Brighton Football Club (RFU) vs Maidenhead – 3 pm KO
Brighton Football Club (RFU) U11 vs Maidenhead U11 – Curtain Raiser

I want to welcome everyone to the Ladies’ Lunch. The event has gone from strength to strength, much to the credit of our great Madam President Kathryn Jones and Keeley Knights.

It’s our 156th season, and today, we entertain Maidenhead at the Senior and U11 levels. I would also like to thank Ridgeview and Hamptons Estate Agents, who have sponsored the club and helped deliver our rugby to the community.

It’s been an odd season so far, in which getting over the line in the league games has proved difficult. However, please cheer our team on today, as five points are the order of the day. However, the season turns out that rugby will still be played, and our club will continue to flourish as we try to deliver a pathway from our youth sides to senior rugby and our 1st Team and beyond.

“Today’s U11 curtain raiser match with Maidenhead is the 3rd of the season, following previous engagements with Horsham and Pulborough. These matches are not only enjoyable occasions but are also really important in building links between the younger members of our club and the senior section. The memories they will take from playing in front of the seniors and cheering them out on the field will stay with them for years to come, and no doubt serve as the foundation for their dreams of one day representing Brighton 1st XV. Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, we are almost at the biggest date of our season- Sunday, 23rd March, is the County Festival, where we will learn how our team is placed compared to our peers. Our experienced team was on par with Hove at the same event last season and just a shade behind Chichester; both clubs have had sizeable squads to work with since U6- many attend private schools where rugby is included in the curriculum. Year after year, we have been closing the gap between them regarding squad size and ability. This season, we are hopeful that, come April, we will head to Weston-Super-Mare for our end-of-season tour, knowing that, as well as being the most fun and adventurous team in Sussex, we play the best rugby” – Graham Hall U11 Head Coach.

Football Club is 103 years old. They played their first game as Thames Valley Rugby Club in February 1922. They had survived WWI, and Captain R.K. Dibb was in charge. R. A. ‘Roy’ Bonberry, influential in founding the Club, guided its development for the next 60 years. The nemesis was Berkshire Wanderers, which eventually became Reading, followed by Thames Valley, which became Maidenhead, in 1965. The Wanderers won the first game and the next two before Thames Valley emerged triumphant in February 1923, winning 6-3. These close games seem to follow Maidenhead as we lost the game 27-26 away.

Briefly,on a more serious note, all our very best wishes are being sent to Tom and his family who bravely faced surgery on Thursday, just gone. Tom suffered a double skull fracture playing for Brighton U16s and was thankfully looked after swiftly by our First Aiders on the pitch. That immediate care, in conjunction with the calm and considerate reaction of his father, Dan, meant Tom was quickly being looked after by the superb team at the Royal Sussex. Tom has handled this horrible situation with amazing strength as he recovers from surgery. Tom and his family are in all our thoughts and prayers as we all wish for a speedy recovery and cannot wait to see him as soon as possible.

Today, our President will remain silent, and our lovely Madame President Kathryn Jones will deliver the address at lunch.

Finally, here is a topical anecdote from our great game: -

There’s a fine line between success and failure in international rugby. It’s called Hadrian’s Wall.
Good luck to both teams
Gibbo
Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship