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International rugby stars Alex Lowzoski and John Gallagher launched our ambitious new rugby academy on August 21st. The ACE Academy, a joint venture with the city’s Archbishop’s School, is based on a Rugby Football Union pathway programme designed to transition academy players into professional rugby. It aims to provide a facility for local children which removes all socio-economic barriers facing local students.
Saracens and England centre Lozowski and World Cup winning New Zealand All Black full back Gallagher performed the official honours before meeting some of the first students at the Academy, club officials, Archishop’s school senior staff and sponsors. Our Head of Player Pathway, Nathan Morris, who will lead the Academy’s community coaching team, said: “The aim of the ACE academy is dualistic, we wish to provide high-quality coaching as well as creating opportunities for the young people of East Kent. We have been very lucky to have great support from our sponsors who will also support the students with work experience and career advice.”
Together with Nathan, the academy will be run by coaches Matt Corker, Alice Hayward and Ella Jenkins.
Archbishop’s School provides education for 750 mixed ability students aged from 11 to 19. Welcoming the new initiative Head Teacher David Elliott said: “The school is proud to partner with Canterbury Rugby Football Club to introduce the Archbishop’s Canterbury Educational (ACE) Rugby Academy from September 2024. Our new partnership will offer unique opportunities for our higher year students. The Academy programme will further enhance our sports offer at the school.
“This new venture perfectly aligns with our vision which enables students to flourish. Engaging with Canterbury Rugby Club, our students will learn and grow and we are confident this partnership will be transformative for all involved.”
The Academy is a major addition to the club’s commitment to providing opportunities for everyone in the local community through a series of exciting new programmes for local schools.
Canterbury start their warm-up for the new league rugby season on Saturday when National One side Esher are the visitors to the Marine Travel Ground, kick-off 3 pm. It is the first of three pre-season matches for the senior squad ahead of the National 2 East campaign which starts on September 7th with a home game against newly promoted Colchester. Head Coach Matt Corker will use Saturday’s clash with Esher to integrate several new summer signings into his plans. Admission to the game is free.
Our much-loved David Haigh has today reached the magnificent age of ninety.
Born in Liverpool in 1934, David’s love for sport started at Newton-Le-Willows Grammar School playing both 1st XV rugby and cricket and representing Liverpool public schools at rugby. Leaving school with ‘A’ levels in English & History he always wanted to be a journalist with his first experience gained at the Wigan Examiner, whilst playing rugby at Waterloo
With his career going from strength to strength as a journalist, it was whilst working for the Sunday Express in the North East that he met his long-suffering wife Wendy, a secretary for the editor of the Daily Express in Glasgow, at a inter-department cricket match. They went on to get married in July 1961 in Newton Willows.
At 32 David made the permanent move to Broadcasting with the BBC and set up Look North in Leeds, rugby had taken a back seat as working all hours freelancing with BBC Radio outside broadcasts including Test Cricket with Jorn Arlott, Brian Johnstone, and Trevor Bailey.
Work brought David south as a producer at Southern TV on day by day where his love for rugby and cricket was re-kindled at Trojans RFC before moving locally to become a reporter in the Dover area, which is when he joined Canterbury RFC in 1976. By this time David had hung up his playing boots and taken up ‘the whistle’ refereeing with Kent Society for ten years.
David soon became a committee man and after retiring from refereeing first team manager and subsequently was player registrar, always getting the job done, and is now Press Officer, match day reporter, and announcer. He got involved with Kent RFU in the early 1990s as a selector, pushing the case for the inclusion of talented East Kent players in the county teams, and became East Kent rep on the county committee. Until recently he was team secretary for the County Championship squad and is now a county vice-president. Speaking to David he says “One of my highlights of being involved at Canterbury was being given a national valued volunteer award by the RFU in 2017, but the real achievement and pleasure has been playing a small part, together with so many good people, in the club’s progress over the years. I have been in love with rugby ever since the ball was put in my hands as an eleven-year-old.”
Happy Birthday David x
The next Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held Monday 19th August 2024 at 7pm for a 7,30 start at the clubhouse. To view the full agenda click here (PDF)
The 2024/25 season is almost upon us and we look forward to inviting you all back to the Marine Travel Ground to cheer on the Amber & Black teams. A massive thank you to all those who volunteered for the big cleanup of the ground Last Sunday. We are nearly ready to throw open our doors thanks to your efforts painting, scrubbing, cleaning and, weeding. We couldn’t have done it without you!
It is that time of year again when memberships need to be renewed. All current members, must go online and renew through the RFU GMS portal . Guidance and memberships information can be found on the Memberships page on our club website.
The next Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held Monday 19th August 2024 at 7pm for a 7,30 start at the clubhouse. To view the full agenda click here (PDF)
We have been blessed with some glorious weather this summer. Why not make the most of it and come join us for activities for all ages and abilities –
Summer of fun – Rugby based games and fitness for all the family. Every Friday from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. More details here
Walking Rugby – Come for the slower paced rugby – Stay for the friends. Every Friday from 7.oopm to 8.00pm till August 30th. More details here
Children’s rugby and sports camps – Check out our Community webpages to see more details
A fantastic chance not only for our players to get some game time in before the season starts, but also for you to practice cheering them on. Save these dates –
1st XV
17 August – Home vs Esher
24 August – Away vs Harpenden
30 August – Home vs Blackheath
Pilgrims
31 August – Home vs Gravesend 1st XV
Canons
31 August – Home vs Gravesend 2nd XV
The 2024/25 season kicks off proper 7 September. Why not join us pre-match for a three course lunch, with speeches, presentations, and a raffle. A fantastic way to meet other supporters, eat fantastic food prepared on-site by our fantastic club caterers Saucy Flo’s . Email Kirsty@cantrugby.co.uk for more details, or to book a table/place.
There are plenty of home games to choose from. Check out the fixtures list on the 1st XV webpage
Talking of fixtures, here is what to expect in the first month of the season –
1st XV
7 September – Colchester home
14 September – Sevenoaks away
21 September – Worthing home
28 September – Guernsey away
Women
15 September – Horsham Women away
22 September – Medway Ladies home
Pilgrims
7 September – Crowsborough away
14 September – Sevenoaks II home
20 September – Ashford home
28 September – Charlton Park home
Canons
7 September – Medway III home
14 September – Sheppey away
21 September – Rye home
28 September – Dartfordians away
Deacons
14 September – Sheppey 2nd XV home
21 September – Leigh 1st XV away
28 September – Gravesend 3rds home
Zingari
21 September – New Ash Green 2nd XV home
21 September – Deal 3rds away
The club has announced seven new signings ahead of the September start to the National 2 East league season. The fresh faces are Ollie Frostick, Chad Thomas, Henry Kenny and Jack Cohen together with Aaron Cooper and Harvey Young, two experienced former Canterbury players who are rejoining the senior squad. The group will be further strengthened by Kent County forward Mo Pangarker who missed last season through injury.
Oli Frostik: An experienced National Division 2 tight head prop and Scotland Under 20 cap, Ollie joins from Henley Hawks. We are delighted he has chosen us to progress his career. Together with Aaron Cooper he adds depth and competition to the front row.
Aaron Cooper:– Another experienced and popular player who Canterbury supporters and sponsors will know from his previous seasons with the club. A loose head prop, he rejoins from Westcombe Park.
Chad Thomas: Welsh player who has come across the bridge looking for a new challenge. A utility forward who is equally adept at N0 6 or No 8. Previous club Merthyr RFC. A skilled operator with a lot of potential who will add physicality to the pack.
Harvey Young: Former Canterbury player whose previous club was Blackheath. His return to the fold will add flair to the backline. Equally comfortable at full back or fly half.
Jack Cohen: The back three player joins from London Welsh. A wing or full back, he is a Kent lad originally from Thanet. Whilst studying at Brunel University he spent two seasons representing Kent at Under 20 level in the National County Championship.
Henry Kenny: Strong tackling versatile forward who can play both lock and blind side. A former Medway player who represented Kent at under 20 level and was involved with the senior Kent squad last season. He moves from Westcombe Park.
Mo Pangarker: Powerful utility forward who is at home in either the back row or second row. Previous club. Medway. Mo played a major part in Kent’s senior County Championship success in the 2022/23 season. Injury while playing for Canterbury in a pre-season game last August sidelined him for twelve months but he will be a strong contender for a starting place once he regains full fitness.
Director of Rugby Taff Gwilliam said: “”We are delighted with the off season signings we have brought in . Each and every one of them are known to the coaching staff. They all add greater depth and competition for places in our match day squad. Their characters are such that they fit in well to the culture within the existing squad and we look forward to driving up our standards to improve on field performances.
Nine club members have been recognised in this year’s Kent RFU Honda Awards. They are made for outstanding volunteer services to rugby union in England. The recipients were named at an awards evening at Aylesford Rugby Club and were presented by Kent Executive Committee chairman and RFU Council member Roger Clarke. Canterbury winners were Denys Andrianjafy for his Communications work for the club; Jake Beesley, Young Persons Award; Richard Collins, Match Official Award; Press Officer David Haigh, Unsung Hero; Alice Hayward, Social Inclusion; Womens team member Ella Jenkins, Game For All, for her commitment to student rugby at Christchurch University; Youth chair Matt Pinnick was the Game Changer category winner and a second Game For All honour went to Becky McCracken who has founded the successful girls section at the club. Lola Sanderson’s great work and enthusiasm in coaching minis players earned her an accolade in the Young Persons category. Ella Jenkins has also been chosen as a national finalist.
Rugby is going walkabout in Canterbury this week. The club is introducing Walking Rugby to the summer programme which will run from Thursday and Friday, June 6th and 7th, through to Friday August 30th. There will be hour long morning sessions from 09.00 to 10.00 on Thursdays and an evening session on Friday’s from 19.00 to 20.00.
Walking Rugby is a simplified version of the game and no running or physical contact is involved. It is suitable for ex-players, injured and rehabilitating players and anyone interested in rugby without any experience! Those past retirement age can still indulge their passion for the game without the full-on contact, or those wishing to keep up their general activity levels can try a new sport.
Walking Rugby is a great leveller and you do not need to be fit; we can work on that together. You do need a certain degree of mobility but as the sessions are open to all genders and ages, a ‘team’ means you all work as one.
The club coffee shop will be open after the morning sessions and players can enjoy a drink at the bar on Friday evenings.
For more information contact Nathan Morris at: nathan.morris@cantrugby.co.uk or visit the community pages on the club web site.
The fixtures for the 1st XV National League 2 East fixtures are out. It looks to be a tough season with 3 new teams joining the fray.
Message from the RFU
As National League Rugby have only four leagues to organise fixtures, they can be completed earlier than the other divisions (Regional 1 and below). The plan is to release fixtures for these leagues by the 14th June. This will include those for any other sides which you have playing in RFU Leagues. All will be viewable on the Fixtures and Results section of the RFU web site.