Esher Rugby

I hope everyone is having a good summer and we just wanted to update you on where we are with off season planning .

Wints is away in USA doing a great job with his charity cycle ride and we have been liaising regularly on retention and recruitment .

As you know a few experienced players are moving away due to their job situation/ retiring , so we just want to give our massive thanks to Matt Lowes , Andy Hamilton, Paddy Calvert, Lorcan Dow, Harvey Scott and Dan Rowland for their services to Esher over the years and we look forward to seeing them down the club , when they are back . Everyone else from last year is staying and these players have been with us for a few years now and they are key to our future development , as they are improving year on year, are getting more and more experienced and are also passionate about playing for Esher and helping us push on as a club.

We have added George Hammond to the coaching staff, after he was involved for the last few weeks of last season . George is a current 1^st XV player at Quins and knows several of the players anyway through being at Whitgift School and will be working with the forwards, both 1^st XV and Cardinals.

We have two forwards returning who have done well for us in the past:

Ollie Norris – back row , who is returning to London after having finished his degree at Swansea University and Emmett Murphy –- LH prop . who is returning from a short stint playing for Prebbleton RFC in Christchurch , New Zealand.

We are speaking to several players and will wait until they are signed before announcing them, but the ones who are confirmed so far are :

Jacob Morris – Loose Head prop from Cornish Pirates . Jacob went to Whitgift School, before studying at Exeter University and has played for Exeter Chiefs and Cornish Pirates , getting plenty of experience in the Championship last season . He is very ambitious about his rugby and wants to start his career in Accountancy , so has opted to play Semi Professional for us at Esher .

Piero Noah – Loosehead prop/ hooker – Piero is a young , powerful front row forward who also went to Whitgift School and is currently at Brunel University and has a lot of potential for the future .

Dom Sammut – second row from Camberley – played some good rugby in a strong Camberley pack who is keen to play at a higher level.

Raff Hollister - Centre/Wing form Surrey University

Stan Norman – back three – Stan has played for Hartpury University 1^st XV , Cinderford in Nat 1 , Hornets and Hungary and is an elusive , quick player who is moving into the area and will be a great addition at the club.

George Worthington – Winger/Centre from Loughborough University - George is graduating this year and is a strong running winger/centre, who is moving to London with a job and looking forward to playing at Esher.

We have also agreed two loan players with Quins and these will be:

Jack Doorey - Palmer – hooker

Charlie Clare - scrum half

Last season we used 47 players in the 1^st XV, so we are working hard to strengthen our squad , so that there is competition and depth for places, knowing that this is key to developing into a good National 1 Squad , with tough matches week on week. We are also keen to develop the Cardinals and Abbots , so that those players not in the 1^st XV develop into quality 1^st XV players for the future.

Pre Season training will start on Tuesday July 9^th and our pre season matches will be :

• Saturday 17^th August - 1^st XV v Canterbury – 40-man squad
• Thursday 22^nd August – Internal match
• Saturday 31^st August – 1^st XV v Exeter University away / Cardinals match TBC

We will update you when we have confirmed more signings, but that is where we are at the moment .

Thanks a lot and look forward to seeing you next season .

Wilko