Southwark Tigers Awards: the end of a beautiful season

 

May 2024 – The 2023/2024 Southwark Tigers RFC season has come to an end. On Sunday 5th May the Tigers family gathered together for the last session on the astro pitch. 

Younger and older age groups came together for a fun touch tournament day. After that they all went to the club house for a community lunch and the awards, where the whole club celebrated a very intese and positive season. 

 

Over the last 10 months numbers have grown, welcoming every Sunday new participants. Southwark Rugby has now more than 200 players wearing the black and yellow jersey. 

Very positive has been the Under 13s season, who are now ready to challenge themselves in the next stage of the Kent Cup. 
The Under 15s All Stars have showed a massive improvement since they started their journey, competing and winning against bigger opponents. The highlight of the season is the phenomenal win at Dulwich College. 

The Under 16s have played with character and intensity, fighting hard in the Kent Cup and preparing the foundation of a very exciting Colts season. 

 

We're very grateful to every volunteer, parent, coach who have supported this beautiful journey. We couldn't do it without you!

 

You are Southwark Rugby! 

Southwark Tigers wins the Community Leader at the Rugby Black List Awards

 

April 2024 – Southwark Tigers RFC has won the Community Leader at the Rugby Black List Awards on Tuesday 30th April. 

 

The ceremony took place at Twickenham Stadium and celebrated the contribution of the Black rugby community to rugby union.  

 

'The awards want to celebrate the positive work, involvement and activity that people from the Black community do in rugby', explained the founder, Sagan Daniels.

 

Southwark Tigers has established itself as a key community asset over its 25-year history, striving to provide the young people of inner London with an opportunity to receive the same access to community sport that many in rural areas take for granted. Despite barriers to access and facilities that clubs in London have, every Sunday more than 200 boys and girls come down to pitches in Burgess Park to play a sport that none of them would have the opportunity to play had Southwark Tigers not existed.

 

The club has become more of the most diverse and inclusive Community Clubs in the whole country. Thanks to the constant intervention that it's having in the community, the club has been able to offer free and accessibile opportunities to every young person in the borough. 

 

Receiving the Community Leader Award it's a wonderful recognition for the hard work that everyone at Southwark Rugby has done over the years.

Thank you all! You are Southwark Rugby.

 

RFU and Southwark Rugby together for the young people

 

April 2024 – Southwark Tigers RFC and England Rugby are continuing a proactive collaboration in order to support the players' transition from junior and senior rugby.

 

Chris Spedding, England Rugby Coach Developer has joint our Under 14, 15 and 16 working alongside the coaching team and sharing with them useful advice to facilitate their rugby journey from junior to senior rugby. 

 

RFU intervention has also involved some coaches who shared with Chis challenges, doubts and ideas as well as good ways of practice. 

 

The different age groups worked together at first and the young players had the opportunity to challenge themselves in a fun, purposeful and safe environment. 

 

 

St. Michaels wins the Southwark Shield 

 

March 2024 – After eight months of trainings and six festivals at the club the Big Yellow School Rugby Tournament has come to an end. 

St. Michaels won the tournament at the end of a great season where the boys showed improvements week in week out. 

Sacred Heart came second and Bacon's College third. 

 

The tournament has been an amazing opportunity for a lot of students to express themselves with a rugby ball, enjoying the game and improving their rugby and sport skills. 

 

The school programme, delivered together with Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club, has involved more than 150 students in the borough of Southwark in 10 Secondary Schools. 

Every student has had the opportunity to learn and develop basic rugby skills taking part in weekly sessions and monthly festivals. 

It's been amazing to see the players' improvements on the pitch and their happiness while playing rugby together. 

 

If you'd like to know more about the Big Yellow Inner City School Programme click here.   

If you'd like to get your school involved in the programme, email chris@southwarktigers.com.

Goodbye 2023...and THANK YOU ALL! 

 

December 2023 - It’s been a phenomenal 2023 full of rugby, games, trainings, people, smiles, challenges.

 

Chris Callaway, Southwark Tigers Director of Rugby, would like to share his thoughts will all of us.

 

‘Another great year for the club across all age groups with too many highlights to list. However, one consistent piece of feedback we receive from opposition clubs is how polite and sportsman like our players are. Win lose or draw our attitude on the pitch is exemplary. Well done to all our players, coaches, volunteers and parents. Let's make 2024 an amazing year for the club’.

 

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS, PASSION, ENERGY, LOVE FOR THE GAME!

 

We are SouthwarkRugby!

Southwark Rugby All Stars conquered Dulwich College

 

Thursday 16th November - When the referee blew the final whistle the Southwark Rugby All Stars all jumped on Charlie (Forrest Hill School), their skipper and fly-half. He just converted the third try of the day, scored by a dominant drive led by Felix (Forrest Hill School) and supported by Alex.

 

Few minutes before 4pm history has been written; The Southwark Tigers Under 15 All Stars defeated Dulwich College 17-5 at the end of a very intense game.

 

For the first time in the history of the club, the young people have had the opportunity to compete against a private school. The boys wearing the black and yellow jersey had impressed from the start, showing a great level of intensity and physicality. The forwards put on a show, dominating their opposition and the backs aggressively stopping any attempt from Dulwich to break the Tigers’ defensive line.

 

Santino (Haberdashers), who’s making a huge contribution as a scum-half, scored his first try a few minutes after the kick off, finishing off a series of picks and go led by the pack.

 

Southwark Tigers dominated much of the first half, retaining possession well but missing some opportunities due to handling mistakes.

 

Charlie (Forrest Hill School) led his teammates by feeding the back line with quick balls; one of them landed in Drew’s hands (Haberdashers) just in-front of the Tigers’ 22m line. The fullback made the most of his quickness, avoiding several tackles and scoring a magnificent 80 meters try.

 

The first half finished with the Tigers All-Stars defending with order and discipline, while Santino (Haberdashers) went off injured to be replaced by Rowan (Forrest Hill School).

 

At the beginning of the second half the Tigers’ showed the same attitude that guided them to lead the game. At the breakdown Dulwich College seemed more organised but the All Stars didn’t loose their focus and kept fighting to keep the ball. Santino (Haberdashers) got back leading the pack and the backs had some changes, with Alife (Haberdashers) switching as inside centre.  

 

Driving mauls from line outs haven’t been effective but the forwards manage to create a solid platform, offering Santino (Haberdashers) clean balls to move away from congestions areas.

 

Henry (ARK Walworth) and Reshann (Haberdashers), as well as Archie (Haberdashers) and Ardell (Haberdashers) fought on every ball, tackling with aggression and reducing Dulwich College’s chances to break the line.

 

Dulwich College’s try came when taking advantage of one of the rare mistakes made by the All Stars’ number eight, Alex, who forced an off-load and got the ball intercepted. Despite an incredible last second tackle made by Alfie (Haberdashers), the Dulwich boys found their way thought and scored their first points of the game (7-10). 

 

The All Stars’ didn’t loose their focus and came back fighting, forcing Dulwich College to a couple of knock on’s and consequent scrums.

 

Eventually, any hopes of a Dulwich College comeback were dashed when Felix (Forrest Hill School) scored almost under the posts and Charlie (Forrest Hill School) converted for the final 17-5. History.

 

Line up

1 Alfie (Haberdashers)
2 Jhovanny (ARK Walworth)
3 Nico (Haberdashers),
4 Rajviri (Haberdashers),
5 Felix (Forrest Hill School)
6 Frazer (Haberdashers),
7 Stephen (St Michaels)
8 Alex
9 Santino (Haberdashers)
10 Charlie (Forrest Hill School)
11 Henry (ARK Walworth)
12 Rowan (Forrest Hill School)
13 Archie (Haberdashers)
14 Reshaan (Haberdashers)
15 Drew (Haberdashers)

Game changers:
Farouk (Haberdashers)
Ardell (Haberdashers)
Joseph (STAC)
Cameron (STAC)
Ellis (St Michaels)

All-Stars First Fixture

 

 

 Southwark Rugby club have been providing weekly rugby coaching sessions to 11 secondary schools in Southwark for several years. Each school is encouraged to attend regular festivals of rugby where they compete against each other for the coveted Southwark Rugby Shield. This season alone over 550 boys and girls have benefitted from rugby tuition provided by Southwark in partnership with London Irish RFC.

 

 

What would happen if a super team was created from the best and most willing participants from the program? After-school training facilities were secured and a high class hybrid coaching team from London Irish, Southwark and England rugby embarked on a project to develop the ALL-STARS into a team capable of competing against more experienced opponents.

 

Maidstone RFC answered the call to provide opposition for the inaugural match and turned up with a full squad and vocal support despite the unfavourable weather conditions that hampered any free-flowing rugby that either team might have had planned.

 

The first half was a largely tense and scrappy affair with 70% of the ALL-STARS playing their first ever proper match on a full pitch and being pulled around positionally by a more experienced and canny Maidstone outfit who kicked well and recycled efficiently in the tight. Southwark fought hard and contested well, barely missing a tackle all day, they did however have a tendency to throw unnecessary passes which were often knocked-on in the wet conditions. It took a while for Captain Santino from Haberdashers Borough to marshal his troops, making excellent ground with ball in-hand, tackling everything in-front of him and lifting his team by example.

 

Maidstone had adapted to the conditions well and kicked to exploit Southwark’s positional naivety, they were also far more secure in the set-piece with many of the ALL-STARS experiencing a live scrum for the first time. After some consistent pressure on the Southwark line Maidstone finally went over for the first score of the day.

 

Despite the continuing rain the ALL-STARS didn’t lose heart and started to contest every tackle. Eventually a lineout in the Southwark 22 led to Tolu from St Thomas the Apostle barge past several Maidstone players to initiate a passage of play that took his team all the way to the Maidstone try line. Maidstone defended stoutly but couldn’t stop Tolu from popping up to finish off the move that he had started.

 

7 – 5 to the Allstars at half time.

 

The second half started perfectly for the ALL-STARS, a big hit by St Thomas the Apostle student Joseph dislodged the ball and allowed Rafe from Haberdashers Borough to break away from a couple of tacklers to score between the posts. Fullback Drew from Haberdashers had some great touches but Maidstone began to dominate the second-half with patient play from their forwards allowing them to build a platform that Southwark were unable to compete with. Maidstone picked up three unanswered tries as Southwark began to tire and lose a bit of discipline.

Special mention to Stephen from St Michaels who battled hard all day, Arthur from Nautical School and Jhovani from ARK Walworth.

 

Despite the score spirits were high, there is a real feeling of something special happening alongside a belief that the team can go onto much greater things.

 

Thank you to Maidstone and their travelling support for making such an excellent occasion.

 

Final score 14 - 24