Larry's Last Game - 7th May

Dear all

Founding member and long term club stalwart Larry McCabe has finally decide to hang up his boots. Playing in excess of ??? games and having held multiple roles within the club such as Club Captain, Chairman and "old drunken xxxxxxxx" in the corner, Larry has certainly put his time in. 

To celebrate all his efforts and contributions, we will be organising a game on the 7th May to coincide with the Rest of the World match which is also scheduled for that date (more details of that will follow soon from Boris).

The plan for Larry's last game will evolve over the next few weeks but in the main it will be drink, play, drink, eat, drink, dance and then drink.

At this point I would like to know a few details to help the planning:

• Will you be there?
• Can you play?
• Which position?
• Would you like a commemorative jersey?

Please email me now by clicking here: rocky@millwallrugby.com

I look forward to hearing from you (please feel free to pass on to anyone you feel would be interested).

Rocky (Jamie Rockman)
rocky@millwallrugby.com

Changes to Monday & Wednesday Night Training

Wednesday nights are proving hugely popular, with numbers averaging at around 35-40. However this has meant it has been quite challenging designing coaching to suit the wide range of players attending, to keep it interesting and beneficial for everyone.

So with effect from tonight we are making some small changes to Monday & Wednesday nights. The changes mainly concern our Rugby Basics and Return to Rugby programmes.

Mondays: Adult Non-Contact Touch Rugby & Fitness
7.30pm until 9pm

(But please do your best to arrive from 7pm to help us get the lights out - don't leave it to your team mates)

• This will be Non-Contact Touch Rugby Games for Fitness (for Men & Women of all abilities). 
• On Monday nights we will now run our Rugby Basics programme and complete beginners (men and women) are welcome to start on a Monday night.
• All new players welcome.

Wednesdays: Adult Contact Rugby Training
7.30pm until 9pm

(But please do your best to arrive from 7pm to help us get the lights out - don't leave it to your team mates)

• Contact Rugby Training
• This will be run as separate sessions for Men & Women.
• On Wednesday nights the men's section will continue to run our Return to Rugby Programme aimed at people who've played a little before and want to get back into the game. But if you're a complete beginner (and male) we recommend you start by coming just on Monday nights.
• Women's Wednesday sessions are unchanged and will continue to welcome complete beginners.

Physio Clinic Monday Jan 11

The next Physio clinic is in the Clubhouse on Monday January 11th

Book a slot by emailing timmcdonagh@millwallrugby.com

Reminder - Rugby Ready on Tuesday Dec 1

Rugby Ready Coaching Course

Clubhouse

Tuesday December 1st

19.00-21.00

Rugby Ready is the foundation level coaching course, which you must have in order to progress to

Level 1 or 2.

Millwall are hosting it on Tuesday December 1st, approx 2 hours.

To book onto either or both of the course please contact Matt on mattwatts@rfu.com ASAP.Those that have already committed 10 hours of delivery to the club this season, will have the full cost of the course paid for. If you are working towards or just starting at the club, you will be required to pay £15 per course. This will be refunded on completion of 10 hours of delivery.

Return to Rugby / Rugby Basics Skills re-starts this Saturday

We hope you had a great Christmas & New Year break!

As we mentioned back in December, our introductory rugby skills sessions for adults will restart this week, 3rd January at 10am on Millwall Park.

Aimed at complete beginners, or people who've not played since school or university and people who are curious to learn more, this is a unique opportunity to learn how to play the game of Rugby Union.

When? 

This Saturday 10am for about an hour and a half.  Please arrive in time to start the session at 10am.  If you're new, you will want to arrive about 9.50am to meet us and introduce yourself.

Where? 

Millwall Park, alongside Island Gardens DLR.

Who's it for?

• Over 18s.
• Men & Women who played at school, but haven't played for years, 
• Men & Women who have never ever played rugby before, 
• Men & Women who want to come back to rugby and pick it up again,
• Social members, volunteers or physios curious to learn more, 
• Touch Rugby players who'd like to learn a bit about the full Rugby Union game.
• Current third team players who would like to improve their technique
• Current players who'd like to learn about playing in a different position.

What to bring:

• Yourself ready to have fun.
• Some football or rugby boots if you have them (trainers are OK if you don't)
• Shorts & old t-shirt or rugby jersey that can get muddy
• Something warm and dry to put on afterwards
• a black bin bag to protect your bag if it rains (we run the sessions in all weathers)
• Maybe a bottle of water

Are you up for it?

Please contact rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com to get involved, let us know you're coming or let us know if you can't make it in time for 10am.

We plan to run these MOST Saturdays until further notice.

Robin will be running the first three sessions on 3rd, 10th and 17th January.

EVEN if you can't make the next session please do email rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com to let us know you're interested or signup for our club emails here.  If we know there is interest, we will keep them running so that more people can get involved.

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Return to Rugby & Rugby Basics - Saturday 13th December

We've now been running our Return to Rugby & Rugby Basics sessions for nine weeks and they have proven to be popular!

So we are running another session this Saturday again at 10am until 12 noon on Millwall Park, alongside Island Gardens DLR. Tim will be running this week's session for us.

It's ideal for:

• Men & Women who played at school, but haven't played for years, 
• Men & Women who have never ever played rugby before, 
• Men & Women who want to come back to rugby and pick it up again,
• Social members, volunteers or physios curious to learn more, 
• Touch Rugby players who'd like to learn a bit about the full Rugby Union game.
• Current third team players who would like to improve their technique
• Current players who'd like to learn about playing in a different position.

What to bring:

• Yourself ready to have fun.
• Some football or rugby boots if you have them (trainers are OK if you don't)
• Shorts & old t-shirt or rugby jersey that can get muddy
• Something warm and dry to put on afterwards
• a black bin bag to protect your bag if it rains
• Maybe a bottle of water

Please contact rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com for more info.

We plan to run these MOST Saturdays until further notice.

EVEN if you can't make this session but are interested, please do email rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com to let us know you're interested or signup for our club emails here.  

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Regards 

Andrew

Time to come back to training?

The RFU coach visited again tonight to run a men's training session on the park and we had reasonably good numbers again, which was great.  But we'd still like to have more of you out there training each Monday and Wednesday, as Cookie has said in his weekly updates.

For me tonight, it was a return to training after a bit of a break (=understatement of the year). 

The RFU coaches are running our men's training on Wednesdays at the moment we are really lucky that they are able to do this for us (at no cost to the club).  On Mondays we are still training but running it ourselves.

As they say a club that trains together plays well together and we are keen to see more Llamas and third team players turning up to training too.  It's good for the club and good for you too, and we should start to see the benefits on the pitch on Saturdays.

The RFU coach has asked me to reiterate to players, that training is not just for first team squad and they are able to adjust the content of the sessions to suit the people who turn up, so that means if we have a good split of first and second/third team players, they will split the activity to make it appropriate to all.  Everyone will be welcomed.

So there really is no reason not come back to training...  The club needs you!

If not now, when?... will you be there next Wednesday?

Andrew

Communications Officer 

(who has EVEN been to training this week)

First XV Squad for 15th November

1st XV team sheet published in the usual place, any questions let me know on 07847181594 or email selection@millwallrugby.com

If you fancy a game and haven't let us know yet email selection@millwallrugby.com

Also, those who have out of date membership (if you're not sure then email me and I can check) please pay by following this link: http://www.millwallrugby.com/membership/paymembership.html to pay online.

Also remember our touch tournament and quiz this Sunday! Details are here http://millwallrugby.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/register-now-for-sundays-touch-rugby.html 

Cheers,

Cookie

Rugby Basics - this Saturday at 10am

Following a successful launch last week, the club will be running another Rugby Basics session (coached by Tim - thanks!) this Saturday again at 10am until 12 noon on Millwall Park, alongside Island Gardens DLR

It's ideal for:

• Men & Women who played at school, but haven't played for years, 
• Men & Women who have never ever played rugby before, 
• Social members, volunteers or physions curious to learn more, 
• Touch Rugby players who'd like to learn a bit about the full Rugby Union game.
• Current third team players who would like to improve their technique
• Current players who'd like to learn about playing in a different position.

What to bring:

• Yourself ready to have fun.
• Some football or rugby boots if you have them (trainers are OK if you don't)
• Shorts & old t-shirt or rugby jersey that can get muddy
• Something warm and dry to put on afterwards
• a black bin bag to protect your bag if it rains
• Maybe a bottle of water

Our third team manager, James will also be there to meet you if you'd like to find out more about playing regularly.... but there will be no pressure to do that until you would like to.

Please rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com for more info.

We plan to run these MOST Saturdays until further notice.

EVEN if you can't make this session but are interested, please do email rugbybasics@millwallrugby.com to let us know you're interested or signup for our club emails here.  

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Regards 

Andrew

Selection - Why you need to tell us your availability so early in the week

Our fixture secretary has a difficult job to do in making sure each team in the club has a match each week. But it's made more difficult for him and your team managers if you don't give your availability until late in the week.

Why?  

Because he has to give an indication to the league on a TUESDAY at 6pm whether or not we'll have enough players for a game that week.

Why?

So that pitches can be cancelled without penalty charges and league oppositions know whether we are playing.  If we confirm a game on a Tuesday and end up cancelling later in the week, then we have to waste your money on pitches we can't use and sometimes also on transport/catering etc.

What you need to do to help

So, if you know you definitely ARE, or definitely AREN'T available to play on a Saturday, please let us know on a MONDAY.  If there is a particular reason why you're a still a "maybe", it can sometimes help if you explain when you'll know for sure. Please don't be one of those people we have to phone up each week to ask.

What is the committee going to do about it?

Your team managers will start asking you after games and at Monday night training if you are available for the following week, which we think should help us avoid problems with fixtures.

Rugby Basics - 10am - Saturday 11th October

Calling all beginners to rugby, touch rugby players, physios, other volunteers wanting to learn more ...and curious social members. Or interested in starting to play rugby in our 3rd team?  Come on down.

Come down to the club SATURDAY morning (11th October) at 10am until 12 noon.

Tim McDonagh has arranged a session to teach the basics.

Everyone welcome.

Press Coverage - The Wharf - 25th September 2014

We got a brief mention in The Wharf again this week!  Thanks everyone who contributed content for this. - Cheers Andrew

Don't miss GG's match interviews from our Burnham Win!

Can't see video? Click here.  Should we start calling this "GG-Grandstand"?

Don't forget to hit LIKE (ThumbsUP) on YouTube and share this with your mates!

Press Coverage - The Wharf 18th September 2014

We got another mention in The Wharf this week covering our 48-5 win against Burnham.  There's also a nice bit of promotion for some more members to join us.

If you'd like to get a match write-up or one of your photos featured in The Wharf, please talk to your team manager.  We're also starting video interviews with players after the game, so if you'd like to be featured, let your team manager know.

Men's Training & Coaching Update

Guys,

We are now two training sessions into the new season and I have been delighted and impressed by the attitude to training and the numbers that have made it down. Week 1 we had 18 players and week 2 we had 22 players. In total 28 different players have attended.

That said, we need more and we need all the guys from last season and beyond who haven't been down yet to start making regular appearances. This has the potential to be an exciting and successful season for all the teams within the club, but for this to happen we need to train and play as a squad and a club.

Training is back on a Wednesday night (meet 7.15pm latest) and from September, we will be introducing Monday night training too. Training is what you make of it and the more people that attend, the more we can achieve throughout the season.

By way of update, we have three pre-season events pencilled in. The first is 24th August with a 10's tournament at Bancroft.

Second, on the 31st August we will be playing a training match against Dagenham. I expect good numbers there and ideally a winning start to the season.

On 7th September, we play Upper Clapton away. This again will be a squad match as well but with much more emphasis on structure and patterns ahead of the following week's competitive start to the season.

Which leads me onto....Saturday 14th September. The 1st XV play Mill Hill in the RFU Junior Vase whilst the Llamas and 3rd XV commence their Merit Table campaigns, away to Ongar and at home to Wanstead respectively.

Do not expect just to rock up and play, it is an insult to team mates who have trained and made the effort all summer. Please make the effort to train and build the team and squad spirit from now.

See you Wednesday.

Dave Paton
Coach