Nine tries for the Firsts and the Colts’ latest result
Colts v Towcester and a trip through the archives
Graham Messenger and this week’s club diary
Senior, Junior, Mini and Ladies fixtures and training
Pitches, the season ahead and membership
Rugby beyond Moorefields

IN TOUCH 544
Leamington Rugby Football Club
15 September 2026

Hello everyone,
Welcome to In Touch 544. Thank you to John Lyons for keeping us informed, entertained and pointing roughly towards the right touchline. As I pick up the newsletter baton, please keep your team news and club stories coming. There is plenty to get our teeth into this week.

THE WEEKEND ON THE PITCH

The First XV ran in nine tries to beat Nottingham Moderns on Saturday 12 September. Brad James crossed twice, captain Joe Kinghorn got on the scoresheet and a Jack Tripp-Smith tackle and turnover helped launch another Leamington attack. A lively pre-season afternoon, with plenty for the coaches to build on. The touchline’s counting muscles also received a useful workout.

The Colts went down 24–17 at Earlsdon on the same day. Saturday brings their next opportunity: Colts v Towcester, 19 September, kick-off 2 pm. Keep an eye on team messages for the final match arrangements.

Read Tom Chandler’s match report
Colts result at Earlsdon

TOWCESTER THROUGH THE YEARS

Towcester, Towcestrians and Old Towcestrians all appear in our archive. The recorded results document at least 26 completed meetings across Leamington’s sides between 1991 and 2025, including friendlies: 17 wins, two draws and seven defeats. Within that total, the Colts have seven documented meetings, with two wins, one draw and four defeats. These are documented minimums; the archive has gaps, and cancelled fixtures are excluded.

On 25 March 1995, five Leamington sides faced Towcester. The Firsts won 27–12, the Extras drew 15–15, the Spartans won 44–10, the Stags lost 15–28 and the Colts lost 0–6. That was practically a club exchange programme with tackling.

More recently, our First XV won 39–24 in the 2024–25 Papa Johns competition. Towcestrians had closed to within three points with five minutes left before two late Leamington tries settled matters. Clearly, this fixture has never respected anyone hoping to leave early and beat the traffic.

Explore the club history
Towcestrians results in the 1990s
The 2024–26 club history

REMEMBERING GRAHAM MESSENGER

Graham Messenger’s funeral is on Thursday 17 September at 11 am at Oakley Wood. The wake at the club is listed for noon. Our thoughts are with Graham’s family and friends.

Club notices in In Touch 543

THIS WEEK AT MOOREFIELDS

Here is the diary for the week beginning Monday 14 September, with a look ahead to next Monday. All times are local.

Monday 14 September
Earlier this week: FORAF, 11 am–3 pm; Elite Fitness; Frisbee, 7–9.30 pm.

Tuesday 15 September
U14s training, 6.30–8 pm; Seniors and Colts training, 7–8.30 pm; Club Night from 7 pm. A fireworks meeting is also listed; check with the organiser for its time.

Wednesday 16 September
U10s training, 6.30–7.30 pm; Jam Session, 6.30–10 pm; Walking Rugby, 7–8 pm. Other diary entries: SBK, 8 am–4 pm, and Elite Fitness.

Wednesday offers a choice between a sidestep and a guitar solo. Both benefit from decent timing, although only one is likely to involve muddy boots.

Thursday 17 September
Graham Messenger’s wake at noon. Union U11s training, 6–7 pm; Seniors and Colts training, 7–8.30 pm; Ladies training, 7–8.30 pm.

Friday 18 September
Club Night, 5–8 pm; U12s training, 5.30–6.30 pm. Slimming World and Elite Fitness are also listed.

Saturday 19 September
Colts v Towcester, kick-off 2 pm.

Sunday 20 September
Minis training: the club diary gives a 10 am–noon session window. Several age-group entries on the website start at 10.30 am, so please follow your coach’s confirmed arrival time.

Monday 21 September
Elite Fitness; Frisbee, 7–9.30 pm.

For Elite Fitness, Slimming World and other entries without a time or booking information, please contact the activity organiser before setting off. Club bookings are included for information; attendance arrangements vary by activity.

MEMBERSHIP REMINDER

Subscriptions are due from the start of September. Please check your standing order is for the correct amount; Bill Dalton is the Membership Secretary. A little administration now means one fewer thing to remember when somebody asks where the kicking tee has gone.

Club notices in In Touch 543

AROUND OUR FOUR RUGBY SECTIONS

Senior
This weekend’s diary lists the Colts against Towcester on Saturday 19 September at 2 pm. No other senior match is currently published for 19–20 September; watch for team updates. Looking ahead, the website lists the First XV at home to Evesham and the Colts at home to Birmingham Moseley Colts on Saturday 26 September, both at 3 pm. The Spartans are listed at home to Stratford on Saturday 3 October at 1 pm.

Junior
U14s training is listed for Sunday 20 September at 10.30 am, alongside Tuesday’s 6.30–8 pm session. Their next published match is the cup fixture against Harbury on Sunday 4 October at 11 am. Please check team messages for other junior arrangements.

Mini
Sunday’s online training calendar includes U7s, U9s, U10s, U11s and U12s at 10.30 am. The diary gives the wider 10 am–noon window. Coaches’ messages will settle when each group should arrive. Midweek U10, U11 and U12 sessions are in the diary above.

Ladies
Training is on Thursday 17 September, 7–8.30 pm. The next published Women’s XV fixture is away to Daventry on Sunday 27 September at 2 pm, a friendly. No match is currently listed for this coming weekend.

Club fixtures and training

PITCHES AND THE SEASON AHEAD

Saturday’s First XV match report described a welcome return of green grass after the dry spell. Encouraging news, although a green pitch does not replace the club’s checks on conditions. Please follow coaches’ and club officials’ directions on pitch use and any changes to training or fixtures.

Warwickshire RFU’s season-start guidance, published on 24 August, covers the two-week delay to competitive community rugby and preparation for the return to play. Our first published league fixture is Evesham on 26 September. The boots can be ready; the ground and the players need to be ready too.

Warwickshire season-start guidance

RUGBY BEYOND MOOREFIELDS

The Red Roses beat Australia 48–15 on 12 September for their 39th consecutive Test win, recovering from 10–5 down at half-time. Whatever was in the half-time talk, perhaps somebody could bottle it. Canada beat Scotland 64–26 and New Zealand beat France 28–14 in the same WXV opening weekend.

World Rugby’s WXV weekend report

Next, England host Canada at Sandy Park, Exeter, on Saturday 19 September, kick-off 3 pm. On Saturday 26 September, they face New Zealand at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, also at 3 pm.

Red Roses v Canada details
Red Roses v New Zealand details

In the men’s Pacific Nations Cup, Fiji beat Canada 45–29 and Japan defeated the USA 63–14 on 12 September. Fiji and Japan now meet in the final in Tokyo on Saturday 19 September, their third successive title decider against each other.

Pacific Nations Cup semi-final report

Please send me your results, photos, dates and stories for the next edition. If you have memories of our Towcester encounters, I would love to hear them. The archive supplies the scores; members can supply the stories behind them.

Richard Watkins
Honorary Secretary
Leamington Rugby Football Club
Moorefields, Kenilworth Road, Royal Leamington Spa
Warwickshire, CV32 6RG
secretary@leamingtonrugby.co.uk