To see so many returning faces was also simply fantastic — some back from injury, some home from university, and even one from Australia! Let’s hope that trend continues.

The First XV’s victory lifts us off the bottom of the table, but two crucial fixtures lie ahead: away at Matlock on the 10th and at home to Melbourne on the 17th of January. Both are very winnable games. Please mark the dates in your diaries. It would be wonderful to see a strong Newark presence at Matlock — I’m confident we can outnumber the home fans!

Saturday’s atmosphere showed just how much your support means to all of our teams. I’d be surprised if any club at our level enjoys such passionate backing. The Board and I are immensely proud of this.

Also on the 10th, Ben Wells’ squad will be out to secure a win against Boston at home — another fixture well worth attending to cheer the boys on.

It's no secret that for various reasons that we have been incredibly stretched at times on numbers. The fact that our seconds have chosen to turn up rather than cancel the fixture makes me very proud. A very special mention to Richard Bryom, who at "60 and a bit" played for 80 minutes and scored against Cleethorpes shows great leadership and a real spirit that will serve us well for the rest of the season.

Turning to our Senior women, the squad too has faced challenges with injuries and availability, but their spirit remains strong. Playing at a higher level this season (which we are still celebrating) has brought new experiences and some very strong opposition. I have every confidence that the second half of their season will bring improved results. Please come down and support them on Sunday 11th January, when we host Hullionian at Kelham Road.

Our Colts also deserve special mention after a narrow defeat in their National Cup tie in Leeds. Many from this very talented squad will now be stepping up into senior rugby, strengthening us for the remainder of the season. This year's NLD Colts competition remains very much on their radar though. watch this space.

Club News

Earlier this month, on the 10th, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Emily Scarratt to the club, thanks to the generosity of Tony Rose and Newark Storage. The feedback has been fantastic! If you haven’t yet seen the short video from the day, I encourage you to take two minutes to watch it: Just follow this link; Newark Rugby Club win coaching session with Rugby World Cup winner & IPF Ambassador Emily Scarratt

We’ve also launched our new 250 Club Lottery, now offering even bigger prizes. Congratulations to Andrew Clay, the lucky winner of our first £1,000 draw! The next draw takes place at Easter, so remember — "you’ve got to be in it to win it".

Our Christmas raffle has been another great success, thanks once again to the generosity of our sponsors and members. The draw will take place on Boxing Day during the traditional Presidents Game, where we’ll see some Dads dusting off their boots to line up alongside their sons — good luck to all taking part! Chef Matt will be serving free festive cobs, and Debs will have the bar well stocked after what has been a very busy weekend.

Looking ahead to January, we’ll be hosting our first Sponsors’ Event of the year on the 22nd at 6pm — a great opportunity to celebrate with our partners and to communicate our thoughts for the continued growth of the club.

I will also provide a Financial update as we close quarter 2.

Final Thoughts

A huge thank you to all our Players, Coaches, Members, Supporters, contractors, volunteers and employees for another brilliant year. As we head into the second half of the season, I’m confident our hard work will bring the results we deserve.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and successful 2026.

David Godfrey
Chairman,
Newark Rugby