Somewhere in this pile of bodies Guy Gavan grounds the ball for a Barnes try in the narrow 20-19 win over Westcombe Park on 30th January (picture courtesy of Ben Gilby) 

Back with a bang!

After a seasonal lay off we are back with a vengeance! Over the last three weeks we have seen the 1st XV lose by really small margins - firstly on 16th of January we were winning at full time but then conceded two tries to go down 29-19 in gut wrenching fashion to Worthing and as if it could not get any worse, we narrowly went down 29-24 at Barn Elms last weekend against high flying Southend. However, this weekend we bounced back to win another nail biter away to Westcombe Park. It was a must win game for us and we ran out narrow winners 20-19 in the end.

The team are in excellent spirits but know full well that we need to win 5 or so more games if we are going to stay up. As a club we are 100% committed to ensuring that we do remain in National League 2 and work is going on behind the scenes to make sure this happens.

If you know of any premiership players who fancy a run out for the rest of the season let us know! 

Saturday 30th January Games:

Other than the 1’s narrow victory against Westcombe Park, the 2’s were away to Maidenhead and crushed them 50-13 and the 3’s and Occies combined to play S’s 3’sutton and Epsom 3’s but unfortunately went down 25 -12 valiantly in the end. The Vets crushed Belsize Park 41-7 despite giving away 20 years a man!

Click below to go straight to Rugby Round Up Nat League 2 South page

League Table and Results

National League 2 South League Table as at 30th January 2010

Ross Blake defends against a Southend attack in our narrow defeat 29-24 against Southend on 23rd January 2010  

The week ahead at Barnes RFC

6th February 2010

The 1’s replay their snowed off fixture at Barn Elms this weekend  - it is the only fixture on  - why not watch this first before you go to Twickenham  to Engalns beat Wales! If you would like to attend lunch please email Martin Conway at lunches@Barnesrfc.org and for only £20 you can have a great meal and some vino!

There are no other games this weekend.

Kick Off is at 2:00pm

Results from National League 2 on 30th January 2010 were: 

Click Here for the club shop

BARNES RFC WIN BBC RADIO'S NON PROFESSIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

We are delighted to announce that Barnes Rugby club has won the BBC London Radio award for the Non Professional Team of the Year - beating off opposition from the West London Sharks and the London Blitz American Football team. In a difficult season this is a heartwarming boost for us all,  thankyou to all of you that make Barnes RFC the great club that it is today!

Barnes compete in the line out against Rosslyn Park in the loss on 2nd January 2010 (photo courtesy of Ben Gilby)

Barnes Rugby Club Snippets.....

England Vs Ireland Legends game on 26th February 2010..

In the of 26th February there will be an England vs Ireland legends for the Stuart Mangan Memorial Cup is being held at The Stoop in Twickenham.  The Legends game will see some of the big names of English and Irish rugby go head-to-head one more time, with those involved including Shane Byrne, Martin Corry, Rob Henderson, Jason Robinson, David Humphreys, Mike Catt, Richard Wallace, Josh Lewsey, Conor O'Shea, Jason Leonard and Peter Clohessy, to name but a few.

The game was conceived to raise money for Stuart Mangan, who was paralysed from the high neck following a rugby accident whilst playing for Hammersmith & Fulham RFC in April 2008.  Stuart required 24hour medical care for his every basic need, and The Stuart Mangan Appeal was launched to fundraise. Stuart sadly passed away in August 2009 having contracted pneumonia, but his family have chosen for the match to go ahead in his memory and to raise necessary funds to support other injured players. click here to find out more:

http://www.englandirelandlegends.co.uk/

A sad farewell to Stephen Saunders

The family of the late Stephen Saunders, Barnes player and Sinners President asked us to post this message:

"Judy Saunders and her family would like to thank all those people who sent letters and cards following Stephen’s death.  We have all drawn great comfort in the kind words that have been written and been touched by the tremendous support that has been shown to us all over the last couple of weeks.  To all of you who made the trek to Great Chishill to send Stephen off in splendid style and panache we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  In many ways it was a day never to be forgotten but rather remembered.  With love Judy, Simon, Tory, Sarah and Tim xxxxx"

Saturday 13th February 2010 - Clubnight

The next Clubnight sees the 2's and 3's hosting an Hawaiian themed evening at the clubhouse, where we are hoping to have in place a DJ, silly games and some Hawaiian punch - to spice things up.Please make every effort to be there.

Saturday 24th April 2010 - End of Season Ball & Prize Giving

Please make sure you all have the above date in your diary. We have secured a great package deal at the fabulous venue of Twickenham Stadium at only £55.00 pp. It will be an evening of fun and frolicks!

AGM on 29th April

It's time for all of you who talk a good game to tunr and up deliver at our AGM, we hear lots of bleating from those who would like a crack at the Committee roles so if you have the time, energy and committment this is the meeting to turn up at and consider running for one of the many roles your rugby club needs to run efficiently, so whether you fancy being President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, or merely want to help on the gate on match days or in the clubhouse sorting out the electrics, if you have the passion, time and commitment then now is the time to put your hand up and say "I will do that"  - the dellusionial, political or devious need not apply, we are not that sort of club!  

Put these key dates in your diary today:

12th March 2010  - the City Lunch at the RAC Club is on 12th March

24th April 2010  - end of season ball (includes players supper)

29th April 2010  -  AGM in the clubhouse

Barnes RFC Club Nights

After the brilliant Vets club night on 5th Dec, the next one is on February 13th 2010  – so please make a note in your diaries now!

There are two other club nights in 2010:

13th Feb  Club Night  -  hosted by 2nd & 3rd Team

10th Apr  Club Night   - hosted by Ladies & Occies Team

Barnes RFC on the BBC

Recently Rhino and Barnes stalwart Angus Graham were guests on BBC Radio London’s “The Scrum” . The deadly duo were live guests for the whole hour and got lots of plugs from presenters Andy Rowley and Sara Orchard  -  it was great fun and great publicity for BRFC and the feedback from the 10 million listeners was that Gus and Rhino are the next Ant and Dec!

If you want to hear all about it click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/london/  

The National Clubs Association looks after Barnes RFC - click on the logo from more info

This Week's BRFC Celebrity Profile.. The Barnes Legend that is

Jonathan "Dizzie" Gillespie 

• Place of birth: North of the Border, but I only remember this once every 10 years when Scotland beat England!
• Height: A short 5’ 9” (it’s the short legs and round bum that don’t help)
• Weight: A lot heavier than the picture, at least 16 stone 7 lbs
• Job: I am a high flying Radio Media type but I prefer living off my wife as she earns considerably more than me
• Current Barnes Team and Position: The Vets, warm up coach. (As Ie pulls my hamstring at that stage and never make the game!)
• Favourite Meal: I eat most things, as my current frame will testify
• Favourite booze: 70 shillings, as it brewed in my home country Scotland
• Favorite movie: Pricilla Queen of the Desert
• Favorite bit in a movie and why: When Mrs Doubtfire (She was Scottish) cleaned the glass table
• Sexiest female out there: My wife and her new teeth
• Top 3 favourite bits of music/songs: Elvis – The Ghetto, Shania Twain – Man I feel like a Women & U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
• Who are the 3 people you would most like to have dinner with and why? Me, Me & Me because no-one can then interrupt me
• Favourite Barnes RFC moment: Being fined for wearing gloves during a vets game
• Barnes debut game: January 2004 Vs Guy’s Hospital Vets when my hamstrings were supple enough to make the kick off
• Moment of most embarrassment in your life so far!  Finding out I was related to Adolf Hitler
• One thing that no one in Barnes RFC knows about you: My penchant for cleaning glass coffee tables with a pink feather duster

The Chairman speaks!

Michael Whitfield, Barnes RFC's Chairman

So the 2009/2010 season is already underway and we are learning lessons at a furious rate in National League 2:

• The importance of taking your bonus points when they are on offer (which we didn't against Henley)
• The importance of locking out a game when in control (which we did not last week against Worthing)

• How we need to have a large squad of talent throughout the club challenging for all positions I know that we all taking on board what we need to do and I feel certain that Carson and Gibbo will be working hard accross the board to make sure all the lessons we are learning are fully absorbed by the players and coaches alike......more

Click here for the rest of this piece......

Coach's Corner

One month in

There is certainly nowhere to hide in National 2. If you do not perform you get punished and punished is what has happened in the last two games.

In our first National league fixture the squad travelled down To Somerset to play Bridgewater & Albion, we were anxious and “Bridgy” pulled away in the first half, however after realising that we could compete our forwards “upped the ante” and we looked a very competent side as the match finished. A first win was just reward for a solid second half.......    more

for Carson's full piece click here now!

This Year's 1st XV Captain Si "Gibbo" Givens

A warm welcome to Barnes RFC

This is my third term as first team skipper and whilst National 2 is not a strioll in the park it is with great excitement that we are approaching each game.  We come off the back of a fantastic tour to Argentina with players still buzzing.  With some epic local fixtures ahead this year the club is in great spirits and great condition......more

Click here to read the rest of Gibbo's excellent words dudes!

Gareth Williams Davies with the ball – in support (left to right) Jon Dawson, Matt Clarke, James Lumby, Gibbo & Dan Sutherland

Jason Leonard looking suitably nervous about scrumaging against Rhino before the start of the Barnes Vets vs Legends XV for the Neil Murphy Benefit fund - the legends won 22- 17

Team picture and hangers on after our 2009 win 21-13 away to Jersey in 2008/2009 season...a memorable weekend!