will rise, a true story of a phoenix! As a club we have entered into cup competitions for the first time in a while, and although realistically the EDU RFU junior vase may not be a winnable competition i often dream that it is, i have a fantasy of sorts of leading out Stoneham at Twickenham to compete for the trophy, it is not a pipe dream, it could become reality, certainly the more achievable goal of the Gales Hampshire Plate is a very winnable competition. But these are extras, the league campaign is a priority, and i firmly believe that within the club we have the talent, skill and ambition to achieve a high position if not win the thing.

How to win:

In my eyes how do we win the league? simply, learn to be a team, our best efforts last year which ultimately ended in defeat were Lytchett Minster (A) lost 33-5, and Chineham (A) lost 29-21, both these games saw a gargantuan defensive effort, but for 60 mins we defended defended battled, tackled until our shoulders were black, and it was oportunistic scores that sunk us. Those games saw a comeraderie, a determination a passion and a never say die attitude that we need in all our games. There is the strength and depth in the club that we need to be victorious, their is the mix of youth and experince, we just need to bring it together as one team, Stoneham could be the true underdog success story, and i hope these words will act as a rally cry to our boys, with only 6 weeks before the first whistle of the season we need to knuckle down and really work as a team.

It is our time, this season will be one of the greatest for this club, Now is our time, i feel sorry for the teams that will oppose us, they will not know what has hit them, i foresee devastation, i foresee stunned opposition and a club on the rise. Every player in this club has everything they need to succeed, they have the tools and the talent to play the best Rugby in this league! now is the time to rise from the ashes and WIN!!!!

Week 3: Honesty and committment

2011-07-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

Week 3 of the blog, and the 4th week of pre season training. Something that has been on my mind all week is honesty. Those of you who have watched the excellent documentary "Living With Lions" about the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa will remmeber a memorable speech by Jim Telfer, the gruff and abrasive scot who i have personal experience of. He said,

"There are 2 types of players, Honest ones and the rest, the honest player will wake up in the morning and look at himself in the mirror and say i will get better and better and better, he will set his stall and aim to achieve higher."

I have been asking myself all week why i performed so badly at training not being able to complete the assigned drills and participate fully, the answer is, i am knackered, the missing piece of the puzzle dropped into place with the delivery of the latest issue of Rugby world. In which was an article about how to optimise pre-season training and one of the ways is to have a good rest in the off season. I have not done this, as soon as the Union season was completed i moved on to the summer Rugby league season, resulting in a lethargy at training. Honestly, i need to pull my socks up, i need to get my head in the game, i need to be better and better and better! I think if we all had a good look at ourselves we would honestly find that we have lacked in our committment to training.

Which brings me on micely to committment. We have a facebook group for players and club members totalling 65 people, true some are abroad, or retired, but a count of playing memebers reveal that there is 30 players there. yet, last wednesdays training we saw 8 people, one of whom was new and 2 not on facebook, so only 5 players on facebook, where is the other 25, assuming some are on holiday, working or family i would expect at least 10 more people to train. I am of the opinion that comittment at training leads to comittment on the field, right place right time on and off the field, these small things will get positive results come match day. Stoneham has potential, has the talent to do very well, now we need to shake the apathy and commit to a great season.

Rugby union will be in the spotlight come Septemeber, the Rugby World Cup commences. Now is the best time to get involved, everyone will be talking about it and as with all national competitions England Expects! after all in the 21st Century England have not missed a final, winning one of them. Can Johnson manage the team to victory as he led the team to a historic win? we will see, there is no reason why not, they have talent, strength and passion.......hang on, Stoneham have that also, i am not saying we could win the world cup but there is no reason why we should not win something this year!

In summary, all we need is to be honest, committed and get training!

Week 2

2011-06-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

Week 2 of the Stoneham Blog. and has been an eventful week. Confirmation has been received of entry into the RFU EDU Junior Vase competition, just awaiting the preliminary fixture, also entry into the Hampshire RFU Plate competition, as this is the first year in this competition for some time the club has to enter another preliminary round as we are unseeded. I have high hopes for both these competitions, i strongly believe that we have the capability and the talent to make a good run at such competitions.

My thoughts have also wondered to the possibilities open to us in the league, playing in Hampshire 2, which is Level 10, for those that dont know, level 10 means we are 9 leagues away from the Rugby Premiership. The premiership being Level 1, Championship level 2 and so on. So, hypothetically, within a decade this small club in Hampshire could be playing teams such as Harlequins, Leicester Tigers or Bath. But, being a pragmatist that is a long way in the future and the fortunes of war are such that this does not seem realistic. Our Head Coach for this season has devised a game plan and training schedule that will challenge any team in either Hampshire 1 or even the low London leagues, and having played in London South West 3 and 4 i can well believe this. But my thoughts have also turned to some of the clubs i used to play against. namely one side in particular. Jersey RFC, 10 years ago i played against Jersey in Hampshire 1 and in London South West 3, this was a time a young England player was playing for them, a man i am convinced will be at the World Cup in September, Matt Banahan. But this is beside the point, 10 years ago Jersey were where we are now, they are now 2 years from the top flight, they are 2 promotions away from the premiership, they are plying their trade currently in National 1 a level 3 league, i have been impressed by their rise through the ranks and obviously wish my old rivals all the best. I guess my point is, you never know what may happen in the future, i look at all my old rivals, Bournemouth, Trojans, Portsmouth, Havant, Basingstoke, Gosport and Fareham, Guernsey and i think maybe Rugby Union in Hampshire is not as bad as i once thought. It is just difficult as a smaller less well known club to make its way and keep good players. All these clubs have one thing in common, ambition. This is what we need, we need to instil a team spirit of moving forward. For a while now the club has been happy to keep operating and fulfilling fixtures, and when i joined the club 2 seasons ago i fell into this as well, after many poor seasons it was a brilliant achievement and certainly one to be proud of. However, we have impressed with our resilience, we have proved our doubters wrong, now is the time to bang the nail in the coffin and attack with ambition, passion and pride!

What else has been on my mind, well have been upset by the loss of Winger Nick Davies, he unfortunately lost his job, another casualty of the economic climate, and as a result has decided to take a position in Spain, he is leaving immediately and will return in September, i personally feel this is a huge blow for us, as Nick is one of the most committed individuals we have in the club, always at training, always at matches, we are yet to see the full extent of Nick's talent and certainly yet to see what his blistering pace can do on the field, but needs must and we wish him all the very best of luck! I am hoping to welcome some new players to the club this week at training. I am also hoping that soon we can announce some new sponsors to Stoneham RFC while welcoming back some old ones. Post match food has been organised and arranged and we are so pleased that we can announce that our co-operation with the Cricketers Public House will continue into the 2011/12 season.

Finally, something that i have thought for some time, Cross Code co-operation, what do i mean with this, well seeing what we can learn from our cousins in Rugby League. As many of you already know i have been a proponent and tried to encourage players to joining me in playing Rugby League for the Southampton Spitfires RLFC, I personally have learned so very much from playing this type of Rugby, has opened my eyes to the advantages of close support, angles of running and i have personally improved my tackling technique. However, i do have a concern that i have focused on aerobic capacity to ensure i am in defence or in the right place, right time, that i have neglected strength conditioning, i feel that i am not as strong as i used to be and am not improving leg power or upper body strength. Fortunately it is only June/July so have time to remedy this, so time to work on a suplementary strength program to go alongside the Spitfires training and Stoneham training. Wow, wont have any time for anything else. I am determined that this season will be the best yet, as captain i want to lead by example, i want to be a beacon for the entire squad to say, wow, i want to be like him, i want to lead by inspiration, i know that the team respect me as a player, however, i must not allow that knowledge to affect my game, my place in the starting XV is not guaranteed and if i do not perform, if i am not fit enough, or if there is someone playing better Rugby than me i will drop myself. So, there is something for everyone to play for, there is always something to compete for whether it be for a place in the starting XV or whether it be in the league or the cup. This season needs ambition!

New Blog for all things Stoneham Rugby

2011-06-22T04:49:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the Stoneham RFC blog, my chance to vent, rant weekly on all things rugby and also offer another platform to get the good word out about our club. So we are in to June and, my captaincy is 1 month old. so far things are going well, at least i think they are, attendance at training has been good, our new coach is developing new stratagies and new game plans for us to work to. and so far the team has taken to it well. but some things are playing on my mind. The season seems so far away and yet in relative terms it really is not, we are almost to July giving us 8 weeks until our first match. the things on my mind are these:

Sponsorship:

So far we have no sponsor, we have no external money coming in of any kind, at this rate we will be recycling last years shirts for this year and to me that is unacceptable. I am trying to create a professional atmosphere within the club, i want Stoneham to share the success that in my years of playing rugby i have done, i have been involved in league winning clubs, clubs who have won cups, clubs that strived for the victory. I want Stoneham to feel like that share the elation one gets when your team, your friends do well! Part of that is to look like a team, look like the you belong on the paddock. But we need someone to come along to inject the much needed cash into the club in order to do this. Times are tough, i know this, the club knows this, but is it really that tough. The benefits surely outweigh the costs.

Stoneham runs as a purely voluntary club, without those who work tirelessly to keep the club running we would have folded as a club years ago. But we show the determination off the field we do on it! Stoneham have shown a determined spirit on the field, the likes of which i have never seen before, we just need the backing to maintain the club and keep us going forward.

Recruitment:

Pre-season, a time to reassess, a time to evaluate what worked last season and what didn't, a time to remedy and improve. But, can a club do this with the players it has, i look around at local clubs that have basked in glory and the deeper i look the more i see how they won leagues, cups and play-offs. One such club who gained promotion did so by recruitment, at the end of 2009/2010 season the club the club scouted discontented players from bigger clubs and essentially hand picked a team through incentives. This is indicative of amateur Rugby in the south, the big clubs snap up the talent and attempt to buy promotion, its all about glory, it is all about trying to get the strongest squad, even if that means many players sitting on the fringes and not getting regular game time, why do they stay? because the promise that they might get into the first team. I am of the opinion that game time makes players better, not watching as someone else takes your shirt.

So where does that leave a club like Stoneham? well, it leaves us with a core of players , glaring gaps in some positions and all because larger more successful clubs are hogging players starving the rest of the smaller clubs from potential players. what can be done? maybe it is time for some pro-active action, i have a plan to help recruit! further details on the plan in a future blog!

Training and Fitness:

Any club goes through a period where fitness is an issue. Usually it is the time spent from the end of the season to the start of pre season where fitness drops off. This is the same for any club, although, we did start last season very strongly and our fitness was above the teams that we played, leading to some very good wins. However, they soon caught up and overtook us. Last season after christmas and towards the end of the season our fitness dropped off dramatically and after a satisfying 49-13 win at home we failed to win a single league game from January to April, we did draw one, but still not a single victory. Some fantastic performances and some fantastic games, but the big W was elusive. the drop off in winning was coincided to a drop off in training.

I am determined that this will not happen again! we have a new coach and with him, new ideas, he has a clear idea of how to progress and has a style that will keep people interested. Our coach has an ethic that if training is fresh, interesting and not repetitive people will attend. This is where i went wrong last year, i attempted incorporate fitness, ball skills and neglect game plan, we lost direction. We started to repeat over and over the same drills. This season will be different. we have direction, we have purpose and we have a plan!

As for fitness, well we have a long way to go, we have a great deal of work to do in order to bring everyone up to the same level. I have instigated a separate and specific session designed to improve ball handling, strength and speed to work alongside the main training session. The first session had 5 people attend and was very intense with a high work rate. Hopefully more will attend and hopefully this will help when September comes.

Conclusions:

So here it is the first in the Captains Blog. my thoughts, concerns and areas of attention. This is designed to be a record for those within the club, but maybe it will help other players and clubs to look at it and say, yes we have that problem, or hey they sound like a good club to play for, you never know the effects of blogs, help or detriment, your comments welcomed!