2010s Overview

The 2010’s saw the Club play their first game at Level 6 for the Men’s 1st XV after their success the previous May with that epic home win in the play-off over Guernsey. Tunbridge Juddians had won the London 2 South East league and we had come second but with a better record than Guernsey and so the match was Hove’s to host.

Our first game in the new league (in 2010-2011) saw us beat Chobham at Hove by 21 point to 13. Any thoughts of an easy run were dispelled in the next match away to Tonbridge Juddians where we had a 72-17 reversal!

Sadly, we were also relegated in this decade – after finishing 11th (but only 3 points behind Sutton & Epsom) in the 2014-2015 season. That meant starting 2015-2016 back in Level 7. We stayed in L2SE until the end of the 2017-2018 season when, again, we finished second (this time behind Dartfordians) only to play Old Reigatian (again at home) and to succeed.

We reaffirmed our commitment to amateur playing and we also started a Girls’ section and started a Women’s 2nd XV.

Plans were submitted for extending the Clubhouse and changing rooms to accommodate everyone.

Acknowledgement

Once again, my thanks to the estate of Graham Gordon for the handbooks and ephemera. Others have also kindly provided items for this decade.

Teams

	2010-2011	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	2015-2016	2016-2017	2017-2018	2018-2019	2019-2020
League	L1S	L1S	L1S	L1S	L1S	L2SE	L2SE	L2SE	L1S	L2SE
Level	6	6	6	6	6	7	7	7	6	7
Final Position	9	5	6	11	13	7	6	2	14
Fate	Remain	Remain	Remain	Remain	Relegated	Remain	Remain	Promoted	Relegated

The above is the position as of right now but we will update at the end of this season for the 2019-2020 performances.

This was our most successful league decade for the Me’s 1st XV 6 out of 10 seasons at level 6 and 4 at level 7. But, conversely, we did see two relegation seasons in 2014-2015 and in 2018-2019.

2010’s Alumni

Information to follow.

Governance

Information to follow.

Points

Please note that throughout the 2010s the points awarded for a try remained at 5 points. The points awarded for a conversion remained at 2 points and the points awarded for both a penalty goal and a drop goal remained at 3 points.

The league rugby introduced new game points in 2010 along with bonus points.

The game points went to 4 points for a win (from 2) and 2 for a draw (from 1). A loss remained at 0 points.

Bonus points were awarded for tries so if you scored 4 tries or more then you were awarded 1 try bonus point and for losing margin. If you lost the game by under 8 points (so, 7 points or less) then you were awarded a losing bonus point.

So, it was possible to get 2 bonus points by scoring 4 tries and yet losing the game by 7 points or less. This is the equivalent to the points gained for a drawn game.

The intention was to promote tries and more entertaining rugby.

In Memorium

Richard Lewis remembers Graham French.

It was with great sadness that I report the passing of Graham French on 21 July 2020 after a long battle with Alzheimers. Much loved husband to Rosemary, father of Rupert, Henry and Tamsin and grandfather several times over, Graham will be greatly missed by his family and his many friends and former colleagues and, particularly by older members of Hove Rugby Club where he was universally popular. He served on the Committee as well as playing for the club and was Chair at one time despite working in London during the week

Graham played on the wing for Hove and for Sussex before moving to no 8 in the later stages of his rugby career. I met him first back in 1987 when he was playing for Hove Vets – a recently formed team made up of some pretty decent players, who had just reached the age of 35 and the end of their first team careers; the team was a bit of a ‘club within a club’ as the players did not regularly play for the other teams within the club. Graham was the heart and soul of the team – he insisted that there should be no training before games even when we took on Harlequins Gentlemen (their vets team) and was equally clear that failing to stop at the appointed watering hole on the way back from away fixtures was a heinous crime. (I think we won 20-0 at Quins)

Graham was like Peter Pan but more mischeivous; eternally young he was living proof that you might grow older but you could remain young at heart.

He held debentures at Twickenham for excellent seats in the East Stand and was generous to a fault in inviting friends to the games; I remember going with him and two others on one occasion and being seconded by Graham’s  business partner to get the first round – ‘four pints was the order’ and when I returned with four pints I was greeted with a shower of abuse. ‘Four pints each, you idiot!’ was the nub of it.

He had a great gift for taking a short nap to recharge his energy.  On tour in Dublin and sound asleep at the dinner table at about 8.30pm, I was astonished to bump into him two hours later in Temple Bar at the centre of events and the life and soul of the party.

His generosity extended to holding an annual barbecue for players and their families at his then home – Badger Wood House in Clappers Lane, Fulking; this was always hugely enjoyable and I am sure many others will  value as much as I do the friendships made and fostered there. Later, the family moved to Stone Pit Lane in Henfield and then to Henfield Common. However, Graham did not live there for long before requiring full time care. So it is a long time since he took his leave of the rugby club and throughout that very difficult time Rosemary has constantly provided love and support; she was kind enough to call me shortly after Graham’s passing to explain that, in the present circumstances, funeral gatherings are limited to 30 people. However, as and when the restrictions are lifted, she is hoping to hold an event in celebration of Graham’s life at Hove Rugby Club.

On behalf of the club I send our love and best wishes to Rosemary and to all the family.