With the long awaited 2017/8 season starting this Saturday, Chinnor’s Director of Rugby Matt Williams had the following to say.........
Dear Members, Supporters, Sponsors, friends and family..............welcome back to season 2017/8!
I'm so excited to be here at game week one and ready to jump into a new season of National 2S rugby, something the management, coaches and players have been working extremely hard towards, and I’m sure you have all been waiting for too.
Our pre-season started what seems a lifetime ago way back on June 17th where we trained 3 times a week. After the disappointment of missing out on promotion by games won statistic, the boys came back both rejuvenated and hungry.
The standard of training and commitment to the cause has been really impressive. I have worked hard to bring in characters that will buy in to the core values of what we are about and this has shone through in preseason. We are all signed up to an all for one policy and arrogance or not playing their part is simply not tolerated....It's hard graft if you want to succeed at Chinnor. Duty boys on a rota basis look after kit, water, sweep the changing rooms etc....we play hard both on and off the paddock and boys are enjoying each other's company which is vital!
The coaches and players all know that we cannot rest on our success of last season. We have to be hungrier more than ever, after all we are every other team's FA Cup final. With this in mind, the standard of training has hit an impressive level, ball work is continually executed at a high level of intensity and precision, however it is the training loads that has impressed the coaches the most, the sessions have been planned to give the boys a tremendous fitness base and the ability to learn and execute at different levels of fatigue. On paper we have done little out and out fitness sessions but the boys have put a lot of miles in their legs as well as strength work through ball games and unit skill blocks. There is nothing more soul destroying than running without a cause!
Our Pre Season form has been extremely pleasing, who wouldn't be happy with a win against Ebbw Vale, two season's ago Welsh Premiership Champions, as well as two convincing wins against a National Two North counterpart and a local National One team. But equally pleasing is the raft of young players who have had the opportunity to taste Senior rugby, and to get an understanding of what it takes to play at that level, and how it feels to be a part of the team.
The early KO game on Saturday against OA's was a testament to the progression we've made as a squad. Some of the tries scored were no less than breath taking and to finish with a 70 point win on top!
We are under no illusions that the Falcon's league is insanely tough this season, none more crazy than game one against Richmond's 2nd XV who played Old Elthamian's and Esher 1st XV's as their preseason games! But if we are serious about creating talent good enough to play for Chinnor 1st XV then this is the bedding ground needed. Score is immaterial but development is paramount. Matty Mountford has stepped up as Falcons Head Coach with H Evans continuing as Manager. We also welcome Chloe as Falcon's Physio.
So to the 1st XV Saturday. Clifton is where our campaign starts, the ground that played a major part in the top spot miss last season. Yes we may have been without several players, we may have been looking over our shoulder at Bishops Stortford the next week but all that is history now - we owe them one, we really owe them one, and we need to show the league that our preseason form roles on. At Fortress Kingsey Road we are still unbeaten since January 2016 a record the squad and I are incredibly proud of. You our 16th man can play a major role in this and I ask that you keep coming, bring your friends ,bring your family and let's see if we can beat our 1500 attendance record last season.
I would also like to give our playing group a massive pat on the back. To play this game at the level we strive to achieve requires great sacrifice. Boys have to balance a fulltime job with expectations of fulltime rugby. It's not just the 4 hours a week we train together. It's the time in the gym, watching videos, giving up on a social life away from rugby. It's a massive ask at our level and yet boys keep coming back! This is also why we have such a huge success rate in turning players into fulltime pros. In my three years at Chinnor we have seen over 15 boys leave for full time contracts, a success ratio hard to be beaten within N2. Give us your all and we'll give you everything we can to help your career.
So the hard work has been done by your players, the preparation has been as good as could be, and the foundations have been laid for a successful season. They have proven that they are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve success. Whatever unfolds this year rest assured they will always be trying their upmost to attain success for not just themselves, but for all of you as well. Get behind the boys, and follow their lead and help make our Black and White Family stronger than ever!
We look forward to your continued support and I also look forward to catching up with you throughout the year, and talking all things Chinnor.
We are black, we are white...
