Reading Abbey RFC

During season 2013/14 Abbey are running a joint U17 and U18. However, U19s will be made welcome particularly as the OBB League is an U19 competition and will also have the opportunity to play in our senior teams. Additionally we will be running some U20s matches during the course of the season.

All new players welcome with birthdays on or after 1 September 1993. Just come along to training on a Tuesday or Thursday evening.

The Abbey Colts squad is part of the Reading Abbey Academy. The primary objective of the Academy is to provide the structure for U17 to U19 players to move seamlessly from youth to senior rugby.

Academy members receive a personal development program geared to ensuring that they have the support in place for them to ultimately reach their full potential as a senior rugby player. The players are mentored by, and train alongside, the 1st and 2nd XV senior squads, learning from experienced club rugby players. They also have dedicated training sessions each week with a focus on core skills, game awareness and personal development.

Academy members have the opportunity of being selected for the Abbey Senior teams and the Abbey U18s (a combined team of U17s & U18s)who compete in the Oxford, Bucks and Berks Leagues and the National Colts cup competitions. Abbey RFC will also be arranging occasional U20s fixtures to fit in with University holidays.

Those players with the desire and ability will have the opportunity of being nominated to represent Berkshire, at U17, U18 and U20 age groups as part of the RFU Aspirational Pathway, and play senior rugby with Abbey at a level no less than 2nd XV.

During 2012/13 the following Abbey, or ex Abbey, players are in the Berkshire U20s Squad: Craig Austin (Lock), Cardiff Metropolitan University; Ben Henderson (Hooker), Worthing Raiders; Ali Johnston (Centre), Leeds Metropolitan University; Samir Karbouch (Back Row), University of Glamorgan; David Massey (Centre), University of West of England; Matt Mills (Flanker), University of West England; Joe Murphy (Fly Half), Abbey; Rory Paxton (Hooker), Redingensians; Elko Titcombe-de-Bie (Lock), Abbey.

Henderson, Johnston, Kharbouch and Massey have also been selected to trial for South West England Clubs and Counties.

The Reading Abbey Academy is rooted in the very beginnings of the club which was formed in 1948 as Reading Youth to fill a void left by Berkshire Wanderers (the forerunner of Reading RFC) not having a Colts team. At that time the team comprised primarily of Sutton school leavers with matches being player at Grove School (now Highdown School). Those youth sides ‘graduated’ to senior rugby and in 1956 Abbey RFC was founded playing its home matches in Prospect Park. By 1971 the club self-funded the purchase of the 22 acres of land at Rosehill and built the current clubhouse. The strength of youth rugby is evidenced by the number of players selected annually to represent their county three of whom have achieved international honours with England at various youth levels. The 1st XV compete in Southern Counties North (Level 7) with a declared policy of amateurism aiming to cultivate rugby within the community.