As a club – it’s been a fabulous season that will be celebrated in due course. A quick summary – that doesn’t do justice – but gives a glimpse of the success on the park:

The 1st XV thrived at level 6 rugby. Ended up 8th. Joe & Mo achieving 300 caps; Jasper and Sam 150 caps.

The 2nd XV rebounded so positively from the disappointment of last season, to take 2nd in the league and a Cup final victory with a run against teams in the level above.

Colts have done the Club proud – Jake, Mo & Sam have done a great job moulding the 2 age groups into a group that beats with the same heart – and they came home with the Silverware on Sunday to cap a fine season.

Junior Rugby (with the odd blip) goes from strength to strength, and we can be proud of what each age group has achieved. Its been great watching the U13’s transition into Junior Rugby, and develop and grow so well.

The U12’s will make that move in September, but you feel that they are well placed to make that transition, with a strong set of results this year.

The girls – well we’ve not seen as much of them as we’d have liked at Parkfields – as they’ve largely been training and playing away in their Clusters, but what we have seen has been hugely impressive, and we hope to see more of them next year!

Finally, the minis – what a great way to finish the season – with our very own festival at Parkfields. In the sun! As always, thanks to Fitzy and his team for getting all the pitches marked, and to Hugh and his organising committee – and everyone who volunteered in one way or another – to put on the best minis festival in the Country (probably the world actually…!).

Links to the website below – but conscious that content may not be there until later in the week (give the boys and girls a break – they need a rest!).

There is no pitch allocation this week – and won’t be until September.

Local arrangements will be made by age group leads for any tournaments that may occur in the coming weeks.

However, please be aware that the club is looking to seed, fertilise and water the pitches (particularly around the cricket square initially) so please heed any warnings from Fitzy that generally start with the sentence KEEP OFF THE PITCHES please (I added the last word!).

It is hoped that Hampton Hill Cricket Club will be making use of the new cricket square over the summer – so please check their website for any fixtures and events (other cricket clubs are available!), and it’s great to have them onboard.

https://hamptonhillcricket.co.uk/

We’ll also being doing occasional articles – highlighting current (and former) players at TRFC and their love/involvement at the club – over the summer. When we have the time…!

Sunday 26th April:

Mini’s Festival:

Hugh with his thoughts here. Hopefully with comments from all the age groups involved…!

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/twickenhamrfc/news/trfc--minis-festival--review-2976635.html

He’s still in a darkened room recovering I think – wondering about when he can pass that particular baton on – whilst acknowledging Mini’s Tour is the next job on the horizon…!

Many thanks to Steven (U10’s) who provided a stack of photos for the U12’s v Maidenhead and the mini’s fun day & awards a week ago. Some great photos…!

https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/23678/site-content/photos/view?album_id=1171450

I’ll stick any festival photos in a similar file (here):

https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/23678/site-content/photos/view?album_id=1171452

So please forward to me any you might have. That’s dlingeman@blueyonder.co.uk or 07773397438. Not to Brendan please. He may or not be visiting grand children at this present time!

Juniors Roundup:
U12’s:
So how did the (arguably!) headline act on Sunday get on?
Scott with the detail below:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/twickenhamrfc/news/trfc-u12s-at-the-trfc-minis-festival-2976653.html

U13’s:
Well done team on your first season in Junior Rugby. As noted above, it’s been great to see how the group have adapted to junior rugby and the structures needed to thrive at this level.
Enjoy your summers off!

U14’s:
Another great season for the boys. They’ve lost a couple along the way – just the once in the 1st Division of the HML, and ended up 3rd out of 52 teams in the Surrey ladder.

Performances like that will not go unnoticed, and the Academy and ACE programmes could come knocking and deplete the squad of some of the better players. A test for any high performing squad awaits, and this will test the strength in depth and versatility of the wider squad. Go well boys….

U15’s:
As noted last week, it was an absolute pleasure to travel with the U15’s to the Surrey Cup finals at Esher. I think the boys were out shooting their parents (or each other) this weekend on a paint balling end of season jaunt – but I might have completely made that up!
They are a great bunch of lads to referee (Shane a ball of nervous energy on the touch line mind!), and I’m sure they’ll respond well to the challenge of U16’s Surrey Rugby in September.

U16’s:
As a TRFC clubman, I’m happy and very proud that the U16’s managed to get a game on against RP on Sunday. They may have gone down – but they went down fighting and did the club proud. Adam’s report here:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/twickenhamrfc/news/trfc-u16s-v-rosslyn-park--surrey-finals--lost-69--24-2976642.html

As Adam makes the point in his report, moving finals day for the U16’s a couple of weeks earlier may be an idea for Surrey to consider, given the general lack of availability across the age group for the Surrey Cup, given the clash with GCSE’s.

My view that a bit of rugby ahead of GCSE’s might provide the distraction needed to improve performance in the exams may not be a universally accepted and scientifically proven fact, but at least provides a distraction and break from studies that may just be needed. Happy to debate as required!

Either way, go well in your GCSE’s – and the club is looking forward to welcoming you as Colts in September. If you do go to the Reading festival (it’s a bit of a thing parents!) – make sure to get the last train back to West London – or stay over for the extra night and chill. Don’t try to get an Uber or local taxi after the festival finishes. Just an experience I thought I’d share from last year…!

Finally, a big shout out to Emma, Jason, Adam, Jimmy and the coaches, the parents and helpers who have managed to get this group through some relatively tough times to the point where they are Colts. Well done one and all – hats off to you – and the players of course.

Colts:
I think the Colts own Weybridge now. Well large swathes of the green bits anyway! Having travelled to Reeds Weybridge last week to secure top spot in the Surrey Cup Finals at Esher, they then faced Weybridge Vandals in the final.

I won’t steal his thunder - Sam Griffin with the details here:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/twickenhamrfc/news/trfc-colts-v-weybridge-vandals--surrey-finals--won-41--19-2976637.html

The boys and parents headed back to Parkfields after the game, and managed to sink a few beers and drink (apparently!) a few pizzas, before A-level studies resumed in earnest ahead of exams and mid-year assessments for the U17’s.

Girls:
Back in their clusters – the U16’s lost in a close one – going down 39 – 38 to Dorking in the Surrey Cup at Guildford.

The U18’s game was unfortunately cancelled as the opposition couldn’t raise a side, and the girls trained at Richmond instead. Ah well…

Plan is to regroup after the exams for a well deserved social.
Best wishes to all the girls – be it GCSE’s or A-levels.

Club Messages:
Club Events:
Volunteers’ Night – Friday 15th May – Date for the Diaries

Club Dinner – Friday 19th June - Date for the Diaries

Please let me know of anything of interest to the wider club that may be worthy of mention…
Come on the T’s….

David Lingeman
07773 397438