A very warm welcome to Bradwall Road, the proud home of Sandbach Rugby Union Football Club. Today, we are delighted to formally welcome Altrincham Kersal, who make the short trip from Stelfox Avenue. We also take this opportunity to welcome our match officials and everyone associated with Sandbach RUFC. Without their dedication, countless volunteer hours, and unwavering support, we simply wouldn’t be the club we are today.

As always, we hope today’s match showcases the core values of rugby; respect, discipline, teamwork, and enjoyment. Whatever the result, our aim is that everyone leaves Bradwall Road having had a positive and memorable experience. Rugby is about more than just the scoreline; something I later reinforce in my notes.

I’ve intentionally included this photo in today’s programme; one I took after last week’s disappointing performance at Burrows Hill against Winnington Park. A picture paints a thousand words, and this one certainly does. It was shared early Sunday morning on our coaching WhatsApp group as we began reviewing and planning for the week ahead.
We know the last few weeks haven’t been good enough. There are many factors behind that, and these column inches aren’t enough to cover them all. But the great thing about sport is that we always have another opportunity to put things right. Two consecutive defeats are not the end of the world. We were beaten by a reasonable side up in Yorkshire and never really found our attacking rhythm. Against Winnington, we gave away too many chances, our tackling technique let us down, and a high penalty count combined with repeated errors left us with too much to do when we finally started playing.

Our promise is simple; we’re not just turning up to training hoping things will improve. There is method in the madness. We’re planning and tweaking short, medium, and long-term strategies to get back to where we know we can be. Today is another chance to show that progress.
Best of luck to our 2nd XV, who travel to Tameside to face Aldwinians 2nd XV after a really pleasing few months. They, too, will be keen to bounce back after last week’s performance against Blackburn. Our 3rd XV beat Bowdon 2nd XV last week which just shows the depth of our club, can they back this up today against C&N 2nd XV? Our 4th XV hosted a touring side last weekend, and what a day it was! Over 25 players took part in a Vets match on the same day that we fielded a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd XV, plus junior and senior colts teams on Sunday. That’s a huge success for the club and a testament to the depth and commitment of our players. It was lovely to receive a message from one of the tourists on Monday:
“Across the squad, we’ve visited our fair share of clubs across the country, and everyone agreed Sandbach is right up there for welcome and atmosphere—you’ve nailed it.” These are the things that often go unmentioned but mean so much.

Hopefully, we get back to winning ways today. League rugby is about performances, of course, but it’s also about results. A win today would set us up nicely for our upcoming overseas trip to Douglas, followed by a festive home fixture against Northwich before the Christmas break. We’d love to see you all here for those games.

A big thank you to the ladies running the club shop. There are loads of new lines arriving, so get behind this and wear your ‘Bach colours with pride! Also, why not join the 500 Club? It’s an important fundraising initiative that helps keep membership prices manageable while supporting the future of the club.

Finally, thank you for your continued support; home and away. It’s hugely appreciated by everyone at Sandbach RUFC. Enjoy the rugby, enjoy the atmosphere, and we’ll see you afterwards for a beer.

AGB