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Leesbrook Win Gives Lifeline to Club

A hard fought 26-24 victory over Leesbrook has provided Castle Donington with a lifeline to avoid relegation. The result has lifted the club above Rolls Royce in the League, however, at least two more wins will be required in order to stave off relegation. The fixture list means that we still have to play clubs that will provide an opportunity to pick up those results, providing we play to the best of our ability. Support on the touchline provides a real lift to the players so please come along and support your club.

Exeter First Up in Play-Off Campaign For Our Chapionship Partners

Nottingham Rugby will face Exeter Chiefs at Meadow Lane in their first play-off fixture on March 21 (3pm) in their fight for promotion.
The inaugural RFU Championship is set for a thrilling climax in search of the ultimate prize - promotion to the Guinness Premiership.
With just one game of the regular season to go Nottingham have secured their place in Pool B, meaning they will face Exeter and London Welsh plus one of Doncaster, Plymouth or Moseley.
The final weekend will see Plymouth Albion, Moseley, Doncaster Knights and Rotherham Titans fight it out for the seventh and eighth places.
However, only Plymouth, Moseley and Doncaster can achieve seventh place and a place in Pool B along with Nottingham.

Pool A

(1) Bristol Rugby
(4) Bedford Blues
(5) Cornish Pirates
(8) Plymouth Albion/Moseley/Doncaster Knights/Rotherham Titans

Pool B

(2) Exeter Chiefs
(3) London Welsh
(6) Nottingham Rugby
(7) Doncaster Knights/Plymouth Albion/Moseley

Nottingham Fixtures

Pool B

Round 1 - March 19-21
Nottingham Rugby v Exeter Chiefs

Round 2 - March 26-28
Doncaster Knights/Plymouth Albion/Moseley v Nottingham Rugby

Round 3 - April 2-4
London Welsh v Nottingham Rugby

Round 4 - April 9-11
Nottingham Rugby v London Welsh

Round 5 - April 16-18
Nottingham Rugby v Doncaster Knights/Plymouth Albion/Moseley

Round 6 - May 1 (3pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Nottingham Rugby

Please support our Championship partners in their promotion fight. For tickets contact Dave Price.

Castle RUFC thank local Volunteer Bureau

Castle Donington Rugby Club thanked the Castle Donington Volunteer Bureau for allowing them to use their name this season by presenting them with a framed shirt prior to the league fixture with East Retford on Saturday. The shirt was framed by Octavia Design; a company based in Castle Donington, and was presented to Mick Shaw, representing the Castle Donington Volunteer Bureau, by Alan White, the Club Captain of Castle Donington RUFC. The Rugby Club had decided, pre-season, that if they failed to secure sponsorship for the front of the 1st XV shirts this season they would donate that space to a local charity, to assist in raising their profile. The Castle Donington Volunteer Bureau was approached and was happy to come on board with the scheme. The Rugby Club have proudly displayed the Volunteer Bureau’s logo throughout the season and have also provided a website link. In return the Volunteer Bureau has advertised Rugby Club events within their offices and has been represented at the Vice Presidents Dinner, which took place at Curry 2 Nite in the village. Matters on the field were not quite as uplifting, as Castle Donington slipped to another defeat. Playing against an East Retford side which had beaten them by 41-3 the previous week, Castle Donington showed great character to lose narrowly by 6-15. Two penalties by Simon Moon were the only scores on the day by the home side, however, as in many of the previous games; it was a tale of what might have been as chances went begging. Relegation now looms large for the club; however, the players are determined to keep up the fight to stay in Midlands 4 East (North) for as long as it is mathematically possible. This weekend sees them face fellow strugglers Leesbrook at The Spital, kick off 2:15pm. To say this is a must win game is an understatement, all support will be gratefully appreciated by the players.

Nottingham V's Coventry, British & Irsh Cup, 28th Feb 2010

We have vouchers entitling the holder and 1 guest entry to this match for £1 each. Anyone wishing to go please contact Dave Price.

Social Events

There is a programme of social events that has now been drawn up, please check the notice board at the Cross Keys and support as many of these as possible. Next Sunday, 7th Feb, is a family day, visiting Nottingham Rugby for the visit of Bristol. Anyone requiring tickets please contact Dave Price asap. Further details of any of the events can be obtained from; Sarah Stone, Trish Coleman or Shane Harris.

Nottingham Rugby Tickets

Nottingham Rugby are continuing in their promotion push from the Championship this season. They currently sit 6th in the league, however, they have 3 games in hand over all teams above them. Lets help them out by boosting their support at their remaining fixtures; next home game is Plymouth Albion on 24th Jan. Contact Dave Price for ticket details. Remember our support for Nottingham Rugby brings benefits for our own club too.

New Club Shirts Available

The new design 1st XV kit slim fit shirts, which were manufactured in error, are available to purchase at a a cost of £25 per shirt. Anyone wishing a shirt should contact Annette Leavesley; Annette.Leavesley@pse-intl.com. The old quarters are also available at £15 per shirt. In addition to this there are a number of other shirts which are available, which are open to offers.

New Arrivals at CDRUFC

Castle Donington Rugby Club welcomes its latest recruits. Congratulations go to last seasons Vice Captain, Jean-Eudes, and wife Kathryn Michaud on the birth of their daughter Olivia. They were, however, narrowly beaten to the drop by this seasons Vice Captain, Dan Robinson, and his partner, Naomi Young, with the birth of their second son, and brother to Dylan, Thomas (I have been assured that the literary reference is coincidental). We wish them all good health and happiness. Anyone want to be Vice Captain next season?!

Bambi's Departure a Cause for Celebration!

As most of you are now aware, Ian "The Legend" Evans, aka Bambi, will shortly be leaving us to take up a new life in Australia, where he will be reunited with that other specimen and former CDRUFC player Wayne Parker. In honour of his contribution to the club there will be a round of Pub Golf, following the East Retford fixture, on 14th November. I'm sure you would all like to wish Bambi all the best and thank him for his services to CDRUFC, or just want to make sure he really is leaving! Reigning champion, Steven Bradley, will be there to defend his Pub Golf title, which he assures us is his alone, as his partner on the day offered no help whatsoever. Challengers, revellers and well wishers all welcomed.

Castle Donington Rugby Club Seek out New Sponsorship for Season ahead

Castle Donington Rugby Club is actively seeking sponsorship for the current season. With costs rising in all areas and Britain in the middle of a ‘credit crunch’, individuals and businesses are being careful where they put their money. This has serious implications for small, community based clubs such as Castle Donington’s Rugby Club. Despite their slide over recent seasons the Rugby Club has worked really hard over the past year to arrest that decline and firmly believe that a corner has been turned. New, young blood has been attracted to the club and progress on the pitch has been evident for all to see, culminating with Castle Donington’s first league victory in nearly a year, last weekend against a big, strong Skegness side. The club are, however, determined not to rest on their laurels either on or off the pitch.

Running a Rugby Club is an expensive affair, at any level. There are pitches and training facilities to hire, referees to book, training equipment, first aid equipment and playing kit to buy. Travelling costs for an ever widening circle of league matches and food and hospitality for visiting sides are also placing a financial burden on clubs. Castle Donington have been most fortunate in having a loyal group of businesses who support them and have been able to recruit even more to that list this season with their new range of sponsorship packages which they have drawn up. These sponsorship packages are designed to allow individuals and businesses to contribute to the club and cater for all pockets with sponsorship ranging from as little as £25. It is also a sign that Castle Donington Rugby Club is looking to the future and trying to create a successful and professionally based model to move their club forwards.

The current packages have proved popular and the club has seen an increase in sponsorship coming in this season already. Shirt Sponsorship has been provided by Jackson Joiners, Curry 2 Nite and The Cross Keys pub (the real home of Castle Donington Rugby Club). Curry 2 Nite have also stepped in to sponsor a match as well as providing a venue for the past 2 committee meetings of the club and the upcoming Vice Presidents Luncheon, another new development this season. The Cross Keys too have been more than generous this season again; along with their shirt Sponsorship they will be sponsoring a table at the end of year Awards Dinner, have offered to provide a coach for supporters to travel to the Newark midweek game in March and provide all the Food for home matches. Landlord and Landlady, Andy and Donna Moon, are also kind enough to have supplied a new Fly Half for the 1st XV this season in the form of their son Simon.

Further match sponsorship has come in from Dem Jet Ltd, J P Carty Ltd and Stanley Steel Fabrications Ltd. Match balls have been sponsored by Stadia projects Ltd and Castle Donington Service Centre but with a full fixture list of 37 games this season the club still finds itself under funded. General Sponsorship has been provided by Heavyweight Air Express and Xplore-it-UK continues to fund the club as part of their 2 year package arranged at the start of last season. Sponsorship Secretary, Dave Price, is quick to acknowledge the generosity of all sponsors.

We are extremely fortunate, as a club, to have so many businesses and individuals prepared to invest their hard earned cash in us. Without their help we would not be able to continue to function as we do. The burden, which would have to be taken up by the playing members, who already contribute vast amounts to their ‘hobby’, would, in all likelihood, cripple the club. The Sponsorship team which has been put together this season consists of Derek Wiggins (Club President), Dave Kyle (Club Chairman), Chris Hazard (Former Chairman) and Alan White (Club Captain). It is the efforts of these people in convincing our sponsors to show their generous natures which have ensured that we have enjoyed such a successful opening to the season off the field and, undoubtedly, the benefits that brings in will aid the on field performances too. We cannot, however, afford to become complacent and, to their great credit, the team are continuing to work hard and a number of new sponsors could be in line to be announced in the near future.’

Whilst they struggle to fight against the financial pressures being brought against them, Castle Donington Rugby Club continues to show that they are all about the local community, having given away the prestigious space on the front of their shirts to a local charity. The new playing kit, which it is hoped will arrive in time to be unveiled at the Uttoxeter home game, following the Vice Presidents Luncheon on 3rd October, will carry the logo of the Castle Donington Volunteer Bureau across the chest. In a gesture which is designed to raise the profile of a hard working local charity the club has shown where its heart lies. It would be a great shame to see the demise of any club which embeds itself so well in its local community. If you have read this article and are thinking I could probably help, then you definitely could. Seek out your local clubs and associations and see what you can do for them, it may not always be money they need. Exciting times are ahead at Castle Donington Rugby Club, if you would like to be a part of that in some way you can contact them by calling the club on 07855 267323 or visiting http://www.castledoningtonrufc.co.uk. If you would like to contact Castle Donington Volunteer Bureau in order to help out or, indeed, to ask for help, then please call 01332 850526 or visit http://www.castledoningtonvolunteerbureau.co.uk

Nottingham Coach visits Castle Donington

Notts Rugby Last Thursday night heralded yet another new chapter in the history of Castle Donington Rugby Club as the newly created link between Castle Donington Rugby Club and Nottingham Rugby was cemented by the visit of John Widdowson, Academy Manager at Nottingham Rugby. John took over the coaching reins for the evening and put the players through their paces in an exciting and enjoyable training session. The players responded well to the change of coach and did their utmost to meet the challenges being set for them.

Castle Donington Head Coach, Dave Price said ‘This has been fantastic for all of us. The players have had input from a top coach and have heard a different voice for a change. I have had the opportunity to observe another coach at work without having to forego one of my own sessions and it also enabled me to give one on one input to players without compromising the session. The players were all buzzing after the session and are really looking forward to John’s follow up visit later in the season’. The opportunity for this to happen arose out of the Community Club Links Scheme currently being promoted by Nottingham Rugby.

The idea of the scheme is to foster links between Nottingham Rugby and the remainder of the clubs within the Notts/Lincs & Derby area. Nottingham Rugby are expressing their desire to be more than just the senior club in the 3 Counties, they want to establish themselves as a ‘pinnacle’ club and are prepared to take on the responsibilities that come with that moniker. That means creating real links with the junior clubs that will allow those junior clubs to feel a part of, and to share an identity with, Nottingham Rugby. Dave Price was quite clear that this is a worthwhile endeavour, ‘As far as Castle Donington Rugby Club is concerned this is a no brainer. The benefits we have already received from Nottingha Notts Rugby m Rugby have made this worthwhile for us. We feel a bit like little kids about to get caught with our hand in the sweetie jar, we’re looking over our shoulders and wondering if this is really happening. It’s unbelievable that Nottingham Rugby are prepared to offer so much to a club in our position. I would heartily recommend that other clubs throughout the NLD area sign up to this scheme and reap the benefits from it; this can only be good for Rugby in the area.’ The link between the two clubs was formally endorsed with a signing ceremony prior to Nottingham’s game with Leicester Tigers, at Meadow Lane on Saturday, with Castle Donington Rugby Club’s President, Derek Wiggins, doing the honours on behalf of the club.

Castle Donington took in excess of 30 people to watch the subsequent game which saw a strong Leicester Tigers side overcome the hosts by 47 points to 5, in an open and enjoyable game for the large crowd. The commitment and endeavour shown by Nottingham in their attempt to play free flowing, attacking rugby should ensure that all those present from Castle Donington Rugby Club will be back again, at some point during the season, to watch them again.

Castle Donington Rugby Club Forge Links with Nottingham Rugby Club

Castle Donington RUFC are continuing in their efforts to re-establish a successful, community based rugby club within the village of Castle Donington. The club, which has struggled both on and off the field in recent seasons, is looking to the future by signing up to Nottingham Rugby’s Notts/ Lincs & Derby Community Club Links Scheme. The scheme, which is currently being promoted by Nottingham Rugby, should bring tangible benefits to any clubs within the 3 counties who sign up to it and Castle Donington hope to make full use of this golden opportunity.

Castle Donington’s Head Coach, Dave Price, said ‘We have an opportunity here to forge links between 2 local clubs at opposite ends of the playing spectrum. The knowledge and experience that we can gain from our professional ‘cousins’ will be invaluable to this club, not to mention the raising of our profile within the local area. We are a small club and are always looking for new players; if 1 person happens to join Castle Donington Rugby Club due to seeing us linked with Nottingham Rugby then this will have been a successful exercise for us. For our part we intend to immerse ourselves fully in this programme and to promote the good work that Nottingham Rugby is doing both on and off the field.’

The two clubs hope to make the official announcement at the Nottingham v Leicester Tigers Pre-Season Friendly, which takes place at Meadow Lane, Nottingham on Saturday 15th August 4pm kick off. Tickets for this game can be purchased online at www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/Ticket-Office or by calling Nottingham Rugby’s ticket hotline on: 0115 985 0742. Alternatively, there is a special rate for CDRUFC members & friends if purchased through CDRUFC, contact Dave Price for details on; 07793 364149 or email david.price13@sky.com

Castle Donington Rugby Club Narrowly Misses Out On First Silverware of New Season

Castle Donington Rugby Club came within a hair’s breadth of picking up their first trophy of a new season when they finished as beaten finalists in Castle Donington Cricket Club’s Cricket 6’s Competition. The Rugby Club lost by a single run to their hosts and worthy winners on the day. The final was not without controversy, as the 3rd over was called 1 ball early by the umpire. Nobody could have foreseen how important that extra ball could have been, but in true Rugby style the team accepted the umpire’s decision as final and with good grace. Of course he will be reminded of the incident at every opportunity but, in truth, the Cricket Club had shown themselves to be the best team, finishing unbeaten on the day, and any other result would probably have been a travesty of justice.

During the group stage the Rugby Club lost their first game to the Cricket Club but came back to win their subsequent games against the Midweek Marauders and the Thistle Hotel, thereby ensuring their place in the final. An All Stars 6 replaced the Hemmington Hammers for their final group match, as the Hammers had left early due to unforeseen circumstances. Throughout the day there were performances of note from all the players but worthy of special mention was the batting display of Tony Dykes who, having never played cricket before, carried his bat against the All Stars 6.

Thanks to all who attended from the Rugby Club, players and spectators alike, and a special thanks to the hard work of our hosts at the Cricket Club for organising a thoroughly enjoyable event.

CDRUFC: K Wood (Capt), T Dykes, M Kibble, M Leavesley, S Moon, D Price, D Robinson, B Symcox, D Wiggins