Although, it's the off-season we still want to keep you up-to-date with what's happening in and around the club. The first thing to mention is this Friday's Annual Dinner Dance! If you have purchased a ticket, we look forward to seeing you there. If you haven't purchased a ticket, contact Large immediately (thelarge@talktalk.net) to avoid missing out! Reminder: 7pm start to sit down at 7.30. Update - it was a great event - thanks to steve Jacobs and all those involved in organising!

Secondly, some exciting news. The club is currently engaging in on-going talks with a new kit supplier. We will be purchasing new playing shirts, training/playing wear and leisurewear. Look out for more information from us regarding this...

Dates for the diary:

1) AGM - Wed 11th June at 7.30pm - Please attend to hear what's going on and have your say, and possibly even get involved in helping the club!!

2) Natwest Rugby Force Whole-Club day - If you haven't heard about this - where have you been? A great opportunity for the club to develop, this will take place on Sat 21st June.

3) Club 7's Touch Rugby Day - Sat 19th July - open to all (more details to follow). It is important to stress that this a whole-club event. Word on the street is that the Junior dad's will again be entering a team, as will some junior coaches, and for the first time ever we are hoping to have an U14's side in the tournament! Of course there will also be a number of senior players/members involved.

Committee Summary:

1) Coaching - discussions and the format of next seasons coaching structure is on-going.

2) Kit & Merchandise - new playing shirts for the first team are being bought and associated club branded gear such as shorts, socks, hoodies etc will be available to buy to help reinvigorate the club's identity and sense of one team.

3) Juniors - Steve Gaunt has stood down after several years and Jimmy Dolan is the new Junior Chairman.

4) Training Area & Floodlights - Richard Holdsworth is continuing his excellent work in getting the issues with Sport England and Leeds City Council resolved. The wheels are turning but slowly!

5) Club Development - we have had an excellent response to the survey so a big thank you to all that responded. The next stage is to hold focus groups to drill into the issues and ideas raised to pull together a formal development plan which the club will use going forward.

First ever junior section tour's:

The 2013/14 season saw two teams from the junior section embark on their firs ever rugby tour's. For those that have ever been on tour- this is a big deal. Congrats to the U10's and U13's for taking the Aireborough brand - with huge success- to the North-East! Here are reviews of each tour, enjoy...

Aireborough Lions U10s end season with unbeaten North-East tour

Aireborough Lions Under 10s have brought the curtain down on a hugely successful rugby union season with an unbeaten two-day tour of the North-East.

Last Saturday, the boys won the Brookes Contracting Trophy after beating Durham and Sunderland in back-to-back games.

And on Sunday, following an overnight stay, the young Lions travelled to the

Darlington Festival where they continued their good form by defeating four very strong sides to win their group, narrowly missing out on the winners’ trophy only on points difference. Head Coach Granville Sellars, who led the touring party of 13 players and three coaches, said:

"The tour was a massive success, both on and off the field. We have ended this season with a record of only three defeats in 40 games, a terrific achievement in which the players, coaches and parents should take great pride.

"I would like to thank Brookes Contracting for sponsoring the players’ hoodies for the tour, and also Tony McCall at The Station Pizza Kitchen & Bar in Guiseley for feeding us all prior to departure and on our arrival home.

"We returned with wonderful memories of a tremendous weekend and, after some rest over the summer months, we’re already looking forward to the new season beginning in September."

U13s Tour to Northumberland

Friday 2 May 2014 saw the U13s travel to Berwick Upon Tweed in the Clubs first ever Junior Tour (beating the U10s by 1 day). 20 Players travelled with16 Dads, 2 Mums and a Grandma.

Friday evening saw us arrive at the Youth Hostel in Berwick who provided us with much needed sustenance in the form of Pizza and Beer. Several Dads making it out into town (well the nearest pub), achieving a lock in and leaving yours truly feeling a little woolly headed in the morning after full mashing again courtesy of the YHA.

Saturday morning, Hungover, match against Berwick:

Berwick U13 - 22 V Aireborough U13 - 31

Aireborough started the game sluggishly probably due to tiredness from the late night, allowing their opponents in at the corner for an early unconverted try. This was countered almost immediately with a try from Will Green to level up the score, closely followed by a score from Mikey Dolan near the sticks which Green converted expertly.

Berwick responded in kind and then followed up with a further converted score putting them ahead at the break 17 -12.

Aireborough at last woke up with tries coming from Musaab Butt, Will Green again and Finally Scrum Half Adam Bishop, the last to scores being converted by green. Berwick score a final try to close the gap slightly but left it too late to offer any real threat.

Some great performances with Full Back Jake Waugh claiming the Man of the Match Trophy.

A few liveners at lunch time and a return to Berwick where most of the lads and a few of the Mums and Dads took themselves off for an afternoon on the beach while a couple of Dads went off to watch Berwick Rangers play footy. Yours truly assisted Chris Armstrong prepare for the BBQ planned for Saturday evening. Far too much food and several Beers later I retired early to bed leaving several of the Dads out on the town and even finding a night club apparently.

Feeling chipper on Sunday morning due in the main to the early night (although the lads kept me awake until 1.30am), full mashing again then off to Blyth for our Sunday morning fixture:

Blyth U13 - 21 V Aireborough U13 - 22

Again Aireborough started off slowly allowing their opposition an early converted score and it was not until 10 minutes into the game before Centre Dolan freed up space for winger Tom Kirkham to get in at the corner for a well worked try. Blyth responded well to score again and in the dying minutes of the half Musaab Butt crossed the line to keep Aireborough in touch.

The second half saw Aireborough start with renewed vigour, Dolan at Centre prominent in defence and leaving several of the Blyth team wondering exactly what had hit them. Excellent scrummaging by the pack, with Ollie Wolfenden again outstanding, saw Aireborough with much more possession allowing scores from Will Green and Musaab Butt, the latter being converted and giving Aireborough a 2 score lead with minutes remaining.

In a last gasp effort Blyth managed to score again but the clock had run its course and Aireborough came out worthy winners, Mikey Dolan taking Man of the Match for his outstanding and bone crunching tackling.

That left the awards ceremony and a few beers to be drunk. The awards were:

Player of the Year- Musaab Butt

Players Player – Mikey Dolan

Most Improved Player – Ollie Wolfenden

Pick of the Punters – Tom Styles

Tit of the Tour – Alex Brookes

A big thank you to all who travelled for making the weekend thoroughly enjoyable. A special thank you to the tour committee of Nic Hawthorne-Jones, Glenn Brookes, Ollie Catherall and Chris Armstrong along with yours truly, for getting the tour off the ground and it becoming a reality.

Next year’s tour already under consideration.

Look out for more updates from us throughout the off-season!

ARUFC

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