PROGRAMME £1 MatchProud Sponsor supporters of Canterbury Rugby Club National League 2 South www.burgesshodgson.co.uk 01227 454627 Saturday 17th November 2018 [email protected] v LONDON IRISH WILD GEESE Camburgh House, Canterbury Canterbury, Kent CT1 3DN The Birthday Travelling Well Front Row Authors Boys Principal Sponsor cantrugby.co.uk Programme produced by Hayward Design & Print A MESSAGE FROM 01227 721864 • www.hayward-design.co.uk THE PRESIDENT Proud to sponsor Canterbury Rugby Club A warm welcome today to our the promise of a seamless However, we keep evolving with friends from London Irish. They transition, and many clubs did new challenges and opportunities are not having the best of seasons fall by the wayside or split in the both on and off the pitch. The so far but past experience has new professional era. Canterbury possibility of moving the club to a shown that it would be entirely adapted, setting out on a path new purpose-built development wrong to underestimate them. Off that embraced both semi- at Highland Court is one such the field, their hospitality is always professionalism and community prospect, something we will all Premiership class so we hope to rugby and that progress is still have a keen interest in over the reciprocate this afternoon. evolving today. It has been this next few months. ability to adapt and retain the This is my third year as president game’s core values that has None of this, of course, would and it is good to see our teams at underpinned so much of our have been possible without the all levels enjoying some success. success in providing National hard work and dedication of our I have been reflecting on the League and social rugby and committee, volunteers and, not changes, both on and off the field expanding into Wheelchair, Touch least, our enthusiastic sponsors. that I have seen over the years and Women’s teams along with a All, including our loyal supporters, in my association with the club. vibrant Youth and Mini section. have played their part in making The greatest of these, although this a very special club. I will it seems almost a lifetime ago, I am sure our founding always be proud to be a member. has been the move from amateur forefathers would be proud of the to professional status and the achievements we see today with John Scurr, President introduction of the leagues. Canterbury’s prominent status Canterbury RFC Many of us were sceptical as both in Kent rugby and promoting the old order changed, despite the game in the wider community. Our match sponsor today is a Canterbury-based business with the ProudMatch Sponsor supporters of Canterburyskills and expertise Rugby to rival Clubany other accountancy firm in the UK. Founded in London in 1938 Burgess Hodgson moved to Canterbury www.burgesshodgson.co.uk42 years ago and now has 18 partners and over 120 staff. It has a 01227 454627portfolio of clients across the UK including many from its original base in London. With an excellent reputation for delivering high levels of info@burgesshodgsonexpertise and client-focused.co.uk service, the firm combines the values of a Camburghfocused House local, Canterbury business with the first-class capabilities and excellence of a London-based firm. Canterbury, Kent CT1 3DN We thank them for their support today and also that of our match ball www.burgesshodgson.co.uk sponsors, The Wow Factory and B & M. CANTERBURY TALES TRAVELLING WELL It is four weeks and three kit to the Channel Islands it games since we last played was a great result. A dodgy here at the Marine Travel landing at Guernsey Airport Ground. To win all those did nothing for pre-match matches and in the process nerves and we were never at accumulate nineteen points our best against a side that set from a possible twenty has out to stop us playing in our been an outstanding effort usual style. However, we got from the squad. Victories on the points, the flights were on the road are always difficult time and the duty free offers on and the trips to Birmingham the aircraft were good for gin and Guernsey were steps into drinkers. the unknown as we had never met either club in the past. November now presents us Although both those sides are with challenges of a different currently near the bottom end kind. We start today with of the league table, they have London Irish, one of the most been competitive in nearly all unpredictable sides who can their matches so we needed to turn on the brilliance. Then be up for the fight. comes a trip to Henley, who have shot up the league table Guernsey proved to be the to second place, followed by toughest challenge, both on last season’s Division One and off the field. We missed relegated club, Old Albanians, out on a bonus point and only the only side to have beaten edged the victory in the closing leaders Rams. The pressure minutes but given the logistical never goes away. challenges of getting 20 players and all the necessary BIRTHDAY BOYS Two men who, in their different roles, have been the backbone ANDY’S VIEW of this club celebrated milestone birthdays recently. Chairman It’s good to be back at the Marine Giles Hilton hit the 60 mark last Travel Ground after nearly a month while the Zingari team’s month away. The last few weeks skipper, Colin Scurr, has reached have been positive on the field his half century. Giles, now in with a fine performance at his second spell as chairman, Birmingham with five points on has a dual responsibility as the road on our first visit to the Commercial Manager and his ‘Bees’. Injuries, fatigue and a well drive and business acumen have organised defence contributed to been pivotal to our progress. a very close contest at Guernsey. Colin’s remarkable record Considering we were at the end as a captain of club sides is of our longest consecutive run of unsurpassed. He led the 3rds for games which included our four two years, the 4ths for nine years longest trips I was delighted with and has currently captained the the second half spirit that drove Zingari for seven seasons. If he us over the line at the end. retains the captaincy of Zingari this year it will make a total of The Pilgrims showed similar 19 continuous years at various spirit in the second half rain levels. Both birthday parties against Sidcup in the Kent Cup lived up to rugby’s best liquid on Friday night. We were hoping traditions. some of our more experienced players returning from injury would be available for this tie but it proved to be too soon FRONT ROW AUTHORS for all of them. Max Ganderton, a former Canterbury player Two former Canterbury players, I had read somewhere that the and now experienced sports Mike Inkster and Nick ‘Brindle’ famous American General, George physiotherapist, has joined Brown, both front row forwards, Patton, believed that he was a the team to oversee players’ have co-authored a work of reincarnated soldier who kept return from injury once treated historical fiction. ‘A Soldier’s coming back generation after by the healing hands of Charlie Gene’ traces one family and eight generation. Having your family’s Bannigan. I’m delighted to see battles spread over a period of 850 genes passed down through him back and am sure he’ll have years. Available in Kindle format the generations would seem far a really positive influence within or paperback from Amazon, it more likely and plausible than his the team. is already drawing favourable assertion that he was the same reviews as history seen in a soldier reincarnated endlessly, so Also coming on board is Jack different light. that’s what we went with.” Green our club 400 metre Olympian. Jack will be helping Mike says: “Brindle and I used to Looks like that old joke about the out the lads on match days have long Sunday morning walks pack of forwards where the back offering his unique insights into in the days before he deserted us row could read, the second row preparing physically and mentally to the colonies (Florida). We found could write and the front row knew to perform. He’ll also get the we had a shared love of military somebody who could do both will water on quicker than anyone history and I suggested that we have to be re-thought. else in the league. A big welcome put our combined knowledge to our friends from Wild Geese. together and write a book. After we Find ‘A Soldier’s Gene’ on Enjoy the match. both stopped laughing we started Amazon.co.uk to consider the idea as not quite Andy Pratt, Head of Rugby so far-fetched and ‘The Soldier’s Gene’ is the result. th IT’S BEER PROOF SOCIAL MEDIA The fashion world comes to Canterbury. The club is launching a superb new sports jacket (pictured) for the discerning dresser, which of course means you. The jacket is available in three lengths – short, regular or long – and will cost £140. Try buying a quality jacket anywhere for that price and be Canterbury RFC prepared to faint. @CantRugby If you would like Ollie Best is organising a great initiative to order please and supporting Noggin, a mental health contact Greg charity, by taking orders for Canterbury Mayne with your Rugby branded Beanie Hats. name, contact details and chest size (in inches).