Tunbridge Wells RFC 1ST XV’s major sponsor AXA-PPP Healthcare have agreed to continue this arrangement for the next four seasons for which the club is very grateful and welcome this long term commitment. We look forward to working with them and trust that all their staff will enjoy the move to International House at the old land registry site.
Our first team will play in RFU League London 2 South East at RFU level 7, our second team in Kent Invicta League 1 run by Kent County RFU and our third and fourth fifteens who play in current leagues, Mid Kent A and B respectively. Our Veterans side play annually in the Evergreen Cup and also play in Veterans Tournaments as well as playing some friendly fixtures. They will be taking part in Ashford’s Vets tournament on Saturday 3rd September this season.
Training begins on Tuesday 28th June and continues every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 30pm at our St Marks Ground from then until the end of the season in mid April 2012. A pre season warm up game has been organized against Maidstone RFC on the 3RD September and we have drawn Beckenham RFC in the first round of the Shepherd Neame Kent Cup which will be played at St Marks on Saturday 27th August with a 3 00pm KO. Our league campaign will open on the 10TH September when our opponents are Lewes RFC KO 3 00pm at the Sussex club.
We follow this with a local derby away to Sevenoaks on the 17th September 3 00pm at the Knole Paddock and then have our first home game at St Marks on Saturday September 17th when we meet Brighton again a 3 00pm KO.
Our coaching and training will be managed by Head coach Jim Scully who did a remarkable job along with the rest of his team to keep the side motivated in a very challenging London 1 South last season. He will be assisted by Paul Miles and Maverick Anderson as conditioning coach. Ex club player and England and lions Captain Martin Corry will continue to be involved in a Consultancy role and in the coaching area. All of the playing aspects in the club will be coordinated by Jimmy Hendley as Chairman of the Playing Committee
The Club currently have four pitches on a ground of some 23 acres, perched on top of a Wealden Ridge overlooking Frant in Sussex, and despite being a member of the Kent County RFU the Kent Sussex border runs through the middle of the 1st XV pitch with two of our pitches also being entirely in Sussex!
The club have a two storey brick built clubhouse and this was enhanced at the beginning of the 2010/11 season with a doubling of the groundfloor area with new changing and showering facilities, treatment room, official’s facilities, gym and storage. This has been achieved in large part through the provision of a grant from the Rugby Football Union for which the Club is extremely grateful. In addition we hope within the next two years to add to our existing bar, catering facilities, and Conference facilities on the first floor as well as see the installation of a lift for disabled access.
The “Wells” also possess a floodlit training area as well as available Sports Hall facilities and access to athletics training facilities off site. In addition an overflow pitch has been provided in case of poor weather to extend the available area to our substantial Youth section. This looks ready to be utilized when required for the first time in 2011/12.
Four thriving age ranges operate within the Tunbridge Wells RFC umbrella and include a Veteran’s over 35 team which plays in the Evergreen Cup, four Senior sides which play in the Leagues mentioned above from 18 years of age upwards, Juniors 13-18, and a Mini Midi section for those from 5 to 12 years of age. In 2010/11 over 380 young people were registered with the club. We also currently offer a link for those below the age of five with the Tunbridge Wells section of the Rugger Bugs which meet every Saturday during the season at the Skinners Kent Academy (formerly Tunbridge Wells High School) and caters for children from 18 months to 5 years.
We therefore warmly welcome players of all ages and standards, social members, supporters and visitors at St Marks throughout the season, and look forward to meeting you there.
On an historical note the club has produced some 10 Internationals in it’s 79 year history including 2 at Senior level in Colin Smart, Newport and England and Martin Corry Leicester and England and in Martin’s case of course a Captain of England, Captain of the Barbarians and a Lion. Martin retired from the playing side of the game in May 2009 but remains a great club friend being our Guest Speaker at the Club Awards Dinner in May of this year and also part of the expertise available to our Coaching team.
Our latest player to achieve International status is Luke Baldwin who represented the England Counties XV this season, having played on loan from Saracens RFC to Blackheath FC and last played for the Wells 1st XV in 2007/08. JJ Redman a current junior member has also achieved representative status in the being part of the Saracens Development Squad for his age group and also being selected for the England National Elite Academy. Toby May who played as a youth here and as a student moved on to Westcombe Park last season and represented Kent against Cornwall in the county Championships and was shortlisted for the England Counties Tour to Spain.
Steve Webb also joins the executive this year to take over the reins as commercial Manager. Steve took over from David Kenway who was for five years Sponsorship Manager, and Malcolm Greenslade who for even longer has organized our handbook advertising and our Club awards night. Expect some great new ideas from Steve as he strives to increase our commercial income and make the Club more genuinely marketable.
Rugby is not, however, all about the elite elements important as that is and we look forward at the Wells to welcoming all those who enjoy good company, social rugby, good food and drink, touring, good humour, relaxation and friendship which are all to be found in good measure. This season is no exception in seeing our thriving Vice President’s section under Alan Skinner organize the normal range of Curry lunches, Mini Beer Festivals, Wine Tastings, Ladies Day as well as the traditional Beacon, Royal Wells Inn and Spa Hotel lunches.
Steve Daly begins his second year as the Chairman of the Social Committee and is looking for some volunteers to Chair. He has a great Social Programme lined up including the first Clubhouse Fundraising event on the 11th September when live Groups, Guinness record Breaking, Barbecue, Indian food and the Annual Anthony Clarke memorial 20/20 game between the rugby and Cricket Clubs will be staged.
Simon Parsons and a range of Vice presidents will continue to welcome you to the bar on a Saturday with one of the best ranges of Real Ales in Kent or Sussex as well as lagers, ciders, wines and a range of soft drinks, which are also available on Sunday lunchtimes through Graham Withers the chairman of youth and Tim McCabe the Chairman of the Mini Midi Section and their rota teams as they entertain opponents and the parents/relatives of the Minis and Juniors that play under Tunbridge Wells colours every Sunday.
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