Hertfordshire RFU sponsored by 7766 About erts Winter Edition 2017-18 hertsrugby.co.uk Congratulations to the Three Herts Ladies COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP THE BILL BEAUMONT CUP CHAMPIONS 2012 UNDER 20’S THE JASON LEONARD TROPHY CHAMPIONS 2012 COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP THE BILL BEAUMONT CUP FINALISTS 2011 COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD FINALISTS 2009 COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD CHAMPIONS 2005 Hertfordshire Rugby Football Union Hertfordshire Rugby Football Schools’ Union Hertfordshire Society of Rugby Football Union Referees Welwyn Trio impress for England 7766 Congratulations to the three ex-Welwyn players who represented England recently in the 49-12 win over Canada which took the Red Roses to 2-0 in the 3 match series. Hannah Botterman and Zoe Harrison were both playing in just their second match having made their debut in the first game against Canada. Lottie continued her representative run with her 11th cap. On a great night for the girls, Hannah scored her debut try with Zoe scoring a conversion for a later try. Lottie unfortunately sustained a head injury during the game which needed nine stitches. The photo on the front cover shows the three girls post-match (from left to right) Zoe Harrison, Charlotte Clapp and Hannah Botterman. Hemel Hempstead Golfers 7766 Wooden Spoon Charity National Rugby Club Golf Challenge Henley Golf Club Wednesday 20th September 2017 On Wednesday 20th September a team from HHRUFC along with 19 other Rugby Club Golf teams from around Southern England and the Midlands helped to raise £2,500 for the Wooden Spoon charity for disadvantaged children The team from HHRUFC comprised of, Jon Clapham, Chris Lovesay, Jim Temperley Snr & Jim Temperley Jnr gave a good team performance aided by an outstanding individual performance from Jim Temperley Jnr. After many years of entering the competition the team triumphed finishing first by just two points. Each member won a new golf bag and for the rugby club a very large wooden spoon to hang behind the bar for the next 12 months. Yes, a wooden spoon for coming first ! 7766 For up to date information, fixtures and results visit: www.hertsrugby.co.uk Welwyn Trio impress for England Herts Referee Success 7766 As the Hertfordshire Referees Society moves toward it 60th season it is arguably having one of its most successful periods, with no less than 6 referees on the National Referee Panel. In addition to long standing members of the Panel, Phil Davies (Hertford) and James Clarke three young home-grown referees have recently been promoted to the Panel: Anthony Woodthorpe (Harpenden), who joined the Society in 2011 as a schoolboy starting at level 13. Regular promotion swiftly saw him refereeing at Level 5 (London & SE Premier) by August 2014 and then on the National Panel in August 2015. This season Anthony has refereed in the Championship and Anglo Welsh Cup and is regularly Hemel Hempstead Golfers seen on TV as AR in the Premiership. George Selwood (Fullerians) who also joined the Society in 2011 starting at Level 13. He rapidly reached Level 5 by December 2014 and was then promoted to the National Panel at the start of the 2016-17 season. This season George has refereed regularly in National 2 North and has also made an appearance in the middle in Glasgow in the Scottish Premiership and at Twickenham as AR in the Varsity match. Jack Sutton also joined the Society in 2011, starting at level 13 and reaching Level 5 by August2014. He was promoted to the National Panel at the beginning of December and this season's highlights include a trip to Redruth 2 days before Christmas. In addition, Richard Haughton, ex Saracens, Wasps, Perpignan and England 7s star, joined the Herts Society in 2014 when he retired from playing, deservedly benefitting from the RFU policy of fast tracking ex professional players into refereeing. He hit Level 5 in Sept 2016 and is now a regular feature in the National Leagues and the World 7s series competition. The Society also has three members on the RFU’s AR (Touch Judge to the older brethren) Panel. Bob Carnel (Old Albanian) and Matt Shepherd (Chess Valley) have been joined by Andrew Jackson, who joined the Society in March 2013 after a promising playing career with the Worcester Academy was cut short by injury. Andrew rose quickly to level 7 as a referee before joining Panel in September 2016. He now features regularly as AR in National 2 and National 1. A sad day for Hertford and Hertfordshire Rugby 7766 I have the very sad duty of informing our members, and the wider Rugby community, of the passing of Vera Hodges. She had not been well for some time and finally succumbed to pneumonia. Whilst it’s rude to tell the age of a lady I’m she would not mind me saying she was into her 10th decade and until the last couple of years, very sprightly with it. A native of Newark, Vera moved to Herts in 1950 with her new husband Bill. As many will know Bill played for Hertford and Hertfordshire and also became president of both and in 1970 became the County representative on the RFU. Although she had a husband with an impressive Rugby pedigree she was certainly not in his shadow,(Rugby wise.) When Bill was Herts Team Sec. Vera acted as, and was for a time officially, his assistant. The standing joke at the time was that if you wanted selection for County, it was Vera that you needed to impress. ………..The power behind the throne! What Vera did have was an insightful knowledge of our game. Nuances missed or not understood by some who had participated in the game for years were obvious observations to her and in recent years she has ‘discussed’ with me where we are going wrong (and right) and what needed to happen for the benefit of both Club and Country. In giving you her opinion it’s safe to say she took no prisoners! But Vera was not all talk. Back in the 70’s, when clubs were run on far tighter budgets, Vera would galvanise and organise a her dedicated band of tea ladies and girls every week and for the annual VP’s lunch would present a lavish feast for all. Rugby was a huge part of her life and she was, for decades, a huge part of the life of Hertford RFC. An Honorary Life Vice President since 1985, Vera really was the Matriarch of Hertford RFC and will be sorely missed as we all enjoy the legacy that she and hers helped establish. Vera, enjoy your peace and thank you from your Rugby Family. Ged Murphy, Director of Club Rugby, Hertford RFC. A sad day for Hertford and Hertfordshire Rugby Fred Cox 7766 Fred Cox, former mine host of The White Hart, Welwyn and former player at Welwyn passed way at the beginning of December after a long illness. Fred was a second row forward of the old-school who you were much happier playing alongside rather than for the opposition. After playing senior rugby for Met Police and Northampton, he finished his career with Welwyn where he was a larger than life character. After service in the Grenadier Guards and the Met Police, Fred turned his hand to the pub trade and he was landlord of The White Hart for some38 years until his retirement in 2004. As well as being Welwyn rugby club’s other “club house” for many years the pub was the venue for Hertfordshire RFU Executive meeting and for the 3Ps Sub Committee during the 80s and 90s. In his later years, Fred bred several shire horses, some of which pulled the McMullen’s dray at special events and he was often to be seen behind the bar polishing horse brasses ready for the next show. Fred is sorely missed by Welwyn and the wider rugby community. We extend our sympathy to all concerned and especially his sons Austen and Spencer. Herts Rugby Round up, end of 2017. 7766 Bishops’s Stortford continue their good form and at the time of writing, sit in 6th place in National One, this proudly puts them in the top 30 sides in the Country and after promotion last season, they have captured the imagination of the whole town. In the 2017 calendar year they played 33, won 24 and have drawn 1, the total home attendances for the year were almost 11,000, with a weekly matchday attendance of well over 650. Against some old, traditional, big clubs, the improved standards achieved by the second team has been crucial and after many injuries to key players, the strength in depth of the squad has been tested, a test it has passed with flying colours. Stortford finished the year with a convincing win over Old Elthamians, trailing 7-13 early in the second half they ran out 34-20 victors to complete the double over their opponents from Kent. Old Albanians hoped to have turned the corner with a stirring draw against high flying Ampthill, down 20-6 at one point they rallied to draw 35-35 and earn three valuable league points. They will hope this is the start of their climb up the table and away from the relegation zone. In London & South East Premier league, Hertford sit in second place, a point behind leaders Guernsey, but, they have a game in hand and remain hopeful of an automatic promotion place. Hot on their heels are Tring in third place, Hertford narrowly edged the first encounter by a couple of points, before their away game at Tring they face a trip to fourth placed Barnes and a home fixture to Guernsey in early January.