Royals get down to business under new head coach Andy Symons
The competitive action under new coach Andy Symons gets underway for Windsor this Saturday, with a tricky looking trip to Hammersmith and Fulham in the Regional 2 Thames league.
Like Maidenhead, and many other community clubs across the country, the Royals are facing up to new challenges in a new league this season after a major restructure of the pyramid.
While there are a couple of familiar faces in their new league, such as Beaconsfield who they played against in South West 1 East last season, most of the teams they'll be locking horns with are unfamiliar, like London Irish Wild Geese and Old Haberdashers.
It therefore promises to be an exciting campaign for the Royals under the guidance of a new head coach and other new coaches. So far, Symons has been aiming to create an ‘enjoyable, welcoming’ environment for the players and hopes they'll be able to express that on the pitch.
Last season wasn’t the best for the Royals. With head coach Jack Pattinson stepping down and Neal Kennedy moving into the role, the team struggled for consistency and finished 11th with 33 points from 25 games.
Marlow have another week to prepare for their first competitive action in the Counties 1 Tribute Southern North. They kick off their campaign on Saturday week (September 10) with a home game against Wallingford at Riverwoods, but before that they'll take on High Wycombe in their final pre-season friendly at home, kick-off 2.30pm.
Last season Marlow were squeezed out of the promotion reckoning in the final weeks of the season having defied the odds to compete with the front runners with a young and inexperienced squad.
Slough will also be keen to push on this season as they kick off in the
Counties 2 Tribute Berks/Bucks & Oxon South on Saturday.
The Greenies begin with a home game against Hungerford before travelling to take on Maidenhead 3rds the following Saturday.
Slough are also running free rugby taster sessions for boys and girls ever Sunday in September. The free onehour sessions for 7–16-year-olds (*boys from 7-16, girls from 7-10) will be held at the club's ground at Upton Court Park, Slough SL3 7LT and they'll start from 10am each Sunday.
The sessions will be led by the club's own RFU qualified, and DBS checked coaches and involve rugby related games, skills and drills. The club also provides coaching in tag rugby for children in school years 2 and 3 and contact rugby for older children.
No experience is necessary to take part in the taster sessions and all are welcome. Contact Mary on kidsfirst@sloughrfc.com for more information.