We are passing back 5% to Battersea Ironsides Rugby

During the 2015/16 rugby season, we are donating 5% of commission from the sale of any Battersea Ironsides member’s property, back to the club.*

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GALA EVENINGSaturday 21St November 2015

1995/96First full season with between 20-30 children each week.

“Without you it wouldn’t

be possible”

WELcomEA very warm welcome to you all this evening at yet another Ironsides visit to Twickenham.

Today is a momentous occasion, marking 20 years of junior rugby at Battersea Ironsides.

As a graduate of the junior section myself, I can personally say what an enjoyable time it was, where I learnt not only how to play rugby and the core values within, but also how to develop myself as a person. Playing mini/youth rugby at Ironsides gave me self-esteem, confidence and many friends who I still see to this day, 5 years on from my last game with the U18s.

The junior section has a come a very long way in 20 years, growing to become one of the biggest, if not the biggest, junior rugby section in the country.

A testament to this was having three former junior Ironsiders playing in the RFU Junior Vase Final with the seniors earlier this year, one of whom scored Ironsides’ only try! Also, a handful of former Ironsides juniors have gone on to play professional rugby at high level, as well as on the international stage, including: Kyle Sinckler (Harelquins, England XV) and Lorcan Dow (Ireland age group level and now U19s Captain), Daryl Marfo (former Harlequin, now at London Welsh) and Tom Whitely (Saracens).

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all the coaches/parents and other volunteers who turn up every Sunday, rain or shine, to help run the juniors section. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible.

The junior section is going from strength to strength. The future looks extremely bright for the club and we can only look forward to it.

2,3!

Marcus BaileyIronsides 1XV Captain.

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2

We congratulate Ironsides on twenty years of getting community rugby over the line.

ICAP_Ironsides-DPS-02.indd 1 28/10/2015 10:53

LArGE StrEAmS from LIttLE fouNtAINS fLoWWhen in 1995 a group of parents decided to set up a junior rugby club, little could they have known what seed they had planted. Wandsworth Council had earlier started a rugby-training scheme and this ran for three years, but the funding stopped. So we decided to affiliate ourselves with an established local club, which was Battersea Ironsides RFC, as they played on the same pitches at Garratt Green.

Initial numbers were small with less than 20 at the first session, but by the end of the first year we were up to 70 covering U6s – U13s. One of the many problems we faced in the early days was to find opposition to play, as we initially played on Saturday mornings. In the second season we changed this to Sundays, when most other clubs played. The first fixture we played was away at Old Fullarians RFC, who were based just north of Watford. A large convoy of cars set off for this historic fixture, and much to our surprise, we managed to win two of the games. We were well looked after by the Fullarians club and a great time was had by all who attended. We followed this with matches against Staines, Old Cats, Mitcham and Beckenham, who all helped in the development of our fledgling club. By this stage, a new group of coaches had arrived to add to the originals. They were aided by an enthusiastic group of volunteers required by a club that was beginning to grow very rapidly. We were now sporting a club kit of green and white quarters for the first time.

“Little couldthey have

known whatseed they

had planted”

In 1998 we entered teams into the Surrey B Festival and by the year 2000 we had our first trophy with our under 9s winning the Surrey Bs, coached by Stuart Milne. The following years saw steady growth, until 2003 when our playing membership almost doubled to 500 registered players, thanks to England’s victory in the World Cup. Teams were entering the Surrey youth leagues with creditable if not spectacular results. The first of our players to gain County honours were Katherine Smith and Hialeah Lettman, followed by a stream of boys. We then started to see age group international honours coming the way of the Ironsides for the first time.

Now, as then, we continue to welcome young players of all abilities and we remain true to our ethos that “Fun Comes First”. Here’s to the next 20 years and lots more young children learning the joys of Rugby and going on to play to the highest level they can obtain. We would hope that they can all say, “it all started at the Ironsides”.

Richard SmithIronsides President

“We remaintrue to ourethos that

Fun Comes First”

1996/97First ever fixture v Fullerians RFC.

1997/98The birth of our Green & White quarters.

1998/99Festival victory at Guildford for the first time.

1999/00Ironsides lift the cup at Surrey B’s.

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2000/01First tour to Europe Benetton Festival Treviso

2001/02Festivals are fun!

orDEr of EVENING

6.30pm Welcome Drinks

7.30pm Dinner

Speeches & 20 year Anniversary VideoColin O’Keefe, Introduction

Jason Leonard, Grass Roots RugbyRichard Smith, Thanks

Auction & Raffle

Band (Third Friday)

12 midnight Carriages

SomE GrEAt rAffLE PrIzES! £5 per ticket - £20 per book of 5, Signed Ironsides Shirts by Sir Clive Woodward,

Signed Ironsides Shirts and Rugby Balls by International Legends, £300 Russell and Bromley Voucher, Restaurant Vouchers (Brady’s, Nazmin’s, Ben’s Canteen, Gazette), Turkish Hamman Body Massage. And more…

“ It is a real pleasure to wish all at Ironsides Rugby congratulations on two decades of

tremendous rugby and to thank all who have worked hard to give others the opportunity to

play our sport. Please enjoy the celebrations and the rest of this anniversary season as one of our

biggest and best junior clubs ”

Jason Leonard OBE RFU President

“ Many congratulations on the occasion of your 20th Anniversary Gala at The Stoop.

Ironsides have come a long way in the 20 years since the Mini/Junior section started in 1995. The Senior section of the club well deserves their National nomination for Senior side of the year for last season, winning the Surrey 1 league, then carrying away their National Cup from a Twickenham final, and having enough left in their tank (no pun intended) to win their County knock out competition the next day: three trophies on the bounce. Your four senior sides have become an increasing force in the Surrey Leagues and the First XV are establishing themselves well in the London and South East leagues.

Your Mini/Junior section has shown incredible growth since 1995 and now is the biggest Youth section in English rugby, with 860 young players pulling their boots on every week. It is your Youth section that is responsible for growing our game in an area of the

capital that is not well known for rugby activity, with few traditional rugby-playing schools and even fewer good quality rugby pitches. You have done an amazingly good job to grow to this strength and we at Surrey Rugby applaud your effort. Surrey Rugby is here to support your Youth section in all that it does and we are particularly willing to help with any move to improve your facilities for the benefit of the rugby family.

Your Club has a good place in Surrey Rugby folklore, coming from a solid historical foundation. My contact with Ironsides goes back to playing your vets in my home club’s 555 tournament in the ‘80s and ‘90s, plus the bruising experience of playing lower team rugby on Saturdays. My memory of those days is of rudimentary facilities in both clubs, good sport and excellent hospitality. Now I watch Ironsides mini and juniors making significant contributions to Surrey leagues and festivals. Well done all of you. ”

Nigel Heslop Chairman, Surrey Rugby

2002/03Success at the Surrey A’s.

2003/04Minis revel in festival rugby!

2004/05First club tour ‘The Italian Job’ Rome.

2005/0610th anniversary year – Gala dinner at Twickenham.

20 y

EAr

S -

1st h

ALf

20 yEAr

S - 2nd h

ALf

We are a true rugby family at Ironsides, displayed poignantly over the last few seasons when injured players, junior and senior alike, have been supported and motivated to get back onto the field. Like every family we squabble, but always for the benefit of our fine, warm, friendly, local community, grass roots rugby club.

There are so many people to thank: players, captains, coaches, physios and numerous support staff, too many to name. Thanks for all the legendary support from the junior section on the touch-line, and with amazing Guards of Honour to spur us on. Last, but not least, to all at the Clubhouse, who provide great service to all our teams, opposition and supporters.

The seniors look forward to investing more time coaching our junior members to ensure the club’s youth section bears the fruits of so many talented young individuals. I wish the entire Ironsides family a safe and joyous season. Please continue to introduce your friends and family to our great club and let’s nurture its future growth.

To those who were an integral part of creating such a formidable and continuing legacy, THANK YOU!

Fear Naught.

2,3!

Colin O’Keefe, Ironsides Club Captain

mIGhty oAkS from AcorNS GroW It is with great pleasure that I pen these words in celebration of Ironsides Junior Rugby’s 20th year anniversary.

Our huge junior section now contributes an ever-increasing number of players to all the senior teams. Let’s face it; our success would not have been so prolific if it were not for the skills and character built by many from those early years. The strength and potential of the junior section has been well and truly recognised by the senior section – “Mighty Oaks standing tall at Twickenham from little Acorns on Garratt Green grow!”

Often on a Sunday, you will find a member of the seniors observe, coach and train the minis and youth players, in particular from the U15s upwards. The handing down of experience from seniors to juniors develops the skills and attitude of the youth players. It helps them fulfill their potential and enables them to understand that senior rugby is within their grasp. In turn, the seniors have had an increase in support from the juniors during our recent campaign.

Last season was incredible for our club. At our peak we had more than 100 senior players turning out for five teams. In addition, our Vets team continues to thrive at the bar! We now reign as Surrey 1 Champions and National Junior Vase Winners. We won the National Final at Twickenham, before 3,000 screaming Ironsides fans from all age groups, and had another victory the following day with the Surrey Shield at Esher. So sweet; and then to cap it all, to be awarded the “Rugby World Team of the Year”.

“ The strength and potential

of the junior section

has well and truly been recognised ”

“ Fine, warm friendly

local community grass roots

rugby club ”

2006/07Curtain Raiser Cup winners for the first time.

2007/08Some mud, some blood and maybe some green fields!

2008/09First international Kyle Sinckler England U16.

2009/10Ironsides Rugby sets Surrey on fire!

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Skrum DoWN IN SWAzI - Q&A20XV – A huge year for our beloved game and for Ironsides Rugby. For 18 year old Ironsider, Jake Seymour, a year he will never forget, traveling to Swaziland and volunteering for the charity, SKRUM. Perhaps fitting that in our anniversary year, Jake is the inaugural recipient of The Ironsides Rugby Bursary, which has enabled him to make his project a reality.

We caught up with Jake a couple of weeks ago to see how he was getting on…

Q- What is your most vivid memory of your time in Swaziland and why?A - So far it has to be going to my first coaching session at a primary school “St Andrews” where this one crazy kid was just running about screaming and coming to tackle me, which encouraged all the other kids to take me down and they did, they got me down finally.

Q- What meal/ food did you enjoy the most?A – Well…Really got into the Braai vibe and, I wouldn’t call it a meal…but…I love Biltong! Eat it everyday!

Q- What is the best memory of your time at Ironsides...And the worst?A - My best was the Italy tour (Venice) in 2013. What was rugby, rugby, rugby turned into a proper weekender with the

lads. Great tour, those Treviso boys made sure we had a good time… But of course what goes on tour stays on tour! My worst was 2012, playing a title decider at Sutton and Epsom, up on Priest Hill! Not a day to be on the wing…pouring down, ridiculously cold, at half time I tried to warm up in the portable toilet (didn’t work) and we lost 17-15.

Q - Which tune or artist did you listen to the most in your spare time?A – Take Me by Rufus and Natty – Bedroom Eyes.

Q- What, if anything, did you miss the most whilst away from home?A – In no particular order - Family, friends, girlfriend, pasta, the gym, 15-a-side rugby…Oh yeah and my clothes…Just been wearing sports kit here!

Q- What is the first thing you’ll plan to do once back in London?See the ‘missus’, get a job, stay busy…and play senior rugby!

Q- If you weren’t so into rugby...What sport would you play?A – American Football. I spent some time with London Warriors last year, It was good fun.

Q - having played both the 13 and 15 man game - Which current player do you admire/respect?A – At the moment it would have to be Nehe Milner-Skudder, All Blacks right wing. I’ve seen what he does in super rugby and he has come into AB’s side with ease and has brought a whole different level to their attack! In top three best wingers in the world. Also, he seems to be grounded and humble after only playing one season in the super rugby campaign.

Q - What would you say to anyone of your age thinking of volunteering abroad for an organisation like Skrum?A - Go! Do it now, it may only come around once and you’ve got to take it.

2010/11New badge, new name, new era.

2011/12First club in Surrey awarded RFU Whole Club Seal of Approval.

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L E G E N DA RY H O L I DAYS

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All that has been achieved is only possible thanks to the dedication of our countless volunteers. Every year, we find more coaches, more first aiders, more managers and more volunteers willing to contribute to this great community rugby club and help it in developing rugby and life skills for our members. Thank you so much to all for this, it could not be done without you.

All our current achievements, and those of the past, mean we go forward into the next 20 years of Ironsides junior rugby with confidence. There are so many ideas and projects that are being worked on to take Ironsides onto the next level: club development, new pitches and facilities, delivering our strategic goals, improving playing and coaching and “One Club” events. Also, working closely with our partners across football and cricket means that our little patch of southwest London rugby will continue to thrive and develop.

Above all we move into the future with a clear purpose: to put at the heart of our Club and the rugby we play that unique Ironsides spirit of inclusivity, friendship and fun. This ethos, so important to our founders, is now an inspiration to all. It is this, more than anything, that secures our future.

The future shines brightly and it burns 2,3 into all our hearts

Justin Basini & Claude Rolland, Mini and Youth Chairmen

our futurE ShINES BrIGht From our humble beginnings, so well documented and celebrated tonight, we have grown to have nearly 900 players with hundreds of volunteers working together to deliver a great experience of the game we all love. This earns us huge respect from everyone who plays against us and gets a taste of the Ironsides spirit.

The roads leading to and from the Club on Sunday morning are awash with green and white as players make their way to and from their pitches. Our players, their parents and our volunteers represent the Club with pride, passion and politeness at a wide range of Surrey festivals, and we sent shy of 400 players to Surrey A, B and development festivals last season. We always uphold the highest of standards embodying the rugby values of Enjoyment, Sportsmanship, Respect, Discipline and Teamwork.

Our girls’ section grows with an U15 and a U18 team. We have participated in many ‘pitch up and play’ sessions in Surrey this season and are aiming to be the leading girls section in Surrey within the next few seasons. We are working with the RFU, Wandsworth Council and local schools to grow our girls’ membership base. The success we have in the juniors’ section is filtering through to the seniors. Last season we ran an U21 team and will do so again to ensure and encourage a smooth transition from junior to senior rugby.

“ We go forward into the next 20

years of Ironsides junior rugby with

confidence ”

“ The future shines

brightly and it burns into all our hearts ”

2012/13Ironsides takes pride of place in the new World Rugby Museum.

2013/14Easter weekend Incoming tours from Russia and Australia!

2014/153 ex juniors play for the 1stXV at Twickenham.Charlie Stuart, Marcus Bailey, Guy Newman

2015/16First junior player to become 1stXV captain.

thANk youTo Richard Smith, Bob Lettman and John Talbot who laid the foundations in 1995 to build the great club that we all enjoy today.

Rachel Denning and John Freestone for their leadership and tenacity to get this event off the ground, and the gala team who have all contributed towards this fabulous evening.

Martin Seymour for his expertise in design, which we see all around us in the form of decoration, this programme and our souvenirs, in celebration of our journey. Justin Basini for his audio visuals. Michael & Gill Leech for printing and producing the 20XV event material and merchandise.

To our guest speaker, Jason Leonard, who has given up time in his busy schedule as President of the RFU. To Colin O’Keefe, Richard Smith and our MCs, Ciaron Bolger and Nigel Taylor-Walker.

To all our sponsors and all those who have generously donated raffle prizes.

To all the staff at Harlequins, who have provided us with such superb hospitality.

To you all for being here and sharing in our celebration.

crEDItS

Photography – Tim Glasby, Martin Seymour, Barney Hamilton, Kate Pettitt, Chris

Apostolides, Ironsides Archive.

Editorial – Tom CourtenayClack, Matthew Eltringham, Kate Pettitt, Martin Seymour.

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