I am delighted in welcoming all members and non members at Amersham & Chiltern Rugby Club to the start of the 2017/18 season and the first year of my Chairmanship.

Having been a member of the club for 37 years it is a real honour to become Chairman and I hope to build on the great work Spike and the previous Chairman have done before me.

Following a tough season last year in London & SE National League 3, this year is looking very different with a real buzz about the club and we are really looking forward to this season. We have a totally new look, young and exciting coaching team lead by our new Head Coach Dave Neale and supported by Matt Allen and Matt Heeks. I am pleased to announce that our new 1st XV captain is Ryan Cole and wish him and his team all the best for the coming season.

Like previous seasons we have remain committed to having at as many home grown and local players in our match day squad and this year we have seen more players coming through than ever. This is largely thanks to all the work David Choules, Director of Rugby and Matt Allen, Academy Director, have done by working hard to introduce our Colts into Senior rugby. We are delighted to be fielding four teams again this year with the focus again being on our 4th XV and trying to integrate the Colts into Senior rugby as soon as possible. This is a great testament to what we as a club are trying to achieve by having as many many Juniors playing Senior rugby as possible.

The success of the first team over the coming years will only be as good as the strength of the teams below them and we are still very focused on our Academy set up with not only our own development squad but also on getting as many Juniors into the Wasps / Saracens / London Irish Development squads.

We pride ourselves on being a family club which has committed and supportive Mini's and Junior's section who are the backbone of the club. They all have dedicated coaches and volunteers and I would like to thank them for their on going commitment. We also have dedicated supporters and volunteers who work extremely hard on match days to ensure everyone feels welcome and has an enjoyable experience when visiting Ash Grove.

I would also like to say a big thank you to all our sponsors and everyone who donates to the the club as without these people we would not be able to provide the facilities and give the opportunities that the club has to offer.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone in advance for making sure that we provide an atmosphere that is respectful and welcoming with visitors leaving having enjoyed their Chiltern RFC experience. I look forward to meeting you all over the coming season, so please feel free to come and introduce yourself if I do not already know you.

Best wishes for the 2017/178 season,
Scott Jarrold.