USK
USK
CRICKLADE
Based at Red Shed Meadow in Monmouthshire, Usk RFC’s first
team currently competes in the WRU Division 5 East. They are led
by Chairman Stuart Galletly who is supported by Secretary John
Evans and the club is looking to progress under their guidance.
They were first established in 1874 and so are
celebrating their 140th anniversary this year.
During their existence they have put together a
history of which they have every right to be proud.
As a club they have made efforts to broaden their
horizons and a trip to America is an example of
this.
This season their first team put together a solid
league campaign, managing to win 9 and lose 11
of their 20 league matches. This saw them finish
in a safe mid-table position with 51 points on the
board and should provide the club with a good
platform upon which to build as they look ahead
to their next campaign.
They have played across the British Isles on
various tours and have also been to a number
of European Countries including Belgium and
France, which they visited for the first time in 1967.
They have also had teams visit them from France,
Holland and Canada.
As long as they are able to retain their current
group of players over the off-season and perhaps
make one or two quality additions they should be
able to push on up the table. It will certainly be
exciting to watch how they are able to progress in
the coming years.
One of the standout features of the Usk set up
is the superb youth section that they have in
place. This part of the club looks to provide young
players from the local area with an opportunity
to play the game in a safe and enjoyable
environment.
It is important for any club to be able to produce
their own talent, particularly in the current
financial climate and this is an area that Usk
appears to have covered. Coaches overseeing their
youth development are confident that they have a
number of players involved with the potential to
go on and represent the team at senior level.
There is much to admire about the set-up at
USk and this is a credit to their hardworking
Committee. Hopefully they will be able to keep
up the good work that they have been doing for
many years to come and Rugby Club Magazine
would like to wish them the best of luck.
Cricklade
Cricklade RFC has enjoyed a superb season this time around, finishing in 2nd place in
their league and pride themselves on being a friendly club. We caught up with club
representative Daniel Lloyd to find out more.
Atmosphere
He told us, “The atmosphere
here is excellent, the Club
are riding high in Dorset and
Wilts North 2 a little behind
Marlborough but in fairness
they are only in this League
due to a Points fine from last
year and are far too strong for
this level. That said we have
been on an unbeaten run since
Christmas and are looking
forward to finishing off the
season in style on Saturday
and cementing 2nd place and
Promotion to D+W North 1.
The Club, all be it small in size
is very big in Heart, we are still
without a Clubhouse but have
raised over 140k off our own
back and with grants from
Sport England, Community
First and the Council Area
Board. As yet no assistance
from the Rugby governing
body but we still live in hope!
We are fortunate to have a
very devoted Committee led by
Chairman Pete Clements who
have enabled us to get to this
stage.”
Community
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ISSUE 45
“We are 100% very focused on
our Community and our Pitch
has been used by Cirencester
Mini’s, Prior Park a local School
and also Minety Mini’s. We
have also worked closely with
local Traders and businesses as
Sponsors and also publicising
our aim to build Changing
Facilities at Fairview Fields. We
have had excellent support
from our Local Council who
indeed put the Planning
Permission request in for us
and have been very supportive
with our lease as well. We
just wish the RFU would be as
supportive.”
Links
“As mentioned above, we
engage with Cirencester Mini’s
and Minety around pitch usage.
We have also had good links in
the recent past with Swindon
RFC with at least 3 players from
Cricklade moving to Swindon
and representing their 1st
team and likewise our Current
Club Skipper Nathan Waite is
ex-Swindon and we also have
a couple of other ex-Swindon
players in Wayne Anderson and
Kenneth Crocker.”
Challenges
“Our first challenge, as
mentioned a few times is
getting Changing Facilities at
Cricklade RFC; we are at a very
frustrating stage presently
where we are so close we are
probably 70k off building but
just need some support to get
us over the line. We hope for
this to be from the RFU but are
having very limited success
here presently.
I would say from then onwards
it is going to be achieving our
goals of increasing the Senior
membership further to look to
create a 2nd XI as currently we
only have one side.
Finally it will be setting up a
Junior Section and ensuring
we have enough volunteers
to Coach and administer this.
These are all very positive
challenges for us but presently
we are at that Crossroads but
our Ambition remains strong
and we will succeed!”
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