Author Archives: Paul Clarke

Ealing Trailfinders ready to hit new heights with Under Armour

Kyle Sinkler (left) and Anders Nilson proudly show off the shirts Ealing Trailfinders will be wearing in their debut Championship season

Kyle Sinkler (left) and Anders Nilsson proudly show off the shirts Ealing Trailfinders will be wearing in their debut Championship season

Ealing Trailfinders are delighted to announce that they will have a new kit supplier for their historic debut season in the Greene King IPA Championship having signed a two-year agreement with Under Armour.

Under Armour are originally from the USA with their headquarters based in Baltimore, Maryland and Ealing have been selected as the first English rugby team to wear their apparel.

Director of rugby Mike Cudmore said “We are excited about the two-year deal we have signed with Under Armour. It is a well respected company and we will be the highest ranked club in England to wear the popular brand. We are looking forward to launching our new home and away strip and also the leisure range in our shop.”

Wales reached the 2011 Rugby World Cup semifinals and won the 2012 and 2013 Six Nations titles while wearing Under Armour kit and French giants Clermont Auvergne sported Under Armour as they reached the 2013 Heineken Cup final.

The team have already worn the traditional green and white hooped home shirt and the change orange and white hooped jerseys in their pre-season fixtures and they will soon be on sale to fans in the club shop.

Under Armour representative Scott Sneddon said; “We believe the success that the whole club has achieved in the previous years will only continue with the great organisation and effort from all at the club. Under Armour Teamsports hope to build on this success by providing Ealing Trailfinders with the most innovative ‘head to toe’ performance products on the market.

“We are delighted to be a part of this journey and hopefully share the success that Ealing Trailfinders deserve in the new Green King IPA Championship season.”

Preocanin given armband ahead of Championship bow

New captain Adam Preocanin (right) will be assisted by vice-captains TJ Anderson (left) and Chris Kinloch in Trailfinders debut Championship season

New captain Adam Preocanin (right) will be assisted by vice-captains TJ Anderson (left) and Chris Kinloch in Trailfinders debut Championship season

Ealing Trailfinders Director of Rugby Mike Cudmore is delighted to announce that Adam Preocanin has been chosen as club captain ahead of the club’s historic first season in the Greene King IPA Championship.

The second row will be assisted by vice-captains Chris Kinloch and Thomas ‘TJ’ Anderson.

“Adam joined us last season and both on and off the pitch set very high standards,” Cudmore said. “He is a scholar of the game and leads from the front and the players will benefit from his guidance in all areas.

“Chris and TJ have joined us this season. Both come from full time professional rugby backgrounds and the squad will benefit from their experience and knowledge of the game and what is required. The coaches, squad and I are excited by the appointments and look forward to working with them all.”

Preocanin joined Trailfinders at the start of last season and helped the club to the National 1 title. The Kent-born Preocanin previously played for Saracens Academy, Queensland Reds A, University of Queensland and Easts in Australia.

With matches against the like of Leeds Carnegie, Bristol and Leinster A to come this season, the 25-year-old is understandably eager for the season to begin. Ealing’s first match is part of the London double-header against London Scottish at Allianz Park on Saturday 14 September.

“It is a great honour,” Preocanin said. “We have a few new boys down here, but everyone is gelling well, so it is a big honour to captain all of them to be honest.

“I was saying to the other boys that I haven’t been captain for a while, since I was at school to be honest, so it is a bit of a step up. It is a big step up for the club and for me personally.”

Kinloch is in his first season with Trailfinders having joined from Loughborough Students, for whom he played for three seasons and prior to that he ran out for Glasgow Warriors.

“It is an amazing honour and really pleased to be part of it,” Kinloch said. “I captained Loughborough last season, so I just hope I can bring some of the experiences that I learned from that role into this season with Ealing.”

Anderson, the son of former Ireland captain Willie Anderson, crossed the Irish Sea from Connacht over the close season and previously played for his home province of Ulster.

“He is obviously very happy for me,” Anderson said. “To be honest it is quite an honour for me to be chosen as vice-captain and to come to the club and be held in such high regard. My father had a couple of key moments in captaincy, but he said don’t change anything and just keep playing, enjoy it and lead by example.”

Ward aiming to end pre-season with a flourish

With three wins from three Ealing Trailfinders are aiming to round off pre-season with a brace of victories from back to back fixtures against Henley Hawks and Old Albanian on Friday and Saturday.

Already Ealing have beaten Hartpury, Carmarthen Quins and Loughborough Students and player-head coach Ben Ward is hoping to round off Trailfinders’ preparations for their debut season in the Greene King IPA Championships in style.

“It has been nice to get into a winning habit but more importantly it has been good to put into games a lot of the work that has gone into training so far,” he said.

“With the physicality and intensity of the games increasing this year we will need all players in the squad to play a part at some stage and it has been good to get all the guys some match fitness. The performances so far have been good in parts but as always we are striving to be better and deliver for the full 80 minutes.”

OAs are no strangers to Ealing having been rivals last season in National 1, while Henley are another team on an upward curve having joined the Hertfordshire club in National 1 this season.

It means that Trailfinders are likely to be pushed hard over both matches, which are their last fixtures before they kick off the new season against London Scottish at Allianz Park on 14 September.

“Henley have just come into National 1 and have increased the size of their squad,” Ward said. “They have some very good players and all of them will be looking to ensure their place in team for their first league game so they will be pumped up.

“OAs play an open game and will test us defensively. They were the only team to beat us at home last season and we only just won at their place. They will attack from the first to the last whistle and that should make for an exciting game.”

For Ward the new season is the latest challenge since he joined the club in 2004.

The former London Irish fly-half was a key component of the side that has risen through the leagues to reach the second tier of English rugby and like all the squad he has been putting in the hours in the gym and on the training field to ready himself for life in the Championship.

“We were given seven days off at the end of last season and have been working hard ever since to prepare ourselves for the challenge,” he said.

“The step up from National 1 is huge and so the work over the last three months has been non-stop. From a personal point of view I have been at the club for nearly 10 years now and it will be a huge honour to represent the club at this level.”

Meet the squad day set for OAs clash

The Ealing Trailfinders 2013-14 squad

Ealing Trailfinders fans will have the chance to meet the players against OAs

Ealing, London, 23 August – Ealing Trailfinders fans young and old will have the chance to meet their favourite players on Saturday 31 August when the club host their ‘meet the squad’ day at the home match against Old Albanians.

With the team in action for their final pre-season match against OAs from 3pm onwards supporters will have the chance to mix with those not playing before and during the match and then afterwards fans will have the opportunity to mingle with those who played for photos and autographs.

Adam Preocanin has recently been appointed club captain and Chris Kinloch and Thomas ‘TJ’ Anderson have been named as vice-captains, so it will be an early chance to meet them and all the other new faces, as well as the returning heroes from the National 1 promotion campaign.

“We are about to embark on a season that will bring challenges and excitement for all,” Ealing Trailfinders Director of Rugby Mike Cudmore said. “The players and coaches have worked hard throughout pre-season to ensure we are as prepared as possible for the start of the season.

“The OAs home game will be our last outing before it all begins and an opportunity for all the management and players to meet the members and supporters of the club who will all play a huge part in the journey this season.”

The match against OAs is the final one of five pre-season fixtures before Ealing Trailfinders’ historic first season in the Green King Championship begins at Allianz Park against our old rivals from south of the River, London Scottish.

As ever the bar in the clubhouse will be open early on to keep the thirsty hordes well hydrated, while there will be a barbeque cooking up all manner of culinary delights outside.

Tickets for the match cost £5 with under-16s getting in for free, so all in all a great offer for a fine afternoon’s entertainment.

REPORT: Ealing Trailfinders 31-17 Loughborough Students

Ealing Trailfinders were given a few scares and faced a fired up Loughborough Students team under a full moon on Monday evening, but eventually it was the pack that managed to give Trailfinders the upper hand as the team fought back from a half-time deficit to secure their third win in three pre-season matches.

It was the visitors who kicked off and soon after they had the first chance to open the scoring, but fly-half George Eastwell pulled his penalty kick wide.

Ealing quickly moved the action to the other end of the field and after Joe Southwell was denied a try in the corner from a Will Magie cross-kick, the Students were penalised for deliberately hitting the ball out of play and from the resulting scrum Anders Nilsson drove over for the first try of the night. Magie added the extras with the conversion.

Almost immediately though Eastwell made amends for his earlier miss by landing two penalties, but thereafter Trailfinders took the initiative. Dogged Loughborough defence kept any attacks at bay though and against the run of play Loughborough scrum-half Henry Taylor broke through the Ealing defence to score in the corner and give the visitors a half-time lead of 11-7.

They extended it further with a James Moffatt penalty soon after the teams returned from half-time, but midway through the half Trailfinders were fully in control thanks to their pack.

First replacement scrum-half Morgan Thompson made a quick impact by touching down after the pack had driven back the Students’ scrum and then the pack won a penalty try after shunting their opposite numbers backwards. With Magie’s second conversion the hosts were back in control at 19-14 with 20 minutes remaining.

Both teams continued to pursue their policy of running rugby and Moffatt closed the gap to two points with his second penalty.

Ronnie McLean and Tom Parker went close to scoring a well-worked try with eight minutes remaining, but while they were pulled back for a knock-on, the pack won a free-kick from the following scrum, opted for it to be reset and Thompson reached through a sea of legs to score his second.

With Magie slotting his third conversion nine points separated the teams with five minutes remaining, but there was still time for Thompson to grab his hat-trick after the pack put the squeeze on the Students for one more time.

Ealing Trailfinders 31: Tries, Nilsson, Penalty, Thompson 3; Conversions, Magie 3
Loughborough Students 17: Tries, Taylor; Penalties, Eastwell 2, Moffatt 2

Ealing Trailfinders Director of Rugby, Mike Cudmore: “Loughborough Students came with a specific game plan in defence and added to that there attacking ability made the fixture at all times competitive and this reflected in the score at halftime with us behind.

“We addressed areas at half time that needed looking at and the players who came off the bench in the second half made a significant impact.  In the end I was pleased with the win and some good individual performances by some players, but as in any preseason game there is still lots to work on.”

 

Ealing Trailfinders Management and Coaching Team

Championship Rugby Department

General Manager/Director of Rugby Mike Cudmore
Head Coach Ben Ward
Scrum and General Coach Kieran Power
Skills and Defence Coach Billy McGinty
Development Head Coach Steve Wagstaff
Development Assistant Coach Brian Holland
Strength and Conditioning Nick Rees
Head Physio Justin Smith
Assistant Physio Hannah Stammas
Club Doctor Zain Haider
Match Day Manager Matt Smith

Championship Administration, Community and Commercial

Club Administrator Lindsey Cottrell
Community and Sponsorship Sue Chandler
Marketing and Communications Manager Natalie Winton
Community Rugby Coach Andy Hall
Community Rugby Coach Chris Kinloch

Pre-Season Home Friendlies during August

Pre-season home friendlies against Henley Hawks and Old Albanians. See dates and times below.  Only £5 entry fee, U16s free.

Henley Hawks Friday 30th August Home 7.45pm
Old Albanians Saturday 31st August Home 3pm

 

 

 

 

Ealing Trailfinders welcome two new staff members

Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club would like to welcome two new staff members to the backroom team ahead of their historic first season in the Green King IPA Championship.

Natalie Winton takes on the role of marketing manager, while Jeremy Inson comes in as press officer.

“We are very pleased to have secured the services of both Natalie and Jeremy. Their knowledge and understanding of what is required in the professional game will be of a huge benefit to the club,” Director of Rugby Mike Cudmore said.

Natalie previously worked in a similar for London Welsh for six years, while Jeremy has been involved with the rugby media for the best part of a decade, including reporting on Ealing Trailfinders’ matches for The Rugby Paper.

Both have been working hard to help prepare the club for the new season ahead and all at Ealing Trailfinders hope they enjoy their time at Vallis Way.

Ealing Trailfinders Cricket Club

Ealing Trailfinders Cricket ClubTrailfinders Sports and Social Club is holding the launch of the Ealing Trailfinders Cricket Club and the Grand Opening of the Cricket Pavilion on the evening of Friday 26 July. Geoff Miller, capped for England 1976-1984 and England’s Chairman of Selectors will perform the opening ceremony.

If you wish to be included on the guest list please email Louise Breton. See new website HERE.

Academy Pre Season Training up and running

Calling all members of the Academy – pre-season training is taking place on Sundays at 10.30 and Thursday evenings from 7pm. All at Ealing Trailfinders. See you there.