This season certainly feels like a lot of changes, especially with players moving to new clubs or no longer playing (ref: you don’t retire from rugby, you just stop playing… rugby players can be soooo dramatic!!).

The season’s hero theme is “The Ranger Awaken” — basically, it’s time to step up and show what we are made of. Whether you’re a seasoned vet or fresh onto the senior scene, this is the season to embrace the challenge, raise your game, and be part of something bigger than yourself — No Excuses

Leadership & Player Leadership Group

Let’s start with the positive news. Louis Keeley has agreed to be captain for the second season. A man who loves a hand-off as much as a Jäger, Louis had a great first season as captain, using his strengths to bring the squad together. From the attitude he brings to training to the way he approaches games, Louis really stepped up to the mark.

With a social life straight out of TOWIE, Louis also juggled moving house, getting engaged, and winning the “4G Pitch Installation Company Man of the Year” (or something like that…) last season. I have banned him from attending any weddings this season as he seems to get invited to too many

On the season ahead, Louis said:

“It’s been a great pre-season so far and really feels like we as a senior group are building towards a special year. This season is all about decision making, effort & honesty, and it’s been great to see so many lads consistently getting to training to improve, and even asking about gym / nutrition plans & extra work ons. Hopefully that mindset continues throughout the season so we can push on this year and have lots to celebrate”

The hope this season is for Jamaican rugby to realise Louis is qualified to play for them and he gets an international call-up alongside his brother Harrison (more on that enigma later!)

Loulou (his mum’s favourite nickname for him) has put together a Player Leadership Group (PLG) bigger than the circumference of Andy Cooney’s cranium (Andy will love that mention).

PLG Members:

-Liam Healey returns as first team VC — a man needing just two things in life: the need to tackle anything that moves and the need to wear factor 50 even in winter months.

-Seb Ellison is the finemaster, brings a little old school nause to the pitch. He likes nothing more than getting a bag of balls and heading out early to practise his kicking.

- Josh Burton is your “heart-on-the-sleeve” player — gives his all every game but needs to watch out for that sniper who keeps taking him out.

- Anton Dennis has the handling skills of a back, able to play 1, 2, & 3. Lost some timber so can no longer be confused with Tompkins.

- Liam Frondigoun, a teacher, uses the classic teacher’s excuse: “I have parents’ evening every Thursday, so I can't make training”. Scores plenty of tries for a hooker and will let you know when he does.

- Tom Jenks is the most underrated player in the club — never gets mentioned in 3rd team reports as they don’t want to lose him.

- Arthur Gibbons, youngest of the group, will be the link from last season’s colts to senior rugby. Cracking lad. Takes over the “Gibbo” nickname because he’s much more fun than his dad and brother!

- Sam Carmen, social sec, just had a baby so won’t be attending many social events. Loves scrum time only slightly more than Alex Isaacs (you’re missed, get up the club!).

- James Fenwick, self-proclaimed legend, still out injured but stepping up as assistant social sec. Teddy Gibbons number 1 supporter

- Ian Sutton has seen the rise and fall of rugby dynasties. Every PLG needs an oracle and a moaning old git, and Sutts is the……..

Pre-Season Update

We’ve been blessed this pre-season. Attendance has consistently been between 50–60 players every session, with over 120 players turning up at some point. I genuinely appreciate how spoiled we are to get those kinds of numbers.

The biggest win for us has been the influx of players coming through our junior section. We’re seeing the benefits of the work put in over the last five seasons — whether it’s down to luck or sheer hard graft, it’s great to see.

What we might lack in senior experience and top-end quality right now is simply because these lads are just starting their senior journey — but they’ve got the talent, attitude, and potential to go far. Give it time, and we could be looking at the next generation of Sidcup legends.

They show up, switch on, and get to work — and they’re just a bunch of really good lads to be around.

Pre-Season Friendlies

Saturday 16th Aug: 1st and 2nd team games vs Eton Manor and Belsize Park, 2:30 KO

Wednesday 20th Aug: 1st and 2nd team games vs Becch’s RFC, 19:15 KO

Friday 29th Aug: 1st team’s first ever Friday Night Lights home pre-season game vs Old Alleynians 7:30 KO

Saturday 30th Aug: 3rd team vs Old Williamsonians, coached by former Sidcup player Luka Syplycwzak, 2pm KO

Players Leaving

- Jon West stepped down from playing at the end of last season. He did milk it at the end — I mean getting Man of the Match in his last game then making all of us really emotional after! Good news is Jon is taking up a coaching role at Blackheath with their Club XV (modern word for 2nd team). Odds are currently 2/1 we see him on the “club” team sheet by Christmas!

- Jack Dutton has been advised to hang up his boots after two serious knee injuries over the past few seasons. He’ll be sorely missed as the chopper & dropper on & off the pitch — chopping down players in defence to dropping the Hoegaarden in the bar. Jackie will be doing some coaching with the Colts this season

-Ted Gibbons has moved to Blackheath. Although he’ll be very much missed, it’s a great opportunity for him. Looking forward to seeing progress over the next couple of seasons, also looking forward to some free tickets!

- Zak Jones is moving to Sevenoaks………

- Tim Hanrahan is returning to New Zealand. He played mainly 2nd team last season with a couple of 1st team caps. Lovely lad — can’t wait to be invited over to coach Rakaia RFC.

- Charlie Mason has moved back up north with his family after a job opportunity.

- Kieran Powell has decided to take the season off after a couple of knee injuries. He was doing really well at the start of last season. Hoping to get him back by Christmas — just another top lad.

- Luke Sheridan is a torn man — loves rugby but feels the call of paddleball and golf is too strong to commit this season. Top lad, 100% future member of the RNC (Ranger Nerve Centre). If you see him, please explain he can still play golf and paddleball on Sundays.

- Joe Marron is just being Joe Marron. Might be around, will be around, could be around — not sure. Heard he just won a trip to Ibiza through work… very dangerous for Ibiza… think Ibiza final boss meets Joey Essex…………love Joe!

So that’s just the over 500 first team caps gone, most up-and-coming youngster gone, most potent winger gone, a good spat of cracking lads gone…………and Zak.

Just to be clear — this is a joke. Zak is not only a top player but is the nicest lad you could meet, and we are really proud of what he has done at Southbridge (New Zealand) this season, including making the rep side. He will be very much missed on & off the pitch. Looking forward to seeing him smash nat 2.

Sevenoaks and you Simmons boys are so lucky!

To note Sevenoaks, Zak’s dad is very sociable and loves meeting new people — please make sure you invite him to all pre-match lunches!

The Not Totally Sure

Sometimes as a coach, you’re not totally sure where you stand with some players, but pretty sure the below are playing this season:

- Josh Twyford, after realising he was the oldest back by 12 years in the Papa John’s Cup game, was thinking of stepping away. Reminded him he’s only got just over 200 points left to become Sidcup’s top points scorer ever

- Billy Williams' demands have been met, he’s been made the Vice Vice Captain and Funbus Queen, so will be playing…..

- Colby Colby is currently training for a triathlon — he said it’s to help develop his kicking game. He will be back playing in late September.

- Steve Evans, Dan Wakefield, and Dave “PainTrain” Fawole are playing this funny game of replying yes on SPOND to coming to training then never turning up.
- Dave turned up this week.
-Steve has been busy.
-Wakefield’s in…

- Joe Brady is back, which means we get to “shake it all Brady now” (twist n shout). Also means his Dad can bring some “Proper Wall" to Millwall Corner.

- Liam Rankin is chasing 100 caps — three to go, I think. Sounds like two seasons to me.

- Seam Osborn said he was coming training the other day, I laughed, he laughed, we carried on with our days

- Alex Tompkins and Joe Holsgrove made it to a Saturday training session — the one where there were breakfast baps served after training.

-Benny is back and looking well fit.

And that leaves Freddy Ruff.

I thought I passed Fred the other day as I walked past the CrossFit gym, top off, six-pack, posing in the mirror… but that was actually Maz.

I did actually see Fred in the car park the other day. I know he wanted to give me a cuddle and say “Miz, I’m in, I want to play.” And he knew I wanted to give him a cuddle and say “Fred, I want you to play,” but instead, there was just this awkward silence.

New Recruits

As WWE legend Kurt Angle would say “It’s tru, It’s tru” we have a few new/returning faces joining us this season - all have been great to have at training.

- Harrison Keeley making another return. The rumours he’s being made to play due to his boss being lead second team coach are not true, he said.

- Rob Knott is a second row joining us from Canterbury and Ashford, he’s been out for the last 2 years with an injury…Thamir would like it known that he made this move happen.

- Alan “Gumbo” Robbins, having lost 36kg, may as well be new. Herbalife, Mounjaro, or just sheer hard work — whatever it is, Gumbo has been outstanding at pre-season.

- Mason Sullivan — turns out Brandon has a brother, who looks like he could be the surprise find of the season. Guessing that means we might have team Sullivan up watching even more!

- Lawrence Coleman, having finished uni, makes a return and has been impressing at every session. Now to convince his brother Ben to play with him!

- Damian Magin is an Aussie who’s been over playing cricket for Bickley, played a bit of AFL at home but never played union…Thats future 3rd team captain material. We are looking at him more for next season’s T20 v the cricket club.

- Joe Levin, Scotty Lloyd, & Connor Taylor — dads (and I think a brother) all making the transition from Sunday rugby to wanting to play Saturdays. They join the likes of Ryan Goodson and Chris Powell *and Ducky (when I asked Ducky to proofread this, he said I didn’t mention his name here) also doing the crossover.

-Conor Dunbar & Tom Mills — CrossFit coaches wanting to get involved. Two lads who can out burpee and out drink the rugby players! CrossFit Dan Thomas, you’re next…

If you are a parent of a former Colt/junior player reading this and your (now adult) child hasn't been contacted, it’s either I don’t have the details - so please send them to coach@sidcuprfc.co.uk. or they are part of a small group who just haven't replied to my message.

The Leagues

The first team start with a very tough (but lovely and local) game away to Darts. With the likes of Brighton (that’s the away weekend sorted), Horsham, Bromley, and Canterbury 2’s in it feels a very strong league this season. Looking forward to playing Beckenham, we’ve had some great battles over the last couple of seasons, with the games being very tight and competitive

In Gravesend, Sutton, Battersea and Reigate — all teams that play some good rugby plus never easy places to go to, Gravesend also has the best KFC! Battersea is always fun - and that’s just taking the lime scooters from the clubhouse to the pitch.

Just a shout out to everyone Old Colfeians — a great rugby club — sending some love after the loss of their current player Brendan McMillian.

Rugby has certain values we never want to lose, that’s pretty much we play hard on the pitch and have a drink after, this season I’m determined to stay and have a few pints at each club ... .maybe a Zinger tower meal after Gravesend as well!!

No easy games for the second team with a mix of first and second teams in the league, starting with a trip down the coast to visit Thanet Wanderers… all aboard the funbus.

Counties 5 is like the Wild West of rugby — you never know what quality of team is coming out against you. Our third team had a couple of big losses last season, but also picked up some cracking wins.
With Blackheath Bandits and Old Elthamians 2’s joining, we have more great very local matches.

I love how people always come and tell me what other clubs are up to — “Have you seen what “Club X” is doing? I saw it on Insta, Facebook, or TikTok.” My advice? Don’t believe everything you see on a club’s socials. If you did, you’d think Sidcup players can’t do box jumps and love getting sprayed with sparkling wine!!

I was going to have a little laugh about a couple of teams, but the banter police have already got me on their watchlist. You make one joke about………….

Finally

The RFU have come out with a few law changes to help improve the game… please just leave the game alone, it was already working. Although great to know they have named the new lineout law — about if it’s not straight but the oppo don’t compete it’s play on — “The Iain Wilson Law”

Miz

Read this the way it’s written — with a grin. Rugby can be serious business, but this isn’t that. It’s a reminder that Rugby’s a game, and games are fun.

Next update is Bar, Food, and Ground …….