Witney XV v Chippenham
adieuàunamIi
RFC
Sat 11 Apr 2026 th
Chippenham
Sun 12 Apr 2026 th
Chairman’s Welcome
Chairman’s Welcome
Dob in Dabber !
Dabber Willis has taken up hiding in the programme. All you have to do is find him and win a pint. Dob in Dabber at the Bar on match day, and if you’re the first to do so, you win a pint of ale or a glass of wine. Cheers Dabber!
A massive thank you to all our fabulous sponsors!
Physio:
29–36.
1st Things First!
Witney weren’t done. Digging deep, they pulled one back unconverted try, from Matt Webb to make it 34–36 with t remaining. Then came the moment, Angus Brown completi trick, converted by Liam Cook, to give Witney a 41–36 lea four minutes left.
But in heartbreaking fashion, Newbury struck in the fina A last-gasp try, followed by the conversion, sealed a 41–and broke Black and Blue hearts.
1st Things First!
GREATDAY Awesome Xmascameearly Lovewasintheair
AnotherGreatDay
Player Sponsors
We have secured tickets for all 3 England Home games and both Saturday and Sunday Finals Days. Want to be there?
Sponsors, Players and Members contact:
Nations Championship Cup
england home games and finals day tickets
As a Club we have secured tickets for each of the England home games in November, and in addition, tickets for the Saturday and Sunday Finals’ Days. The England Home games are as follows:
Sunday 8 November Australia
14 November
Saturday 21 November
pm
We have tickets for the Saturday and Sunday Finals as follows:
Sponsors, Players and Club Members wishing to attend should in the first instance contact me at:
Fiji have decided to play their summer home fixtures here in the Northern Hemisphere with the England game being played at the Everton FC ground on 11 July. Tickets for that and for the games in Wales and Scotland can be obtained at:
2 Be or not 2 Be
With no game last weekend, we now turn our attention to a short trip down the A34 to face Didcot, currently sitting second in the league.
The last time we met at Hailey Road, we handed Didcot an early 19point lead and never fully recovered, eventually going down 26 : 48 in a closely contested game. While we’re not necessarily expecting to come away with maximum points this time, a stronger start could see us pick up some muchneeded points as we look to climb clear of the danger zone in Counties 2. Our target for the remainder of the season is clear: to catch Faringdon and Abingdon. It’s a big ask, but one the Vipers are more than capable of achieving, especially if other results fall our way.
That makes next weekend’s home game against Faringdon a must-win. We can’t wait. Come on you Black and Blues!
Player Sponsors
Player Sponsors
Player Sponsors
Who Shall We 3s Beat Again?
On this day in 1814, Napolean Bonaparte abdicated unconditionally and was exiled to the island of Elba. He didn’t stay in Elba long, getting bored and poor, on 1 March he returned to France and after a small skirmish, regained control of the French army. That didn’t last long and he met his Waterloo at, well Waterloo, and the rest is history. st
It’s Jeremy Clarkson’s 66 Birthday today. ‘Jezza’ lives in Oxfordshire, where he bought Curdle Hill Farm in 112008 and renaming it, Diddly Squat Farm. Clarkson opened a pub in 2024, the Farmer’s Dog, apparently named after other activities prevalent in the car park there. For more information ask JC.
Where Angels Fly!
Witney Angels 52 : 0
Banbury Belles
Two weeks ago our Angels raised a ten player squad for a fixture against Banbury Belles. The game, played in great spirits, ended up a bit one sided on the score sheet, with Witney running out 52 : 0 winners. Credit must be given to the Banbury Belles who never gave up and kept battling to the end, a true credit to them.
Our points came from, tries; Izzy Barker x 2, Katie Martin, Hettie McNally, Ruby Bishop, Lily Cope x 2 and Izzie Pereira x 2 and one from Tilly Castle. Tilly Castle landed a conversion to complete the scoring. 10 players, 10 tries, 10 out of 10 for effort, well done ladies.
Academy The Future’s Bright!
STOP PRESS!
Our Academy have a game arranged for Sunday against Didcot who sit in a similar position one league below our Academy. It’s been awhile since our boys took to the field, hopefully they’re up and ready to show new Head Coach how good they can be.
We’re delighted to welcome Richie Craig as the new Witney RFC Academy Head Coach for 26-27 season A Level 2 RFU coach and RAF Warrant Officer, Richie brings over 20 years of coaching and leadership experience, with a strong focus on player development and building clear pathways into senior rugby.
A former RAF U23s Head Coach, Richie has extensive experience in developing players towards senior rugby, something he now brings back into the Witney pathway.
Having previously coached at Witney, he played a key role in integrating academy players into the 1st XV setup, making him the perfect fit to lead the next stage of our development journey. His approach centres on high standards, strong discipline, and “basics done brilliantly,” creating an environment where players can learn, grow, and transition with confidence.
Exciting times ahead for the Academy Welcome back, Richie Dale Heast
M & Js
Investing in the Future
Player Sponsors
Player Sponsors
Witney Can Do Magic! Wizards v Newbury
Witney Can Do Magic! Wizards v Newbury
Game 3: The Counter-Strike
Captain Loughborough’s "A" team returned with a point to prove. They dictated the early tempo with slick loops and expansive ball movement. However, Newbury refused to blink; they kept their cool under fire, picking the Wizards off with a series of surgical tries to reclaim the momentum.
Score: Wizards 2 – 4 Blue Game 4: The Final Charge
Facing a mountain to climb, Witney exploded out of the blocks. Two quick-fire tries put them 2-0 up in a heartbeat. Newbury rallied, setting up a frantic finale. Though the Wizards camped on the Blues' try line for the closing minutes, the fifth try remained elusive, leaving the afternoon’s overall honours narrowly out of reach.
Score: Wizards 4 – 2 Blues
Overall, a great day, played in the true spirit of the game. Newbury were excellent opposition, if a bit young and a bit quick. They joined in, kept the fun levels high, we look forward to the return fixture.
What’s On @ Hailey Road!
Veterans @ Hailey Road
Contrary to poular belief, you do not have to have:
Served in the Trenches of WWI
Be over 60 with a pacemaker!
Although being either of those does not preclude you from playing, we do ask for a letter from your parent.
A massive thank you to all our fabulous sponsors!
How would you like 10% off everything you buy over the bar? With a WRFC Members Discount Card that’s exactly what you get. 10% off all your beers, teas, coffees, sandwiches etc. For a small anual fee, currently £25, you get a year’s worth of discounted products. That’s approximately 50p a week, so one pint of lager a week and you have made your money back, 2 pints and your saving at a level appreciated by Yorkshiremen.
To qualify for the card you need to be a signed up member of the Club.
Interested? email me or speak to any of the marvellous bar staff. ian.loughborough@witneyrugby.co.uk
Building Science, Attaining Excellence
