After a disappointing season of 2022/2023, where the Hamburg Exiles RFC has been relegated from Regionalliga down to Verbandsliga, it was clear that this new season 2023/2024 would go down in the club's history. Excitement filled the air as the team welcomed a new coach, André, all the way from the rugby heartland of South Africa.

As a former front row, André brought us his vision of the league. His mastermind, honed from years in the scrum of the English Premiership, wasn't just about set pieces; it was about setting up a team that was just incredibly fit. So before the first whistle of the season, the team faced the gruelling challenge of summer training.

The Exiles traded lazy evenings at the pub for intense fitness sessions, building strength, endurance, and core speed. Coach André, with his unyielding passion for the game became an instant favourite among the players and with the arrival of many new players from Germany, France, South Africa and the British Isles, the summer marked a new era for the Exiles.

The first half of the season was hard but successful. Four games, four victories. Two of them on foreign turf in Jesteburg and Rostock, and two at home in front of our families and friends against Sankt Pauli II and Lübeck. The cheers from the side-lines echoed louder with each match. The Exiles didn't just win; they conquered.

Fit, fast and properly fed by the South-African fellows each Friday with an after-training braai, the Exiles now sit proudly at the top of the Verbandsliga Nord table, a testament to the hard work and resilience of each player combined with the true values and spirit of our club: being a Home of Rugby in Hamburg for all the Rugby lovers of the hanseatic city.

With December on the horizon, the Exiles eagerly anticipate the Christmas Ball, the most fantastic gala event of the year. It's not just a celebration of victories but a gathering of a family forged on the rugby field. A night where stories of triumphs, chip-and-not-chase kicks and tackles will be shared, and bonds strengthened for the challenges yet to come.

The Hamburg Exiles RFC would like to extend heartfelt thanks to our families and friends. To our wives and kids who patiently stood by us, supporting our passion for the game especially during the World Cup, and to all those who cheered from the side-lines. Your encouragement fuelled our victories and we are now looking forward to pursue this fantastic story in 2024!