OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF EALING TRAILFINDERS | SPRING 2020 TRAILFINDERSEALING TIMES WE’RE ON THE UP! WE’RE PLAYING SOME OF OUR BEST RUGBY OF THE SEASON SO FAR, AND EALING TRAILFINDERS ARE ON THE MARCH TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP! EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM 1 EDITOR’S welcome 6 8 Oli Shapley WELCOME TO THE SPRING EDITION OF ‘EALING TRAILFINDERS TIMES’, THE NEXT INSTALMENT OF OUR MAGAZINE TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE WITH EVERYTHING AT THE CLUB. The 2019/20 season is entering the final straight and there is London’s Air Ambulance brings the hospital to the patient when still everything to play for over the next three months. time is critical. Since the turn of the year we have won all eight matches to get There will also be a New Sponsors Lunch before the final home right in contention for both the Greene King IPA Championship match of the season against Cornish Pirates. We are always and the Championship Cup. More detail on our fantastic winning looking for new partners, and in a brand new initiative you can run can be found in the ‘Season Update’ section which looks back book a table and be entered in to a prize draw to win some 18 26 at some memorable victories against the likes of Jersey Reds and fantastic prizes which will make your company a visible part of Coventry. the team. Our attack has been relentless with over 300 points scored in In this magazine there is a feature interview with Alun Walker those eight games which is an average of almost 40 points per who discusses how the club has transformed since joining match, so it has been a joy to watch us really click in to gear since back in 2014. The hooker is the only player to have made 100 the New Year. appearances in the professional era and has plenty of tales from his time in West London. 32 Our ‘Winter Wonderland’ back in December turned out to be a great success, it was fantastic to see so many of you here for Elsewhere Kieran Murphy shows the highlights of his career in not only the game but also the festive activities. That is the third pictures, there is a focus on the Trailfinders Rugby Academy year that we have put on the Christmas themed match, and it will which is going from strength to strength, and a Community continue to grow annually. Update amongst other content. If we progress in to the Cup Final there are a maximum of 10 On page 14 you can find another discounted voucher to get games between now and the end of the season, giving us lots to entry for just £10. Simply cut it out and bring it to the gate on get excited about. any match day before the end of the season to enjoy some Championship rugby for great value! Amongst those fixtures there is a trip to take on league-leaders Newcastle at Kingston Park, a Cup Semi Final at home to There is a new addition to match days which will start in the Nottingham and a showdown with Cornish Pirates in Round 22 of coming weeks. A new big screen has been installed in the corner the league. and will see plenty of activities both pre and post match, if there is a message that you would like to display such as a Birthday Off the pitch we have plenty of events to look forward to in then feel free to send me an email! the coming months as well. On Friday 3rd April we are hosting our first ever City Lunch to raise funds for The Motor Neurone I hope you enjoy the magazine, let’s hope for a successful end to Disease Association and London’s Air Ambulance Charity. the season which could well finish with silverware for a third year in a row! Hosted by Jonny Gould, David Flatman will be the Guest Speaker sharing a whole host of entertaining stories from his career which included representing England, Saracens and Bath. In light of recent rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrows being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease as well as Joost van der Westhuizen who lost his battle in 2017, we are determined to support the charity and would encourage the rugby family to join us. We are also supporting London’s Air Ambulance Charity, who deliver an advanced trauma team to London’s most seriously OLI.SHAPLEYETPRM.COM injured patients. Using a helicopter from 08:00 to sunset, CONTENTSEALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM 2 3 PARTNER focus Wetherby Senior School WETHERBY SENIOR SCHOOL HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING PARTNER SCHOOL WITH EALING TRAILFINDERS, HELPING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR VISION OF PROVIDING AN OUTSTANDING, PROGRESSIVE, ALL ROUND EDUCATION WHILST PREPARING THE STUDENTS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF BEING A YOUNG MAN. Using the excellent facilities at Trailfinders Sports Ground, our coaching team, having spent time in the Watford academy professional sports coaches, Nick Allso and Jordan Coombes amongst other impressive achievements. Head of community, work with the Wetherby PE department to provide fun and Danny Harlow is impressed with the contribution Szymon challenging games to develop physical skills, fine tune mental has made so far. “We are really pleased the impact he has had and decision-making abilities whilst continually encouraging in such a small amount of time. We have already seen huge teamwork, respect and discipline. improvements in the technical and tactical abilities of all the teams Szymon is involved with. He’s also had a great impact on From a rugby perspective, the school had a great Autumn term the rest of the coaching team, sharing ideas and best practice. reaching the Middlesex Cup final for the first time in their short I’m sure he’ll continue to be a valuable member of the team at history. Director of sport, James Sullivan is very happy with their Ealing Trailfinders and Wetherby Senior School.” achievements, hoping to build on this success over the coming years. As we look ahead to the summer term, the warmer months are coming and that means only one thing: It’s cricket and tennis To help with their love for football, we have recently recruited an season! We’ll continue to work with Wetherby to provide an amazing football coach, Szymon Gruszczynski. Szymon brings excellent sporting experience to all their students. a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the community 4 EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM EALINGTRAILFINDERS.COM 5 THE Season so far EALING TRAILFINDERS HAVE MADE A STUNNING START TO THE NEW YEAR AND ARE WELL PLACED IN BOTH THE LEAGUE AND THE CUP WITH BOTH TROPHIES STILL UP FOR GRABS. In the lead up to Christmas there were three Cup matches as the pool stages drew to a close, and three wins ensured the passage through to the knockout stages in emphatic style. A huge 80-17 victory against Bedford Blues saw the Trailfinders run in 12 tries, with the half century reached Bedford then made the short journey to West before half time in a relentless attacking display. They London but despite their improved form they headed to Ampthill the following week, and had to complete were unable to lay a glove on the Trailfinders, who a dramatic comeback to get the win. Ben Ward’s men were braved Storm Dennis to register a 38-5 victory. 22-14 behind with just eight minutes remaining, but a Jordan Kieran Murphy scored twice to put his side on the Burns try and then a 79th minute penalty from Craig Willis way to another bonus point win. stat s saw them claim a two point win. It was then time for the Championship Cup A group decider against Coventry saw the final match of the Quarter Final against familiar foes Jersey Reds pool arrive with plenty riding on it, but it didn’t phase the just two weeks after the league meeting. A tense Trailfinders who were dominant throughout. A 56-19 win first half as expected saw the Green and Whites head down the tunnel with a 10-5 lead, but a p21 w18 secured them a Home Quarter Final, with another eight tries registered in front of the home supporters. sublime second half meant that they would stroll in to the semi-finals with a 36-17 win, booking a It was then back to the league with the crucial fixture against last four tie against Nottingham in April. Newcastle at Trailfinders Sports Club, and despite the home side dominating possession and territory it was the Falcons The last match in February saw the Trailfinders d1 l2 head to Butt’s Park Arena to take on Coventry, who would leave with a valuable win. After the break two consecutive home matches who were unbeaten at home in the league so far against Yorkshire Carnegie and Doncaster Knights The Christmas break then followed, and the New Year began this season. That record would however come mean that the Trailfinders will be looking to with a trip to Lady Bay with Nottingham the first opponents tumbling down as the West Londoners made it extend the winning run in to double figures, and of 2020, which would be the start of the winning run. eight wins in a row during a gruelling 80 minutes. then they head up to Newcastle for a meeting of First half tries from Pat Howard and Kieran At a ground that the Trailfinders had never won at it was the top two in front of the Sky Sports cameras.