News

Geoff Bucknall
It is with deep regret that I inform the membership of the sudden death of Geoff Bucknall.
Our condolences and sympathy go to Geoff’s wife Rachel and their family.
Geoff's funeral will take place at Worcester Crematorium on Tuesday 19th August at 12:00 noon.
On completion of the service everyone is welcome back at Pershore RFC for refreshments.
Hon Sec.

Bob Randall
It is with deep regret that I inform the membership of the sudden death of Bob Randall.
Our condolences and sympathy go to Bob's wife Sandy and his two sons Jamie & Will.
Bob's funeral will take place on Wednesday 6th August at Fladbury church at 11:30.
Refreshments will be held at PRFC afterwards.
Hon Sec.

Away draw in North Midlands Shield

After Pershore’s victory in the first round of the North Mids Shield at Oswestry on Saturday we have again been drawn away in the second round. This time we will take the trip to North Birmingham to take on Veseyans RFC who defeated Woodrush in the first round. Please check the website for confirmation of the date that this fixture will be played.

Fighting for the Survival and Future of Pershore RFC

Please read the following 2 documents about fighting for the survival and future of Pershore RFC:

Letter to Members & Associates of Pershore RFC
Loan Contribution Form

Micky Knott

It is regret that we report Micky Knott’s death.
He finally lost his battle against cancer and died late on Friday 12th October 2007.
He will be sadly missed by all at the club.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
The funeral will take place at Pershore Abbey on Monday 22nd October 2007 at 13:45.
It is requested that you wear club number 1's.
Blue blazer, white shirt, blue club tie, grey trousers and black shoes.
There will be a guard of honour of ex and current players who are in number 1's outside the Abbey prior to the service taking place.
You are invited to attend the Star in Bridge Street from 1230 onwards.
After the funeral, there will be a drink to celebrate Mick.
Posted by Hon Sec

Flood Damage Update

Pershore Rugby Club is still suffering in the aftermath of the summer floods. Although a series of portacabins and containers means that the club can offer very minimal and primitive facilities in order to host league matches, refurbishment work on the clubhouse has still not started due to the building still not yet being sufficiently dried out.

Pershore RFC are in an unenviable position where the containers are costing £1000 per week to hire, and they have only received minimal sums from their insurers and no certainty to the outcome of the insurance claim. It does not take a financial wizard to work out that the money will soon run out, and where will that leave the Piddle Park outfit?

The RFU have acknowledged the Club’s plight but have only seen fit to support the Club to the extent of £6000. Contacts have also been made with Wychavon District Council, the Rotary Club and they remain hopeful that the ‘Flood Relief’ event at Tewkesbury, organised by Worcester and Gloucester Premiership Rugby Clubs, supported by Pershore, will add some much needed funds to the coffers.

Pershore Chairman, Robert Willson-Taylor said “We currently have enough money to pay for the cabins until the end of November. We have been told by the proposed contractor that it will take 5-6 weeks to get the changing facilities up and running, that is before they start work on the bar & kitchen areas. As we are on a tight timescale we really need the insurers to make a decision and give the green light for work to start. If we can at least use our changing rooms, toilets and showers that will mean that we are able to send 80% of the cabins back, greatly reducing the rental cost. If we can’t then who knows where we will get the money from come December”

If you are able to help the club in there hour of need please contact Chairman Robert Willson-Taylor on 07739 476013.

Start of season Press Release

Pershore’s pre season training programme is now well under way, although most of it has taken place at Worcester RFC’s training centre. Due to the record flood in July the pitch is currently unplayable and the clubhouse is gutted. This may cause a slight problem to the fixture list at the beginning of the season but PRFC have received kind offers from both Droitwich RFC & Worcester Wanderers to accommodate them until the facilities at Piddle Park are back up to scratch. The current cost of getting the facilities at Pershore Rugby Club back to what they were is estimated to be around £100k. The Club is hoping that they can deem the pitches playable within a matter of days, but then there is the small matter of changing facilities, bar, toilets etc to think about while the clubhouse is being renovated.

On the training paddock the drills have been adapted to game playing situations from the start to give the players a clear focus of the value of each drill they do, and how these ideas can be imposed on the opposition going into next season. These ideas are the brain child of new coach Chris Johnston.

Johnston coached a number of the current squad when he took on one of his first coaching roles at Worcester RFC’s colt’s age group over a decade ago. He then coached Hereford RFC before joining Pershore for his first stint in 2001 guiding the club to second place in Midlands West Four (South) which gained them promotion to the level they are currently playing at. His time at PRFC was short lived as he relocated to North Wales and took a role as coach of Phwelli RFC. Fortunately for Pershore he moved back to the area last year and accepted their request for him to re-join the club as Head Coach. He is being assisted in the coaching duties by Charlie Hemmings, Russell Humphries & Micky Knott.

The senior ranks at the club next season will have a few more new faces, one of which being new club captain Toby Grace. He has taken over responsibilities from the departing Martin Hope who has decided to step down after 2 years at the helm. Hope will be staying on in a playing capacity at number 8 and will hopefully forge a formidable back row partnership with the likes of Ed Day, Kris Bassett and Levin Widmer. Newly appointed Grace has been a member of the club for 15 years but spent 6 seasons away whilst at university and working in Swansea. He returned at the beginning of last season and formed a fantastic second row partnership with player of the season Marcus Whyte. Grace is excited about his new role and working closely with Johnston.

To help assist the recruitment drive this summer Pershore RFC are an active member of the Rugby Football Union’s ‘go play rugby’ campaign. It is designed to not only introduce new faces to the sport but to also re-introduce players who have been out of the game for a while. The internal campaign is being headed up by former 1st XV captain Robin Haines. Haines says “we were going to launch the campaign at our first home game of the season on 25th August, but this will have to be postponed until our facilities are renovated. We have instead decided to have a stall at the Pershore Plum Fair on 27th August as our initial launch with further events planned throughout the coming weeks.”

Robert Willson-Taylor completes the change of personnel after he was invited to replace Roy Hirons as Chairman. Willson-Taylor, a former 1st VX player in the 70’s & 80’s, is hoping to help install an infrastructure into the club that will enable them to sustain a higher level of competition if fortunate enough to get promoted. He is also keen to increase the rugby clubs impact on the local community, Willson Taylor said “unfortunately if you ask some people in Pershore where their rugby club is, most would not even be aware that the town has one, playing at such a good standard. My aim is for the club to play a bigger part in the local community, and increase the amount of Pershore people who play, support or socialize at the club”.

The changes at Piddle Park are completed with the transfer to Western Counties North league for the 2007/2008 season. They will come up against some tough opposition, including the likes of Stroud, Spartans & Gordan League, who incidentally were coached by recently retired Worcester Warriors Prop Lee Fortey in their last campaign. Toby Grace adds “There is a bit of a myth that the teams in the south west are tougher and more physical, none more so than the Gloucester based sides who will make up much of our league. We will be aiming to dispel this myth and surprise a few clubs on the way” When talking about Pershores form last season Grace added “Piddle Park was a fortress last year and we take pride in the fact that the only sides to get a result down here against us were Hereford & Stratford who both gained promotion. Our away form let us down last season and this is a major area we will aim to amend”

Johnston has laid out his plans and targets for the 07/08 season. “There is a certain way that I want us to play which differs from our tactics in recent years. This has meant that the squad has had to change their mind set but so far the players have embraced the new ideas whole heartedly. The general opinion throughout the playing section of the club is that promotion is an achievable target. We have been at this level for the past 6-7 seasons so the squad is keen to see how they fair playing at a higher level. The most important thing is that the players play with a smile on their face and we all know this is easier to do when you are winning”.

The forthcoming campaign will see Pershore again sponsored by local company Midshire Communications Ltd, who are based less than a mile away from the club at Keytec Business Park in Pershore. Other main sponsors will be Tarplett Generator Systems & Laser Civil Engineering. Chariman Willson-Taylor said “As an amateur club we rely heavily on our sponsors and would like to thank Toby Tarplett and Ian Ansell of Laser Civil Engineering for their support. Special thanks should go to Geoff Mabbutt of MCL. He has been our main sponsor for 3 seasons now and has also contributed towards our recently re-formed Mini & Junior section”

The Mini & Junior section was re-formed last season, and under the guidance of coaches Russell Humphries and Sean Crouch, had a successful first season. The new season will start on Sunday 2nd September with a registration at 10am, followed by coaching by any of the many qualified coaches who assist in the Sunday morning sessions. All players between the ages of 7-16 are welcome to come along at take part.

The club is based at the bottom of Mill Lane in Wyre Piddle, and can boast one of the finest locations in junior rugby. They have 3 full size pitches with a separate floodlit training area. They also have a clubhouse and licensed bar which is open on match & training days with plenty of parking.

Pershore’s season has already started brightly. They won the plate competition at last Saturday’s Droitwich Tens competition. They endured mixed fortunes in the group stages where they finished 3rd in the table. Results included a win against the eventual cup winners The Bagdaddys. In the plate final Pershore came out convincing winners against local rivals Worcester Wanderers. The day did not come without cost. Vice-captain and 1st XV prop Alex Peel was taken to hospital with a leg injury and is likely to miss the start of the league campaign. The season proper gets under way on 25th August when they will play Kidderminster in a trial game at Marlpool Lane, Kidderminster. The following week they are hoping to play Droitwich in a friendly at Piddle Park, this however is subject to getting satisfactory temporary facilities installed. They will hopefully be at home again on 8th September when they begin their league campaign with a tough encounter against Gloucester outfit Spartans, who were relegated from South West 2 last season. The following week they will make the trip far into Gloucestershire when they take on Thornbury in another league game. For further information on Pershore RFC fixtures please visit www.prfc.co.uk

Flood Damage

Pershore RFC is counting the cost of the recent floods. It has been estimated that the cost of renovating the club back to its original state and replacing lost stock could be as much as £100k. The pitches are currently unplayable and training is taking place at Worcester RFC. Please see the website for updates and possible changes in venue for the early fixtures. If you can help in any way please contact a committee member.
Posted by - Karl Evans 13/08/07

Pershore face away trip

Pershore face a tough away encounter in the first round of the 2007/2008 North Midlands Shield. They face a long trip to North Shropshire to lock horns against Oswestry RFC. The date of the fixture has not been confirmed but it is unlikely to take place until early 2008.
Posted by - Karl Evans 13/08/07

Pershore RFC Enter a New Era

Pershore Rugby Club must prepare themselves for some big changes going into the 2007/08 season. Since the introduction of rugby unions league structure Pershore have always found themselves in the Midlands league. Due to level transfers they have been moved into Western Counties North, part of the South West league. Instead of the usual trips to Warwickshire & the West Midlands they will enjoy trips to Gloucestershire Bristol & Somerset.

This is not the only change to happen at Piddle Park this summer. Martin Hope has stood down after 2 years as club captain. He is going to be replaced by Toby Grace. The changes will be complete when Chris Johnson joins Charlie Hemmings on the coaching staff from the beginning of pre-season training. In recent years the summer training programme has included sessions at a Boxing Club, Athletics Track, Rowing Club & Swimming Pool. This summer Johnson wants the emphasis to be on rugby from the off. With this in mind the pre season will be spent out on the pitch, and Pershore already have trial games lined up for August against local rivals Malvern & Kidderminster as well as taking part in the annual Tens competition at Droitwich.

Pre-season training will begin on Tuesday 3rd July at Pershore’s Wyre Piddle headquarters from 7pm, and will continue every Tuesday & Thursday throughout the summer & next season. All players, new & old are welcome to join. For more information please contact club captain Toby Grace on 07980039471.
Posted by - Karl Evans 26/06/07

Pershore Move in Level Transfer

Pershore will find themselves in unfamiliar territory for the 2007/08 season as they have been transferred to Western Counties North, part of the South West league structure. This has been a direct result of Orrell RFC disbanding after their relegation from National 3 North. For some reason this has left a space in the Western Counties league, and as Pershore are the furthest team south, they will fill the gap. The spare spot would have been filled by Hereford RFC had they not gained promotion to level 6, or Ledbury RFC had they not been relegated to level 8.
The majority of the teams in the new league will be based in the Gloucester area, including Berry Hill, Gordan League, Stroud & Gloucester Old Boys. But there will be a couple of longer journeys when Pershore face Old Redcliffians from Somerset and Bristol Harlequins.
Posted by - Karl Evans 23/06/07

Chris Johnson joins coaching staff

Pershore RFC are pleased to announce that former 1st team coach Chris Johnson is to re-join the club. Pershore were coached by Chris when they won promotion from Midlands 3 West (South) 6 years ago but lost his services when he re-located to run a B&B in North Wales. The former Hereford coach will team up with stalwarts Charlie Hemmings & Micky Knott in coaching the 1st team for the 2007/08 season.
Posted by - Karl Evans 23/06/07

Annual Dinner

Pershore RFC held their annual club dinner last Saturday at Piddle Park. Guest speaker for the event was Billy Bean, who is one of the pre match entertainers at Old Trafford with Man Utd Football Club. The awards for the 2006/07 season were as follows:

• 1st XV Player of the year - Marcus Whyte
  For scoring 11 tries from Lock, his big tackles & bigger runs.
• 2nd XV Player of the year - Mark Badgery
  For his work ethic, and switching from wing to flanker and making the 7 shirt his own.
• 3rd XV Player of the year - Alex Berry
  For his commitment to the cause, playing in almost every game and being the most consistent player.
• Endeavour Award - Sean & Elaine Crouch
  For their tireless work on Sunday mornings with the mini & junior players. Without them the club would not be able to meet its ambitions with the youth section.

Posted by - Karl Evans 23/06/07

Fixture Backlog Gives Cause for Concern

The bad weather over recent months has certainly taken its toll on the Pershore RFC fixture list. 2007 has seen 4 weekends where Pershores 1st XV have not played a fixture due to Piddle Park being under water. PRFC have re-arranged league fixtures to play against Old Laurentians and Old Coventrians. Both of these will occupy free weekends that Pershore already have in their fixture list in March. Pershore also have a re-arranged North Mids Shield second round fixture to play against Aston Old Edwardians which was meant to be played by 10th February 2007. However, unless a midweek fixture can be arranged between the two clubs it would be unlikely that Pershore would have a free weekend until 21st April 2007. Keep your eye on the fixture list for further updates.
Posted by - Karl Evans 02/03/07

Game to be replayed

Pershores recent league defeat against Old Coventrians is going to be replayed. Pershore were narrowly beaten in atrocious conditions when they visited Old Covs on 6th January 2007 but the result has been quashed due the game finishing with uncontested scrums and it being decided that this had a significant influence on the outcome of the game. The match is likely to be played again on Saturday 10th February 2007.
Posted by - Karl Evans 15/01/07

1st XV face Ledbury in Double Header

There is a mouth watering prospect for the Piddle Park supporters this weekend (20th January) with the re-arranged league fixture against Ledbury. The game was originally due to be played on 13th January, but Piddle Park was a victim of the floods and the match was postponed. Although both clubs are waiting for confirmation from the League and the North Mids RFU, it has been suggested that the game is a winner takes all double header as the clubs are also due to face each other in the first round of the North Mids Shield. This would be most welcome from Pershores point of view as they already have a backlog of league fixtures due to the replaying of the Old Covs fixture.

This is a massive game for both clubs with Ledbury desperately needing a win to climb off the bottom of the table. A win for Pershore is vital as they prepare to make a trip to table toppers Hereford the following week. Kick off for Saturdays fixture will be 2.30pm, provided the weather is kind to us. If not, I think PRFC will consider taking up water polo.
Posted by - Karl Evans 15/01/07