HRFC have a
limited number of tickets available for the Investec
Challenge game on Saturday 11 November 2006 between England
and Argentina. Club members wishing to purchase tickets
should send their cheque, payable to Hereford Rugby Football
Club, to Guy Griffiths, 4 Bullrush Close, Hereford, HR1 2SU
by 30 June 2006. Please include a stamped,
self-addressed envelope with your payment.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Adults: £45, £40, £35, £25
Children: £22.50, £20, £17.50, £12.50
The first
working party of the close season met at the Club on
Saturday, 20 May 2006. The area surrounding the Clubhouse
was tidied up and the grass at the rear of the Club was
strimmed ready for alterations. The main work was to prepare
the interior of the pavilion for a complete refurbishment.
All the small rooms were removed and the whole area opened
up. It is planned to install new changing rooms and brand
new kitchen and dining area, A new office and medical room
is also be provided. The other changing rooms were cleaned
and made ready for tiling the shower areas.
A tremendous amount of work was done and the Club is
grateful to the many volunteers who gave up their time. When
the work was finished, a barbecue was provided by Spencer
Gooodall (Club Secretary) and the Heineken Cup Final, played
between Munster and Biarritz was watched and enjoyed by all
present. The date of the next working party is Saturday 10
June at 10.00 am. All welcome – see you there!
PHOTOGRAPHS WITH THANKS TO FRANK DULLEHAN
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Back row,
left to right: Leo Ekhart (Head of Dillenburg Parliament),
Mayor Michael Lotz, Mayor Mrs Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes Mayoress,
Mrs Sandie Taylor, Hereford RFC Youth Chairman Malcolm
Harris.
Front row, mini section players of the year.
This year's Annual General Meeting will take place at Wyeside on Thursday 18 May 2006 at 7pm. It is in the members' own interest to turn up and to have a say in the running of their own club. There are several offices still to be filled for next year. If you can help, even in a small way, please volunteer. Your assistance will be appreciated.
A Bridgnorth try at the end of fifteen minutes of injury time was enough to send the Shropshire side into Midlands Division 2 West (South) at the expense of Hereford. Leading the game by a conversion, Hereford were dealt the cruelest of blows with the very late winner. A full match report will be posted as soon as available.
Re-elected chairman Guy Griffiths said, “the new floodlights are now erected and merely waiting for connection by the Electricity Board. We are grateful to the RFU for the grant that made them a reality. In addition we are extremely grateful to S&A Davies who came to the rescue with a sizable donation to ensure the project was completed. The car park and Belvedere lane projects were now complete. Other developments, such as three further new changing rooms, a new kitchen, an overspill car park and refurbishment and design of the existing clubhouse were all hoped to be finished by the end of next season. We are grateful to Cathedral School, who continue to help the club, allowing access to their pitches. In addition we have an agreement with Bishops school, which will allow the use of their pitches when we have too many teams at home to cope or indeed if the weather deems our pitches unplayable. Bishops should soon complete their new pavilion and changing rooms which will of enhance their facilities. I was extremely disappointed that we were unable to persuade the Rowing Club to allow us to develop their unused field into an extra set of pitches. This would have helped us, and in particular the 400 or so members of the junior section. In addition, it would have provided some useful income for the Rowing Club. We had the funding in place for this development but unfortunately it was not to be. We are a long established City Club that is committed to the development of Rugby Football, within the county. We welcome new members of any age, at any time. Once again our main sponsor Jim Kenyon of the Spinning Dog Brewery and the Victory Pub has contributed to our success. As always we could not exist without the financial help of our sponsors and of course the members that help on a voluntary basis."
A full list of elected officials will be updated in the "Club Information" of this website section shortly.
Malcolm Harris and Rod Edwards were elected as vice Presidents.
John Watkins came to the end of his three years as President. Graham Archer was elected as the new President. Graham had started playing Rugby at Hereford back in the early 70’s whilst still at school, but unfortunately ended his playing career with a back injury. Although moving around the country pursuing his business career he had always kept an interest in the club and some 3 years ago moved back to Herefordshire and became a regular spectator once again. Guy Griffiths said “I went to school with Graham, played Rugby with him for over 7 years; he is an old friend of mine and of many of the older members that are still associated with Hereford Rugby Club. I am pleased that he has accepted this nomination. He will offer a professional outlook to the way the club is run, in addition to being a committed President”.
Spencer Goodall was re-elected as Secretary. Andy Tanner was re-elected treasurer. Keith Llewellyn stayed as membership secretary and Will Bolt will continue as Fixture Secretary.
Jeremy Grisman was elected as first team captain and a vote of thanks was given to outgoing skipper Wilf Reece.
John Watkins was elected as an Honorary Life member for his outstanding contribution to the Club both on and off the field, over the last a 30 years. The new Life Member said, “I am honoured by this nomination and although I have to retire as President, under the Club rules, I will continue in my role overseeing the coaching and playing side of the Club. I very much look forward to working with Jeremy Grisman and I am sure that with the right commitment from the players, and the continued efforts of our coaching staff, Mike Stubbs and Paul Morris, we will push our way back up the leagues to our goal of Nation League Rugby again”.
1. Apologies for absence.
2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 5 May 2004 (see below).
3. Matters arising.
4. Chairman’s report.
5. Treasurer’s report.
6. Captain’s report.
7. Election of officers:-
8. Election of Vice Presidents/Life Members
9. Any other business
All nominations should be forwarded in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before the AGM.
ONLY FULLY PAID UP MEMBERS OF HEREFORD RUFC WILL BE ENTITLED TO VOTE
S.P. Goodall
Honorary Club Secretary
Present: All Committee Members, thirty-nine members, seven non-members
Apologies: Fred Walsh, John Watkins, Mike Rowlatt, Sam Walker, Ben Adams, Dave Benjamin, Patrick James.
1. Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes of the last AGM were agreed as a correct record.
2. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
3. Chairman’s Report
3.1 Guy thanked everybody for attending.
3.2 New Changing Rooms
Guy reported that the new changing rooms were now completed, but that here had been an overspend on the budget of £15,000. This was due to many factors. Guy passed on thanks to Mike Rowlatt and Martin Powell for their time in getting the project completed and also thanked everybody who gave time, effort and experience to the changing room project.
3.3 RFU Loan
The Club has been granted a £100,000 interest-free loan by the RFU, which will be spent on the lane, car park, more changing rooms, and a new kitchen. The loan will be repaid over thirteen years at £800 per month, which is based on eight payments per year to coincide with the rugby season. The loan would be available in June 2004. The Youth and Junior Sections have agreed to pay half of each monthly payment, leaving the Senior Section to find the remainder.
3.4 Flood Lights
Guy reported that the Club had also received a grant of £48,900 for new flood lights, to be placed on the second team pitch. Council approval was awaited before work could start, but this would hopefully be before the start of the new season.
3.5 Development Committee
Due to the complexity of the various work to be undertaken, a Development Committee has been set up to handle details on a daily basis. Paul Harries had offered his services, free of charge, as Project Manager to oversee work, and the Club are very grateful to him for this. Malcolm Harris would be Chairman of this sub-committee, which would report all options to the main Committee for approval.
3.6 Coaching
Guy commented that coaching needed to be looked at for all club sides, and that help would be needed.
3.7 Junior & Youth Sections
These two sections have both had good years, through all age groups. This amount of talent looked promising for the senior sides as the players came through.
3.8 Pitches
Discussions are currently taking place with the Rowing Club about leasing a field to accommodate more pitches.
3.9 More commitment is needed from senior members and the Club needs helpers from all age groups.
4. Treasurer’s Report
Simon Smith produced a balance sheet (attached to these minutes) – there were no questions about the balance sheet. Simon reported that as at the end of March the Club was just in the black, but that there would be a deficit of around £6,000 by the end of June. One of the main problems had been a reduction in the amounts raised from ticket sales, as there had not been any autumn internationals. The Club would need an annual income from the Junior Section to help pay the running costs.
5. Captain’s Report
Andy Johnson reported that of the twenty-two league games played, the First XV had won three and lost nineteen. He commented that the league had been much stronger this year due to the influence of the four teams coming down from Midlands One, but he also felt that several other contributory factors had helped bring the Club to its present position:- the age and weight of the team; - the large number of injuries sustained throughout the season; - poor decision making, which lead to games being lost by narrow margins; - poor commitment from players when results weren’t going Hereford’s way; - the decline in the Second XV, and - lack of support from all players at training sessions.
6. Election of Officers
To be updated.
7. Dinner & Dance
The Annual Dinner & Dance would be held on Friday, 18th June, 2004 at TGS Bowling. Tickets would cost £27.50 per person.
8. Any Other Business
8.1 Pitch Marking
Jim Kenyon has offered to donate a £20 voucher (to be spent at the Club) to anybody volunteering to mark pitches ready for the weekends.
8.2 All members are asked to pay subscriptions as soon as possible.
The event will include a four course sit down meal along with a Band and Disco throughout the evening. Although this is a fund raising event, there will be no speeches auctions etc, apart from a 2 minutes introduction after the meal.
Tickets are available from Guy Griffiths, (01432 268906) who is hoping that tables of 10 will be ordered in an effort to keep administration to a minimum.
Further details will be posted shortly such as menu etc, but if you look at this website please make an effort to book your tickets NOW.
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Mark Williams presenting shirt to Captain of Hereford Rugby Club Wilf Reece |
Steve Bradley, the coach of Bishop's, has already done his homework on Linton and says his players will treat them with respect when the sides meet at Shelford RFC's ground on November 22. "You only have to look at the sides that Linton have beaten to see that they are no mugs so we will be treating them with a lot of respect when we meet them," Bradley said. "We don't know too much about them but they have put up quite a bit of information on their website, saying that they have a big, strong back-row, which has given us a few clues and which has been very helpful."
Bradley is a former coach of the Hereford club who moved to Bishop's from Chantry HS nine years ago. Bishop's is a 1,150-strong comprehensive school which puts out between eight and ten rugby sides every Saturday. "We keep hearing that rugby doesn't exist in state schools, but that isn't the case here," Bradley said. "This school is the exception that proves the rule. "We have the likes of Colston's, St Peter's HS and Millfield on our fixture list and that's a remarkable effort for a comprehensive school in a small city in a rural area."
In recent years Bishop's have produced three England 16-Group A internationals - Ollie Marshall, Will Thomas and Ollie Partridge along with flanker Guy Thompson, who played for England North 16-Group in last season's Millfield Festival. With no sixth form at the school it is inevitable that the best of Bishop's players move on and Thompson, who is now captain of North Midlands 18-Group, was picked up by Bromsgrove School at the end of last season.
Bradley refuses to single out individual players for praise from the current Under-15 side, but points out that they played together for Hereford Rugby Club lasts season and won the North Midlands Under-14 Cup, beating Moseley in the final. "They are a good workmanlike side who play for each other," Bradley said. "They are a good all-round team with no stars, they fight for each other and like to play a 15-man game." The winners of the Linton v Bishop's tie will have home advantage against either Loughborough GS or Wellingborough School in the last 16.
Tim Bray & Bob Phillips - Set Up Pitch (Not Marking)
Andrew Goodwin - Assist on Match Days
Richard Mayson - Anything
Billy Grisman - Anything
Matt Pritchard - Anything
Will Bolt - Anything
Ben Hilstead - Anything
We are grateful to these members but still need more. If you can help out with anything please get in touch with Rodney, he will welcome you with open arms.
The project to install floodlights on the second pitch is progressing slowly due mainly to administrative hitches between the supplier and the RFU. However we do expect to have the installation completed before the season is too old.
Plans for re-siting and substantially improving the kitchen facilities are in hand and a great deal of the equipment has already been acquired. We have confirmation that the plans comply with fire regulations.
A master plan for the development of the clubhouse is in the final stage of preparation and once this has committee approval copies will be available to the members.
Representative areas where help will be appreciated include: collecting gate money, running match-day raffles, assisting with maintenance of house and grounds, assisting with coaching, general fundraising.
Can you help? If so please contact:
Rodney Edwards, 40 Gorsty Lane,
Hampton Dene, Hereford, HR1 1UN
Phone 07860 937325