In 1999 fire destroyed the clubhouse of Hackney Rugby Club. As a result, what was once a successful club with a rich history crumbled; going from fielding four sides to just one in only five years.
Hackney Rugby Club in action. Photo: Hackney Rugby
The lack of facilities meant that players left and during the 2004/05 season the remaining side played most of their games without a full XV. Six seasons later and the club has successfully risen from the ashes, currently boasting three senior men’s sides, a senior women’s team and a youth set-up.
However, despite this revival some things haven’t changed.
Queuing for the showers
“We still have virtually no facilities,” says 39-year-old club chairman, John Youngs.
The club is currently using one changing room at the nearby rowing club and on match days as many as four teams can be forced to share one changing room.
“It’s not great having a huge queue after the game for the five showers,” says Mr Youngs.
However, the chairman believes the upcoming 2012 Olympics will put a new spotlight on the game, and could even be a catalyst for the club to finally get the facilities it desperately needs.
“It is the perfect stick to beat people with,” he says. “We’ve had problems in the past with trying to get renovated facilities but the council has now come forward and are starting to make these changes. They are a bit embarrassed about having this major event on their doorstep, as in the past the facilities haven’t been good enough.”
Getting the word out
But despite the relative lack of assistance, the club has managed to reassert itself over the last few years, even though Mr Youngs admits that it has been hard to grab the attention of the community. He says that rugby is not a sport associated with Hackney and that young people in the area are far more interested in other sports.
But he remains optimistic and believes it is just a matter of letting the community know that the option to play rugby is there.
“There are an awful lot of people who can and have played rugby. Once you get the word out there it makes a difference.
“We have brought in coaches now so that when people come along we can provide the opportunity for them to learn and develop,” he says.
The chairman, who retired from first team playing duties two years ago, cites the growing interest in women’s rugby as an indication of the potential for the game to grow in the borough.
The Hackney women’s side, formed only last year, will be playing competitive league rugby next season.
“There is great potential for the women’s game,” says Mr Youngs. “With the recent success of the England team, women’s rugby at international level has been coming into focus more and more, so that will undoubtedly help.”
Creating opportunities
Mr Youngs also recognises the importance of youth and he knows that having developed a strong group of players aged 15 and 16, the club must find ways to further their ability.
He admits that the club doesn’t have much experience in this department, but says: “We have to start thinking about appropriate pathways for these kids. We want full teams coming through, such as a men’s and women’s colts side.”
The club has big plans for its young talent and their chairman says there is no harm in aiming high: “It’s aspirational and the route we take to bring these players on will be an interesting one, but we can’t lose these players from the sport.”
The club certainly has its sights set on long-term growth. Programmes to get young kids playing touch rugby at an early age are in the pipeline, and coaches are being recruited to help train the growing number of players.
According to the chairman, the club’s recent development is already bearing fruit: “We have come from a situation where we had one team of very mixed ability to now creating lots of opportunities for people in the borough and I think we will keep growing.”
