London Exiles

EXILES WIN THE LEAGUE!!!

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:59:54 +0000

The 2011/2012 season has like many before been a long and arduous one. However, on Saturday after beating Old Paulines 17 – 12 we can finally say that we have won the league and will be promoted into London 3 for the first time in our 22 year history. This is a fantastic achievement and one that we should all be very proud of. However as always in these situations a few key people deserve a mention. Tom Hupfield, the first team captain has been superb all season both on and off the pitch. He has helped inject the side with energy, enthusiasm, a fair dose of grit and his own considerable talent. It is a very tough job to captain a London Exiles team; we can be a right bunch of prima donnas! But Tom has managed to keep the side focused and committed through some fairly vigorous ups and downs. Our coaching team of Phil Brown (Head Coach) and Chris Worsley (Director of Rugby) have been not far from magical. Considering that at times we have appeared to be far from a top of the league side, both in performance and attitude, they stuck with us and transformed us from a very talented group of individuals into an often formidable unit with direction, focus and shape. Phil has probably helped us technically more than any coach in our history and he has done so in a very short space of time. We should be hugely grateful to him. Worz has not only had the patience of a saint but has been the glue that has kept the side together over the last couple of seasons and there is no way that we would be in the position we now find ourselves without him. It would be rude and foolish not to appreciate Chris’ talent as a coach as well as a good bloke. He combines being one of the lads and an astute, intelligent tactician with significant ease. And finally how can I not mention our club president Tim Edghill? Tim could have sat back and accepted that we were always destined to be a mid table Surrey 1 side. Instead he has constantly pushed the club and dreamed that we might just get the chance to go on to bigger and better things. This season his drive has been more evident than ever and I don’t think any of us would have taken the prospect of promotion seriously with out his vision and ambition. Quite simply – without Edge there is no London Exiles. But this year the club feels like a new one – and yet decidedly like the very much older teams of a good few years ago. We seem to have rediscovered what it means to bond as a side on the pitch in tough, tight games and off the pitch spending quality time together rather than going our separate ways at the end of a match. I know the 2010/2011 captain Andrew Brundan challenged the club to rediscover it’s espirit de corps at last years annual dinner and because of solid Exiles like him (and a terrific new social secretary in Josh Beebee) we seem to have done exactly that. Well done lads – and Shelley Matthews (although you are of course one of the lads in all the good ways and none of the bad ones!!!) – bring on next season!!!

THE 22ND ANNUAL COLOURS DINNER

admin — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:20:50 +0000

After a satisfying victory over Old Paulines, the Exiles enjoyed a big night out at the 22^nd Annual Colours Dinner at the Connaught Rooms, WC2.

For me as Club President it’s the chance to thank those who have done so much for the club through the season and to present the end of season special awards of Player of the Year and our ultimate honour, Exile of the Year.

Saturday night was also the opportunity to make a special award.

The Club has only bestowed Life Vice-Presidency on four members in its 22 year history. The Club now has five. I am very proud to announce that Shelley Matthews, who has been, and continues to be, a driving force in the club with an unwavering commitment to its success, has been made the Club’s newest Life Vice-President.

This year’s Exile of the Year is Tom Hupfield. Whilst the award is not usually given to a Committee member, it is only right after the huge personal commitment that Tom has made that he is recognized with our top season honour.

Paul Partrick was deservedly announced as Player of the Year on the back of a series of huge performances since coming into the 1XV back row at No8 at the start of the season.

A very special mention went on the night to Chris Worsley, the Director of Rugby, who has made a huge effort this year and who single handedly masterminded the shape and drive of the 1XV right from the start of pre-season. The league success is something he can be very proud of. Alongside him, Phil Brown, the Club Coach, has been a revelation and has helped create a cohesive unit and raise the skill sets of the squad. I am very grateful to both of them.

It has been a privilege to work with a great committee this year. My thanks therefore to Mark ‘Taff’ Harris, Shelley Matthews, Chris Worsley, Tom Hupfield, James Murray, Sam Cornish, Matt Terry, Sam Gourlay, Josh Beebee, Dan Gaunt, Tom Cazalet, Chris Longman and Guy Smart. You have been fantastic.

As ever the Colours Dinner was a great event with over 100 guests attending the evening, which was fantastically organized and put together by Matt Terry. Thanks are due also to Shelley Matthews and Josh Beebee, who assisted Matt. Our thanks you all for your hard work to create such a fantastic night for the club.

By Club President Tim Edghill

(Admin note: We are generally not quite as old as the blokes in this photo but some of us are getting there – please however could you furnish me with some up to date photos so I don’t have to keep putting up random images from the internet!!! Smarty)

POSH ANNUAL DINNER AT THE CONNAUGHT!!!

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:53:27 +0000

How can one possibly follow up a weekend in which the Exiles win 44-20 against the old rivals from Walcountians and get promoted to the dizzy heights of the London Leagues???
Let me tell you; by celebrating these successes at The London Exiles Annual Colours Dinner!

For those that have bought their tickets, original flyer attached with full details. Address is:

Grand Connaught Rooms

61-65 Great Queen Street

London

WC2B 5DA

Drinks at 630pm sharp. Don’t be late or you’ll miss out on the free booze! However, please note, TIMINGS MAY CHANGE depending on what happens with the Old Pauline’s kick off time. I will keep you posted.

ONE FINAL REQUEST FOR ANY DIETARY REQUIREMENTS FROM YOU OR YOUR GUESTS?

Dress code – Black Tie

PLEASE ENSURE YOU AND ALL YOUR GUESTS BRING A £5 NOTE! We are not asking for huge purchases of raffle tickets this year, but will play a game that requires a fiver from all attendees.

Can I also remind you that you MUST NOT bring alcohol with you. We got fined pretty heavily for this last year so although the sly hip flask is permissible, plonking a bottle of Jaeger on the table is not!

Gentlemanly behaviour is not just expected; it is assumed.

Very much look forward to seeing you all there on Saturday.

Matt/Tezza

A NOTE FROM THE COACH

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:47:44 +0000

OLD WHITGIFTIANS 20- LONDON EXILES 44

Exiles,

Back in September we set out 2 goals for this season – the win the RFU Junior Vase and to gain promotion to London 3.

Harrow tripped us up on the first one but this weekend’s result (a 44-20 win over a young but spirited Old Whitgiftians) all but sealed the second. Without counting chickens (because you never know what can happen) the only thing that remains for us to do this season is to play Old Paulines on Saturday.

If you haven’t done so already, please come back to me and Tom with your availability. Please note, we’re supposed to be playing at home but at the moment Barn Elms have taken the posts down for the end of the season so we might have to play at their place.

On a personal note, I wanted to say thank you and tell you just how proud I am of all of the effort everyone has put in this season, both on and off the pitch. The disappointment of losing in the Cup at Harrow was a painful and frustrating experience. But for me, the bigger prize this season was winning the League – each round of the Cup is about 1 game, the league is about a sustained effort over an 8 month period. All of those cold evenings and weekends, all of that blood, sweat and tears are worth it when you look at the table below – truly a beautiful thing.

Let’s enjoy it – if you’re not involved on Saturday, please get down to watch. Then let’s all head to the dinner for a proper celebration of the season.

See you on Battersea Park, 7pm on Wednesday for the last training session of the season.

Cheers,

Worz

ONLY TWO WEEKS TO THE BALL!!!

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:02:08 +0000

Hurry up and get your tickets – the ball is only two weeks away. Don’t leave it until the last minute – WE NEED YOUR CASH!!! The event will be held on the 21st of April at The Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent garden (http://www.grandconnaughtrooms.com/) and is bound to be a fantastic night. The usual Exiles bank details apply – by all means contact me if you need reminding what they are on info@london-exiles.co.uk. If paying online, please write – Dinner, your name and the amount of tickets you would like as the reference.

Cheers,

Smarty.

BACK TO WINNING WAYS

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:14:54 +0000

EXILES 44 – OLD WALCOUNTIANS 11

Great win on Saturday for the 1^st’s. The second half saw us back to the form we showed earlier in the season.

However now it’s the business end of the season.

We have two games left and the season is far from over.

Sat 14^th April – Old Whitgiftians (A)

Sat 21^st April – Old Paulines (H)

As you all know we need to win both games to win the league and therefore one final push from all members of the club is needed.

We will not have training this Wednesday due to having a weekend off for Easter and to give everyone a chance to get over the injuries.

Can you please get back to Worz, Muz and myself if you are available for the final two games.

Cheers

Huppers.

LADIES DAY!!!

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:11:40 +0000

Tomorrow is LADIES DAY!!! Please invite your girlfriends, wives, sisters or even your mothers to come down and watch us take on Old Walcountians at home. They will hopefully enjoy a sunny afternoon of great rugby and a good gossip while admiring Beebee’s highlights and Hupfield’s fake tan. The kick off will be 3pm, please see our FIND US section for a map and directions to our pitches at Barn Elms. There will be food and pimms at The Red Lion after the game. Let’s make sure that for once Shelley has some female company on the sideline!

EXILES BEATEN BY ‘UP FOR IT’ OW’S

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:38:30 +0000

OLD WIMBLEDONIAN’S 31-LONDON EXILES 20

Quite frankly, the less said the better. However, on a beautiful spring afternoon the Exiles travelled to Raynes Park with a strong side expecting to put in a strong performance against mid table opponents Old Wimbledonians. OW’s had other plans. They were quite simply more ‘up for it’ than we were and they thoroughly deserved their win. We know we can play so much better than this and frankly this was not a performance that showed us in our true top of the table light. As a result, we are no longer in that lofty position. To spout a sporting cliche, you are only as good as your last game and sadly the were not playing top of the league rugby on Saturday. Whatever problems we seem to have come across at this late stage in what has for the most part been a terrific season we must fix them quickly if we are going to fulfil the goals we set out last September. We have a few games left to turn things around. We can come up with all the excuses we like but we were beaten fair and square at the weekend and we need to get back on track. We know we can play fantastic rugby when we want to – let’s rediscover the form that put us in such a great position only a few weeks ago. Otherwise all those fantastic results and all that hard work will have seriously been well and truly in vain. Show some spirit lads, it’s now or never.

EXILES BACK IN LEAGUE ACTION THIS WEEKEND

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:27:41 +0000

This weekend the 1stXV face Old Wimbledonians Away at 3pm at their pitches in Raynes Park. The 2nd XV will play Old Freemans, also away at their magnificent ground in Ashtead. Let’s get stuck into it this weekends lads and concentrate on ending the season on a high. If you are not selected or are injured please do try and come down to support either team – it looks like being a sunny weekend, so what better way is there to spend a Saturday afternoon (if you’re not playing) other than watching some champagne exiles rugby?!? I believe both kick offs are 3pm.

(Photo courtesy of Nigel Lord Photography)

EXILES NUDGED OUT OF THE CUP

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:18:13 +0000

HARROW 33-LONDON EXILES 20

A full match report and up to date photo will follow – although perhaps no one will want too much reminding about what happened on Saturday. However, until a match report is in place from our end, here is the a very gracious and complimentary match report from the Harrow website. Whilst we may have felt that we could have or even should have won the match we clearly kept our heads up, came fighting back towards the end and were sportsmanlike in defeat. Unlucky lads – now win the league!

The Harrow Report …

Harrow outscore classy opponents by five tries to three

Harrow 33-20 London Exiles

In a pulsating game played in front of a large and noisy crowd at Grove Field Harrow produced a outstanding performance to record an impressive 33-20 victory against their opponents from Surrey 1. In a scintillating first half performance Harrow raced to a 21-0 lead and although on the rack in the last quarter of the match the lead in the end was too great for a classy and free running London Exiles to close. At the first lineout on the Exiles 10 metre line Shane Togher who a hugely impressive match throughout ripped the ball away from the Exiles scrumhalf and the forwards the drove forward over 40 meters to end with Sihaloho going over near to the posts. Converted by Conroy. Harrow were 7-0 ahead with less than 2 minutes gone. Within another 10 Harrow had scored another with scrum half Conroy going over and then converting his own try. And when winger Sean Rinn finished off another tremendous attack again converted by Conroy Harrow were 21 points ahead with under 30 minutes gone in the match. Many side would have been completely blown away by the size of the lead and the quality of the home team’s play but you you don’t get to a Division final and be the top team in your league without having something about you and the London Exiles came roaring back into the match. With only a couple of minutes left in the half and Harrow under pressure near their own line the home team had the opportunity to close out the half when they secured their own scrummage ball. Instead of booting the ball off the field and reorganising their defense at the resultant lineout Harrow decided to run the ball. The Harrow centre was robbed in the tackle 10 meters out and the Exiles went over in the right hand corner. Stupid, idiotic, overconfident, naive, call it what you will. It was a poor decision poorly executed and Harrow paid with 5 points that brought their opponents hope when there should have been none. As the second half half started Exiles really raised their effort and it was clear that the momentum in the match had changed. A resultant penalty made the score 21-8 and all bets were off. With Exiles running from all over the field Harrow were holding on grimly. To our credit the home side also raised their game and a tremendous midfield break by openside Proctor resulted in a fabulous team try in the left hand corner by Rynn to record his second of the match. This was followed up by a try by West who had another strong match at no 8 converted by Conroy and Harrow were 33-8 ahead and seeming out of sight. It was at this point at about 55 minutes that Chris Armstrong came off the field. Back after only 3 weeks from his dislocated shoulder he was in great discomfort but I believe that if he had not played Harrow would probably not won the fixture. He absolutely guaranteed the home side its own line out ball and gave Harrow the control we needed in the match. It was brave and committed performance from a tough young man and the other players showed their appreciation for his efforts when he was led to the sidelines.When he went off the Exiles absolutely dominated the lineout and Harrow’s control in the game went. The Exiles smelt blood. Once again Harrow contributed to their own misfortune with the Harrow winger with no support and plenty of time fielded a kick in his own 22. Instead of kicking into touch he decided to run. Isolated he gave away a penalty for holding on, which the Exiles ran back immediately. In the subsequent ruck replacement Batton was sin binned for killing the ball and the Exiles came again. They scored 2 further tries when Harrow were down to 14 to claw back to 33-20 but they ran out of time. If they had started as they had finished there might have been a different result. Bitterly disappointed by losing and their first half performance in the biggest day in their history they proved gracious losers as were their spectators and were a real credit to their club and the game that we all love. We wish them all the best as they continue in quest to go up as Champions of Surrey 1.

In the end you can’t argue with a scoreline of 5 tries to 3. Harrow were absolutely brilliant for 30 minutes in the first half and that in the end proved the difference. A great team performance, a great day for the club. Well done to Bob James and his players.

A special thanks also to Lesley Wyatt for the preparation and and serving of an excellent pre match buffet well supported by members of both Harrow and London Exiles, to George Gergiou, Charlie Patel and Nick de Jongh for the very busy barbeque and finally to Claire Keaney and Road Nicholas for their long (and financially rewarding for the Club) stint on the bar.

Lots of compliments for the efforts of the Club from our visitors from Barnes and our guests Tom Brownsell Chairman of Middx RFU and John Gregory from the London and SE Competitions

A really really good day for the Club. Thank you to all concerned

Harrow will now play Brockworth from Gloucester 1 the Champions of the SW Division in the National Junior Vase Semi final on Saturday 7th April venue to be announced

Andrew Smart