Welcome to January’s edition of the Rochford Hundred Round-Up! Each month, we’ll bring you news and updates from across the club. Whether it’s match results, player achievements, or upcoming events, this is your one-stop place to stay in the loop with everything at Rochford Hundred RFC.

Training for the Rochford Hundred RFC girls’ section kicked off again last week — and what a start it’s been! With just seven weeks to go until the girls’ first-ever match on 6th March at 7pm under the lights, the focus is firmly on getting match-ready.

Training intensity has been stepped up to prepare both our U10s and U11s girls, and the commitment from the players has been outstanding. Last week, the girls were introduced to a new call, and they picked it up incredibly quickly, showing excellent understanding and confidence as they applied it straight into their skills work.

The energy, effort, and attitude they bring to every session have been fantastic. They consistently turn up, work hard, and give everything at training — something both me and Danielle are extremely proud of. It’s exciting to see how far they’ve already come as a group, not just in their skills but also in teamwork and game awareness.

With the countdown well underway to their first match, we’re all really excited about what lies ahead for this brilliant group of girls. Keep up the amazing work!

- Anneliese Maher – Girls Coach

U13s

The Rochford Hundred RFC U13s have enjoyed a fantastic run of results, winning nine of their most recent games, with their only defeat coming in a very tightly contested match.
As a squad, the boys have grown together impressively. They are playing some excellent rugby, showing maturity in how they apply coaching lessons and demonstrating a real keenness to learn, develop, and continually improve their skills.
The team is now looking ahead to an exciting end to the season, with confidence building and strong performances continuing both in training and on match days.

Simon Ashton – U13s Coach

U14s

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2026!

After a well-earned festive and New Year break, the Rochford Hundred RFC U14s returned to action with an away trip to our competitive neighbours, Canvey RFC, for our first Group 1 league game of the year. It proved to be a fantastic match to watch and a brilliant advert for youth rugby, with both sides playing at high tempo and showing real determination throughout.

The game went right down to the wire and, fortunately, Rochford Hundred did just enough, scoring a converted try with the final play of the match to secure a dramatic victory. An incredible moment for the team and a superb way to kick off the new year.

Our success at Canvey was followed by another away fixture, this time in the third round of the cup against Campion RFC. Once again, the boys delivered a cracker of a game. Rochford Hundred led 7–0 at half-time and maintained their intensity, eventually running out 21–5 winners at the final whistle. A strong all-round performance built on commitment, solid defence, and smart attacking rugby.

The U14s now have a well-deserved week off before heading into two more tough away challenges against Thurrock RFC and Romford RFC.

A brilliant start to 2026 for Rochford Hundred RFC U14s – onwards and upwards.

Nick Cook – U14s Coach

U15s

The team kicked off their first game of the year on Sunday, narrowly missing out on a win against Eaton Manor RFC, who currently sit top of the league. It was a tough, physical encounter, and the boys gave a strong account of themselves throughout.

There were plenty of positives to take from the performance as the squad showed real commitment and resilience against quality opposition.

Next up is another challenge as the team travel away to face Southend RFC.

Lee Vincent – U15s Coach

U16s

The Rochford Hundred RFC U16s started the year in superb fashion with a really good win against Saracens Amateurs. Both sides played some excellent rugby and treated supporters to a proper battle between two very evenly matched teams, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the game.

It was great to watch, if a little nerve-wracking at times, but these are exactly the kind of competitive fixtures we want for our boys. Matches like this help develop confidence, resilience, and game awareness, and the squad is relishing the challenge.

We are looking forward to more of the same from the U16s as the season continues.

Nick Yelland – U16s Coach

The Rochford Hundred RFC Academy continues to grow, with several new players joining the programme, alongside the welcome return of a number of players recovering from long-term injuries.

Despite a challenging period with injuries, the boys have shown real resilience, and there is a strong sense of optimism about finishing the season on a high. The Academy progressed to Round 2 of the Essex Cup following a highly competitive fixture against Thurrock RFC at the weekend.

We are also extremely proud to see Austin C and Jamie H recently represent the Essex U18s. This is a fantastic achievement and a real credit to their dedication, commitment, and hard work.

It has been great to watch our Academy graduates continue to feature across the Rochford Hundred RFC 1st XV and 2nd XV, as well as seeing those currently away at university thriving in their new environments. A special mention goes to Academy graduate Jack Aungier, who has featured in the last three games for Westcombe Park in National 2, earning Man of the Match honours twice and scoring a try.
An excellent reflection of the strength and success of the Rochford Hundred RFC Academy pathway.

- Calum Brackett, Academy Head Coach

The Rochford Hundred Harts kicked off their first game back after the Christmas break with an away fixture against Bancroft RFC, a tough contest that saw the Harts emerge 19–14 victors. This match also marked the halfway point of the Harts’ season.

The next two games were scheduled as home fixtures against Millwall 2’s and Campion 2’s; however, with both opponents unfortunately unable to field sides, the team’s next match is now the Essex 2nd XV Cup Semi-Final, away at Woodford RFC on 31st January.

Having already beaten Harlow and Maldon in their cup run, the Harts are eager to take on Woodford and push for a place in the final.

- Nick Dolman, Harts Manager

Unfortunately, due to the poor weather in January, the Vixens’ fixture was cancelled and has now been rescheduled for 12th April.

Training continues to focus on building fitness and working off those festive indulgences from Christmas. The squad is looking forward to their next home fixture, where they will proudly wear their ‘Rugby Against Cancer’ charity socks to raise both funds and awareness for this important cause. The charity will be supported throughout the whole of February.

We’re calling on all supporters to bring the noise at the next game and cheer the Vixens on as they aim for another victory, strengthening their lead at the top of the league table.

- Danny Ryan, Vixens Head Coach

Firstly, I hope you all had a wonderful festive break and have kicked off the New Year with energy and enthusiasm!

January can be a tough month for many, whether it’s the realisation that December’s spending got a little out of hand, the long, bitterly cold nights, or the struggle to stick to those New Year fitness goals. Despite our best intentions, this time of year can feel like it drags on and on.

With Blue Monday behind us and the winter solstice well in the rear-view mirror, brighter days are starting to feel closer. It’s also a good time to check in with each other — a simple “how are you feeling?” might be the prompt someone needs to share they’re struggling. When we know, we’re always ready to offer support in whatever way we can. Sometimes in life, like in a line-out, we all need a little lift to help us move forward. So if you’re finding things tough, please reach out — we have lots of resources and people who are more than happy to help.

December was a busy month for rugby and club meetings. I didn’t quite beat last year’s record of eight Christmas dinners, but I came very close! On the pitch, the 1XV faced Norwich, Wymondham, and Chelmsford. A strong win against a tricky Norwich side gave us breathing space from the relegation battle and set us up for a tough encounter against Norfolk rivals Wymondham at Magnolia Road. In a back-and-forth game, Wymondham scored a last gasp converted try to level the match, before claiming victory with a last-minute penalty kick off the post. An equally frustrating outing at Chelmsford saw us come just short against the Blue Boys.

January has been kinder, with a crucial away win at Braintree and a fascinating draw against league contenders Brentwood.

In other news, Rochford Hundred loanee Jack Aungier made his National League debut start for Westcombe Park in January, picking up two Player of the Match awards and scoring his first National League try. Congratulations, Jack!

Sponsorship negotiations for next season are now underway and will be critical to planning our expenditure. If you have any referrals, please contact Chairman@rochfordrugby.com. We have a referral scheme in place, and any referrals that result in a deal will reward the referrer for their efforts.

Roch!

- Steve Maguire, Club Chairman

Rochford Hundred Annual Former Players’ Reunion
Date: 28th March 2026
Time: arrival from 12:00, lunch served at 13:00
Tickets: £30 per person available at: BookWhen

Rochford Hundred End of Season Awards Night
Date: 2nd April 2026
Time: arrival from 18;30, dinner served at 19:30
Tickets: £30 per person available at: BookWhen