In this Issue
- Old Albanians vs Westcliff
- President's Welcome
- This Week's Team Sheet
- Recent Results & Upcoming Matches
- MATCH REPORT - 1st XV vs Redruth
- 2019/20 Photo Gallery
Old Albanians vs Westcliff
Saturday 7th March 2020
Westcliff Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Eastwood, a suburb of Southend-on-Sea in Essex. The club runs four senior teams and the full range of junior teams.
The men's 1st XV currently play in National League 2 South, at the fourth tier of the English rugby union system, following their promotion via the play-offs from London & South East Premier at the end of the 2018–19 season.
The club was formed in 1823 as Old Westcliffians Rugby Football Club for ex-pupils of Westcliff High School and took the current name of Westcliff Rugby Club in the 1990s.
President's Welcome
A very warm welcome to you all today to Woollams, the home of OA Rugby, in particular the team, officials, management, friends & supporters of Westcliff RFC on their first visit to our club.
Westcliff were promoted via the playoffs last season and lie 9 points above the relegation zone in 13th place with 5 wins & 1 draw so far this term. Last week Westcliff secured an excellent bonus point against current table-toppers, Tonbridge Juddians, eventually losing by two tries to three 12-19.
When our two 1st XV Teams met earlier in the season at The Gables, Cherry Orchard Way, we just shaded a very tight game 19-17.
This afternoon’s game should be another exciting affair with two attack-minded sides, so let’s hope it is played in the best possible rugby spirit free from any serious injury.
In addition to welcoming Westcliff & their entourage this afternoon, I also warmly welcome to our St Albans Business pre-match lunch Councillor Janet Smith, the right Worshipful The Mayor of the City & District of St Albans & Alastair Woodgate, President of the Chamber of Commerce, along with many of our sponsors, benefactors, supporters, friends & guests.
Huge thanks go to Sam Firth-Bernard & Hayley Reid of DBD Distribution who are generously sponsoring today’s match & match ball.
Also our grateful thanks to our U10s who are providing today’s ball boys. Thank you, lads.
As a “curtain-raiser” to our National League 2 South League game we are also hosting Westcliff’s U14s who will lock horns, out on our 1st XV pitch, with our U14s, coached by our club captain, Kim Watson.
An interesting dilemma for Westcliff’s President, John Pacey, as his Nephew is playing in this “Our Stars of Tomorrow” game, for us !
Also this afternoon here at Woollams, our Romans, generously sponsored by Peter Blake-Turner, take on their counterparts from Maidenhead, with our Grizzlies, generously sponsored by Peter Buttle of Buttle plc, meeting with their counterparts from Pinner & Grammarians
Our GLADIATORS, sponsored by R & R Enterprises, appear to have a weekend of “rugby rest”!
Our glorious SAINTS 1st XV, generously sponsored by IHS Markit, who became Champions of the RFU Women’s Championship South 1 (the third tier of English Women’s Rugby) on 9 February, also have a rest this weekend having won both of their stupid RFU insisted !) play-off games so far. Their next (stupid RFU insisted !) play-off game is at Woollams next Sunday 15 March kick-off 2:30pm against West Park Leeds.
However our SAINTS 2nd XV/Development Squad take on the Ladies from Chestnut tomorrow here at Woollams, kick-off 2:30pm.
Our COLTS are into the Quarter-Finals of the National Under 18 Cup & will play away either Sevenoaks or London Irish Amateur on 14th/15th March.
Also tomorrow here at Woollams, from 10:00am on will see many of our Minis & Juniors “on parade” including our U13s, U15s, U16s U17s & U18s who take on their counterparts from Harrow, Datchworth, Reading Abbey, Bishop’s Stortford & Teddington.
Do please return to Woollams tomorrow and watch our Minis & Juniors, our stars of the future, from 10am on ... you will not be disappointed!
I wish you all a most enjoyable experience here at Woollams, the home of OA Rugby.
Coaches Corner - Nick Stevens
The team have shown some real character over the past few weeks. Coming up against some of the top teams in Nat 2 they have shown they have got the ability to compete with anyone at this level. During this period, our focus has been about our performance and developing as a group. Something the squad have responded to well.
We now move into the final leg of the season and we have challenged the players to turn these committed performances they have shown into results.
As the defence coach I am particularly excited to see what this group can achieve over these next few weeks. There is a ruthless attitude amongst the players towards defence that has made them a pleasure to work with.
This week Westcliff will present a physical challenge, one that the boys are excited to face, especially in front of a Woollams home crowd.
Match Report vs Redruth
Redruth 21 - Old Albanians 12
There are all sorts of comparisons and statistics one can draw from this encounter which took place despite the unwelcome attentions of storm Jorge. An eight point losing margin was just one greater than that required for an OA bonus point, something the Woollams crowd have been taking for granted just recently.
Two tries each, the second of which for the hosts (a penalty try) gave them the lead for the first time in the match, thirteen short minutes from time.
The OA tight scrum, up against a much vaunted, worldlier eight for the umpteenth time this year, provided a tour de force certainly for the first hour. The lineout in these conditions was prodigious!
The defence stuck manfully to the guns all afternoon as a nervous Redruth crowd conceded later.
Fully half the travellers were 23 or younger and one of the locks is a serving Colt!
So, given the above, nobody was too distressed in coming within eight points of a fully functioning Cornish outfit, hellfire Corner and all. With even a moderate rub of the green League points would have been added to the season’s score.
No matter. Next weekend Westcliff pay their first visit to St Albans. They have fought themselves out of the relegation zone since we met late last year and will be intent on improving their season still further. All hands will be required at the pump! Kickoff 15.00hrs.
Once more with a gradual buildup A’s gathered momentum and territorial advantage, scrum power getting ever more evident. The penalty try awarded just before the hour mark was just reward for the effort expended.
Suffice it to say that Butler’s conversion of scrum half Calder’s try and his monumental 55 metre penalty took his side to within shouting distance of the TJ total. That winning score just eluded Albanians and yet another meagre two point loss to a top flight outfit resulted. This means OAs meet Leicester Lions next week in the rearranged fixture with no fear and definitely much confidence.
Brian Quinn, Press
2019/20 Photo Gallery
Club Handbook 2019/20
We're excited to announce that our Club Handbook is now in digital form and can be found at
Old Albanian RFC
Founded in 1924, Old Albanian RFC is an English Rugby Union Club playing in National League Two South for the 2018/19 season. We are a fully open and inclusive community club based at Woollams, the club’s home ground in St Albans, Hertfordshire offering some of the best playing and social facilities in the UK.
The senior club runs four men’s teams and an Adult Ladies side all playing in competitive leagues, in 2018 the club also launched an Academy for 17 to 23 year olds.
The junior club is one of of the largest and most successful Mini’s & Junior’s sections in the country with nearly 1,000 members playing week in week out between Under 5 and Under 18s, including a growing Girls section operating at 3 age groups; Under 13, Under 15 and Under 18.
Find Us Online
- Website - www.oarugby.com
- Instagram - @oldalbanianrfc
- Twitter - @old_albanianrfc
- Facebook - @oldalbanianrfc