What a first half of the season it’s been. From the tiniest U5s to the ever-committed Colts, the club has felt alive every weekend, with full pitches, busy touchlines and a sense of Barnes spirit that seems to grow each year.

Minis
The Minis continue to bring a burst of energy to BEST every Saturday. Numbers are stronger than ever, especially in our U5s and U6s, and it’s heartening to see us still bucking the trend of falling participation seen at many other clubs.

Our schools floodlit tag festivals were a real highlight. They brought in our highest numbers since COVID, filled the pitches with excitement, and even encouraged a good handful of new players to join the club afterwards.

On top of that, we’ve already sent full teams to four mixed festivals this season. The standard of rugby has been excellent, but what shines even brighter is the spirit and behaviour of our players, who consistently represent Barnes with pride.

We rounded off the term with the Minis Christmas party, which saw the return of DJ Alex to the clubhouse. There was plenty of dancing, a fair bit of chaos, and enough festive noise to keep the parents smiling all the way home.

Juniors and Colts
It’s been a strong and encouraging start across every age group. Sunday mornings have been wonderfully full, with a record number of squads regularly able to field more than one team and plenty of coaches needed simply to keep up.

The first half of the season is always about developing skills, building understanding and helping the players find their rhythm together. It’s also the time when we begin to position ourselves for the Surrey competitions that start in January, while still keeping the environment fun, inclusive and focused on learning.

We’ve been competitive throughout, often against tough opposition, and we head into January with confidence and a good sense of what each squad can achieve.

Girls
The girls section has had a cracking start, helped along by the magic of the Rugby World Cup. More than 60 girls and parents travelled to Twickenham to watch the Red Roses lift the trophy, and over 80% of our girls managed to catch at least one match live. The watch parties and pre-game taster sessions drew even more new players in, adding fresh faces and energy to the Barnes family.

The excitement continued after the World Cup with an unforgettable visit from two Red Roses stars, Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan. They brought huge smiles, plenty of inspiration and a morning that will stay with our girls and women for a long time.

Our Minis girls have also had a brilliant half season. Their numbers are growing, their skills are strengthening, and they’ve already taken part in three girls-only festivals. The moment they were handed the World Cup to lift was one they’ll be talking about for years.

The junior girls section continues to grow with players representing Barnes at U12, U14 and U16. (A quick reminder that girls age groups are combined across two years.) The U14s have now passed the 25-player mark, which is a milestone in itself. All three age groups have enjoyed a balance of training and matches and are shaping up well for their competitions in January.

The U14s also hosted a fantastic Quad festival at BEST on 7 December. More than 80 girls from Barnes, Ironsides, Richmond and Ealing came together for a morning of rugby that felt true to the original spirit of the game. The sing-off and conga afterwards might be the moment of the season so far.

Coaches
A heartfelt thank you goes to our almost 150 volunteer coaches, team managers, first aiders, safeguarding officers and all the other helpers who make this club possible. Everything our players experience is down to the generosity, patience and enthusiasm you bring each week. We are grateful for every one of you.

To celebrate this brilliant volunteer community, we hosted a wine tasting evening at the club with our sponsors Roebuck and our friends at Latimer. It was warm, lively and full of the kind of chat you only get from people who care deeply about the place they give their time to.

Finally, a huge thank you to Jack Heald and his coaching team, as well as GB 7s and Ealing Trailfinders star Emma Uren, for the support, inspiration and guidance you continue to give not only to our players but also to our volunteers