OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF EALING TRAILFINDERS | CHRISTMAS 2019 TRAILFINDERSEALING TIMES festive special! EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM 1 EDITOR’S welcome 4 6 Oli Shapley WELCOME TO THE FESTIVE SPECIAL EDITION OF ‘EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES’, OUR QUARTERLY MAGAZINE WHICH WILL INFORM YOU OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT THE CLUB SO FAR THIS SEASON. 2019 has absolutely flown by and as we head towards 2020 The festive rides will be in operation and there is a chance to there is an enormous amount of excitement for what is ahead, in meet Father Christmas before kick off as well as some new what we hope will be another successful year for the club. additions to make it even more exciting. Reindeer Rodeo, Snow Globes, a Christmas Land Train and plenty more will ensure that The Autumn edition previewed the campaign which began at 20 24 children will have a fantastic time, and remember they can attend Bedford Blues in mid September, and it’s fair to say it has been an for free, making it a very affordable festive day out! Sky Sports action packed start to the season. will be covering the match as well so it promises to be a brilliant Three wins in a row put us top of the pool in our defence of the occasion just four sleeps from the big day. Championship Cup, and then the league began in October with The Trailfinders Rugby Academy is growing in to what we believe six back-to-back games. Four wins, a draw and a defeat mean we is the best rugby education programme in the country, and inside are currently second in the table with a huge amount to play for the magazine there are a number of features to demonstrate how in the push for promotion. 18 it has been making huge strides forward. Some of the rugby so far has been fantastic to watch and with I’d like to thank everyone who attended and supported our Gala plenty of our new signings now fully settled, I’m sure supporters Dinner in aid of Ben Pearson on the eve of the Rugby World Cup. are as excited as I am to see the team grow in the next few It was a fantastic evening and we raised a brilliant sum of money months. for Ben who has become a great character around the club, so we In the magazine there is a feature interview with Attack Coach hope that gave him a boost as he continues to recover. Richard Wigglesworth who discusses how he is combining The World Cup was memorable for so many reasons and I’m his playing career at Saracens and his coaching role at Ealing sure England’s journey to the final made plenty of people want Trailfinders. The Premiership’s record appearance holder has to attend live rugby. There is a voucher inside which will get you an enormous amount of experience to hand down from the a discounted ticket for one of our matches this season, so we’d touchline and it’s brilliant to have someone with so much success encourage you to head along to Trailfinders Sports Club to see around the club. what we can offer! Danny Harlow, our new Community Manager who joined in the Finally I hope you enjoy the magazine, have a great Christmas and summer talks through his plans to grow our visibility in the a Happy New Year from everyone at Ealing Trailfinders, I’ll see you local area. Off the pitch it’s our biggest task to get more people on match days for what could be the biggest six months in the through the gate on a match day and Danny is a great part of history of the club! that. On a more festive note, Jordy Reid and Dave McKern talk through what a traditional Christmas Day is like in their native Australia. A barbecue on the beach isn’t exactly what’re used to over here, so in typically entertaining fashion the pair were on good form reminiscing some great stories. Winter Wonderland is back on Saturday 21st December and it’s going to be even bigger than last year which we can’t wait for. Not only is it first against second on the pitch as we face Newcastle Falcons, but there will be a huge Christmas party for all ages to OLI.SHAPLEYETPRM.COM enjoy. CONTENTSEALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM 2 3 I’M LOVING COACHING HERE. EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING, THE PLAYERS AND THE STAFF HAVE BEEN BRILLIANT. interview Richard Wigglesworth RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH HAS ONE OF THE GREATEST CV’S IN ENGLISH RUGBY, AND THE MOST CAPPED PREMIERSHIP PLAYER OF ALL TIME HAS NOW SET HIS SIGHTS ON ACHIEVING PROMOTION WITH EALING TRAILFINDERS AS ATTACK COACH. The 36-year-old has been at the forefront of Saracens’ success in recent years and as he enters the latter stages of his career, Wigglesworth has an exciting new I LOVE THE challenge in West London. a player as you see the game from both He is now a key member of the coaching points of view and you appreciate how GAME AND team at Ealing Trailfinders, a role that he much work goes in behind the scenes. is thoroughly enjoying as he makes the I’m concentrating so much on what I have transition from the pitch to the office. to do as a coach that you don’t really have praise for his colleagues. AFTER “I’m loving coaching here. Everyone has time to think about Saracens when I’m here. I think because I’m still playing I have been very welcoming, the players and staff with the most Premiership appearances “Obviously it would have been amazing to the best of both worlds, so I guess that have been brilliant. The club are in a great ever and along the way he has been be a part of it but I was massively proud PLAYING may change when I finish.” place to kick on and it’s massively exciting coached by some of the best in the watching them. Having seen the work they to be a part of that. business, something he hopes will stand Despite still playing with Saracens, his put in to get there they deserved to go so FOR SO LONG far and even though the final will be seen Glen (Townson) went to the same school him in good stead moving forward. coaching experience already includes international honours. Wigglesworth, who as a disappointment they were incredible as my brother so I already knew him “For sure it’s helped and I’ve been very has 33 caps for England played in the 2011 throughout the tournament.” IT’S HARD from a while back, and I’ve really enjoyed fortunate to learn from them whilst and 2015 World Cups, but he also attended getting to know everyone here. The picking up bits throughout my career. I’ve After winning honours throughout his the recent global tournament in Japan in a coaches all get on really well and they’re tried to remember as much as possible but career success has never been far away for TO IMAGINE coaching capacity with Canada. all incredibly driven to get success.” at the same time I want to be authentic the scrum-half, but he says silverware is not his only motivation. In the early stages of the 2018/19 season and the best version of myself that I can “Working with Canada was a brilliant WHAT I’D DO a coaching change meant that Director be. experience. It was a massive challenge “Those days are brilliant of course but that being drawn in the group against such of Rugby Ben Ward was looking for a new It was always my long term goal to be a joy is short lived. For me the best bit is the strong opposition such as New Zealand addition to his team, and Wigglesworth coach. I love the game and after playing day to day interaction with people and the WITHOUT and South Africa but I really enjoyed it and jumped at the chance to join the Green for so long it’s hard to imagine what I’d relationships that you build. and Whites. learnt a huge amount. RUGBY SO THIS do without rugby so this opportunity is There’s only one team that can win a “I’ve always wanted to coach and it had fantastic for me.” One of my first coaches at Sale was trophy so at the end of a season there are Kingsley Jones who is now in charge been on my mind for a while. I had spent Even after being at the top of the club to thrive.” going to be a lot of disappointed people of Canada so we had a chat and then OPPORTUNITY a couple of years at Harrow School to get game for over 15 years at both Sale and so that’s why getting the most best of With combining both roles taking some Saracens allowed me to go over for the my teeth in to it and then I started looking Saracens, the six-time Premiership winner everyone is what I enjoy the most.” for a team at the highest level possible. getting used to, Wigglesworth is now tournament which was fantastic. The says the facilities on offer at Trailfinders With an enthralling race at the top of IS FANTASTIC Luckily they were looking for someone at adapting to watching from the stands lads were great which made it even more Sports Club are as good as any.