Category Archives: Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC

Dobbyn’s team win second cup final without playing a game

Posted on April 25, 2025 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: The 2024-2025 Surrey Veterans’ competition ended much as the 2023-2024 season did – quietly, in farce, another signal of the grassroots’ game’s sad decline A 50-season career of playing rugby, old man and boy, has staggered to an … Continue reading →

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After weeks of mud and guts, Warlingham still have a chance

Posted on April 3, 2025 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: With one Saturday of the season left to play, our local clubs’ fates are already decided – with one notable exception. PLUS: a grassroots rebellion against the blazers at Twickenham falls flat as controversial CEO survives his no … Continue reading →

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Trinity manage to shine as local clubs find life’s no walkover

Posted on January 2, 2025 by insidecroydon

Inside Croydon was first to report the collapse in player numbers in local men’s grassroots rugby. The Daily Torygraph played catch-up with their broader look at the alarming decline in coarse rugby across England. Here, in JOHNNY DOBBYN’s 2024-2025 half-term … Continue reading →

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Rapid decline in numbers shows that ‘coarse’ rugby is ‘at risk’

Posted on September 18, 2024 by insidecroydon

The club rugby season is well underway, with a couple of crunch derbies this Saturday – Old Walcs against Purley John Fisher, and Streatham and Croydon versus Warlingham. But will all local sides be able to field a full XV? … Continue reading →

Posted in Elliot Daly, Marland Yarde, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How the ‘Mighty’ have fallen: relegation haunts rugby clubs

Posted on April 3, 2024 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: After ill-tempered local derby clashes which had more cards than Christmas, and a revised formula for relegation that would leave Einstein confused, JOHNNY DOBBYN pulls on his flanker’s jersey, right, for the final time this season to preview … Continue reading →

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Middling at mid-season: Trinity lead way for bragging rights

Posted on December 15, 2023 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Halfway through the season, the local rugby clubs have so far done so-so. JOHNNY DOBBYN, left, packs down to get you the details If most local clubs went into the season feeling fairly upbeat about their prospects, whether … Continue reading →

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Memorial matches stand out as rugby clubs prepare for kick-off

Posted on September 1, 2023 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: While the England team’s preparations for the World Cup are in disarray following injuries, brainfade and piss-poor performances, the outlook locally is far brighter, with clubs using the off-season to re-group, re-build and, in some cases, lick some … Continue reading →

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Derby days: rugby clubs face some bumper autumn fixtures

Posted on August 18, 2023 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: The publication of the club fixture lists has added some extra edge to some pre-season training, reports BRIAN MORE-ORLESS The rugby clubs in and around Croydon could be in for some hectic times in their clubhouses and bars … Continue reading →

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‘Counts finish on the up as clubs struggle with league shuffle

Posted on April 4, 2023 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: The RFU’s league reorganisation has taken a heavy toll on clubs in and around Croydon these past few months. JOHNNY DOBBYN, right, provides the end-of-season report, and discovers some worrying developments down Croham Manor Road Walcountians ended the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Community associations, Croydon RFC, John Fisher School, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Warlingham go from top to bottom at the flick of a blazer’s pen

Posted on January 12, 2023 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: The club that has dominated local rugby for a decade hopes to restore some pride in their derby against Trinity on Saturday You’ve got to feel a bit sorry for Warlingham in this, the club’s centenary season. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon RFC, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Warlingham take league title without having to make a tackle

Posted on April 16, 2022 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Warlingham kicked off the club’s centenary season in some style, celebrating finishing the season as London South-West Div 3 champions without having to make a tackle in anger. In an extraordinary turn of events, Warlingham took their regional … Continue reading →

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Fisher’s ‘strawberry daiquiri’ Dombrandt on a World Cup path

Posted on February 15, 2022 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: After two blighted seasons, the past fortnight has demonstrated how resilient the area’s clubs are, with a first Six Nations start for one of their former youth players and two hard-fought derby games which between them were settled … Continue reading →

Posted in Chris Robshaw, Croydon RFC, Elliot Daly, John Fisher School, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rugby clubs’ season’s big kick-off gets postponed to 2021

Posted on September 26, 2020 by insidecroydon

The club rugby season was due to kick off today. But with barely 48 hours’ notice, amid a rapidly worsening situation with the coronavirus pandemic, the blazers at Twickenham issued orders on Thursday to postpone competitive rugby until January, at … Continue reading →

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No scrums, no mauls, no tackling: rugby prepares to return

Posted on August 15, 2020 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Promotions for Old Walcountians and Croydon RFC, relegation for Streatham-Croydon and Chipstead, some big signings for Warlingham, and uncertainty for all, as the area’s clubs prepare for the new season Professional rugby kicked off last night in an … Continue reading →

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Plenty of derby action assured as rugby season kicks off

Posted on September 20, 2019 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: It’s the big kick-off this weekend. No, not that little tournament being staged in Japan, but in Division One of the Surrey county league. The club rugby season gets underway in earnest tomorrow, and this year sees the 10-team … Continue reading →

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Trinity Titans RFC family fun day, Sanderstead, Sep 15

Posted on September 11, 2019 by insidecroydon
Posted in Activities, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Rugby Union, Sanderstead, Sport | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New era for Old Boys’ club as Midwives re-name as Trinity RFC

Posted on June 4, 2019 by insidecroydon

Old-Midwhitgiftians rugby club staged a short ceremony at the club’s Lime Meadow Avenue clubhouse in Sanderstead on Saturday to formally mark the start of a new era, going into its 91st season as Trinity Rugby Football Club. The name change … Continue reading →

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Whitgift are denied a final double by Wellingtons’ non-boot

Posted on March 13, 2019 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: It was ecstasy and agony at Allianz Park for Whitgift School last weekend as they came within a clause in the rule book from getting both their teams through to Twickenham finals later this month. The South Croydon … Continue reading →

Posted in Elliot Daly, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Schools, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

After 65 years, MidWives could deliver club with new name

Posted on January 22, 2019 by insidecroydon

There is a meeting tomorrow night at one of the area’s biggest rugby clubs, Old Mid-Whitgiftian RFC, to discuss changing the club’s name. The rugby club proposal comes a mere 65 years since the old boys’ school changed its name … Continue reading →

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Struggling Whitgiftians face tough derby trip to Hamsey Green

Posted on December 14, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Croydon sides are top of Surrey 2 and second in Surrey 1 going into the Christmas break It’s the Big One at Hamsey Green tomorrow, the hottest derby fixture in Croydon rugby, with the district’s two top sides … Continue reading →

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Coach Edwards wings it before MidWives extend their cup run

Posted on November 30, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: There was cup action for Old MidWhitgiftians last Saturday, in the Junior Vase. They followed up a resounding 62-10 win over Fareham Heathens earlier in the month in the first round with a 36-12 win at New Ash … Continue reading →

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Warlingham bounce back to keep alive promotion talk

Posted on November 1, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: For rugby alickados, the old farts in blazers, there’s long been a sense that the club season hasn’t properly started until the clocks go back, and kick-off for Saturday matches is brought forward from 3pm. And there’s also … Continue reading →

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Old MidWhitgiftians enjoy a try-fest at Lime Meadow Avenue

Posted on October 6, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Old MidWhitgiftians quickly got their season back on track with a breath-taking 62-5 win at home against Old WImbledonians in Surrey 1 last Saturday. Andrew Dean scored a hat-trick of tries, fellow centre Temi Okenla got two, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Croydon RFC, John Fisher School, Old Mid-Whitgiftians/Trinity RFC, Old Walcountians, Old Whitgiftians, Purley-John Fisher, Rugby Union, Schools, Sport, Streatham-Croydon RFC, Warlingham RFC, Whitgift School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Old boys’ youngsters claim bragging rights over Warlingham

Posted on September 21, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: Old Whitgiftians, after a 20-year exile from London divisional rugby, claimed their first win of the season on Saturday, as they beat Warlingham 22-14 at Croham Manor Road. In the first clash between the two clubs at 1st … Continue reading →

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World Cup player Thorpe joins Warlingham’s coaching team

Posted on August 31, 2018 by insidecroydon

RUGBY ROUND-UP: London and South-East 3SW side Warlingham has secured the services of former Canadian international back-row forward Richard Thorpe as a consultant coach, to complete a training set-up which other clubs in London will struggle to better, according to their … Continue reading →

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