Rugby Club ISSUE 87 | Page 40

Mill Hill FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG that they are all well and truly bitten by the Mill Hill bug, even if it means for many working in and around London, a longer journey than is ideal – we are often a club of choice, not convenience. The future for the club looks positive, off the pitch we are in a much more stable position now than a few years ago. We have just secured a sixty-year lease and are putting plans in place to redevelop the clubhouse. Planning permission-permitting, a second storey will be added and the changing rooms will receive a well overdue makeover. In terms of on the pitch things are on the up as well, we started preseason training in June, and although the fitness sessions with our strength and conditioning coach may feel horrific at the moment, we know that the hard work we put in before the season will pay off during it. The age-old adage of ‘work hard, play hard’ is one which we definitely live by at Mill Hill; last year’s five-day tour of Romania perfectly illustrated that. At Mill Hill community is at the heart of the club and Project Rugby is the perfect example. We began Project Rugby as a club three years ago, spearheaded by Joey, along with help from Ed and Jason, with a number of the boys pitching in when they can. Under the mantra ‘Rugby for all’ and with the help of local charity Barnet MENCAP the Project Rugby team has grown from strength to strength, the players proudly pull on a Mill Hill shirt every week and represent everything that is great about the sport we all love. The hard work of Joey and the team gained the attention of the BBC who produced a video documenting the impact of Project Rugby; a very proud moment for the club. We are also situated a stone’s throw from Allianz Park, so Saracen’s match days are extremely busy at the club, we have the old log fire burning during the winter months and the outdoor bar in action while the sun is shining towards the end of the season. Fans from all over frequent our esteemed establishment pre and post- match for the best beer, food and atmosphere in London. 40 Issue 87 For those reading this and wanting to get involved, training is every Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm, Champions Way, NW7 2EQ. If you’re playing days are over feel free to come down for a pint on a match day and watch some great rugby. We are looking forward to the journey next season and the years ahead, anybody wanting to join us on that journey is more than welcome. Next on the agenda for us; a tour to Bournemouth, where rugby of course takes precedent over drinking and having a laugh (not). Article provided by Charlie Hurst