The first rugby action in Jersey of 2025 will see Jersey RFC host CS Stags 1863 at CoinShares Park.
The Civil Service Rugby Club was one of the 21 founding members of the RFU, of which fewer than half remain in existence. Coincidentally, another was Wimbledon Hornets, who (shorn of the ‘Hornet’ label) will be the next visitors to the Island on February 1st.
After a nomadic existence during the Victorian era, the Stags called the appropriately-named Old Deer Park in Richmond home for three decades before taking up residence at Duke’s Meadow in Chiswick in 1926 – it’s still their home ground today.
Having begun the league era in 1987 playing at level 10, and remaining at this level until 2001, the club had a steep rise and had reached level 5 by 2007. Since this point they have been constant in either the fifth or sixth tier of the English pyramid. Recent seasons saw a 10th-placed finish in Regional 1 South-East in 2022/23 and then sixth last season after moving across to the South-Central division.
Currently the Stags are third in the R!SC table, having lost four of their 14 games so far, with just one of these defeats – to London Welsh – coming away from home.
The two sides locked horns in Chiswick on the second week of October, with the visitors prevailing by just four points. Hooker Jack Macfarlane claimed a hat-trick, with a further try from George Willmott and 11 points from the boot of Mark Boarer, but the home side competed fiercely before the final whistle came at 31-27 to Jersey.
The Island side started 2025 with another narrow victory, defeating Bracknell 28-26 as a last-kick conversion from the touchline by the home side went wide. The game was in fact moved to the nearby all-weather pitch at Maidenhead, as Bracknell’s home surface was frozen solid.
Selecting his squad to face CS this weekend, Jersey Head of Rugby Myles Landick makes five changes changes to his starting XV. Four are in the pack, including props George Thomas and Huw Owen in for Jake Bates and Tom Wilson, while Cam Keys returns in place of Bryn Edwards in the engine room.
The final forward shift sees Jerry Sexton come in for Willmott at number 8, while at outside centre Tom Bulfin comes in for Dylan Stocks. The Jersey bench includes Mark Boarer, returning from holiday.
Jersey RFC (15-9, 1-8): Scott Van Breda; Bevan Biggs, Tom Bulfin, Dan Barnes, Lance Armstrong; Aaron Penberthy, Max Harrington; George Thomas, Jack Macfarlane, Huw Owen, Max Ayling, Cameron Keys, PJ Dodge, Evan Whitson (capt), Jerry Sexton. Replacements: Joe Ridgway, Tom Tilstone, Mark Boarer.
The remaining January fixtures for JRFC are both away from home, with a first-ever visit to Horsham followed by the rearranged match at Old Alleynians.
JRFC Women have this weekend off, and sadly next Saturday’s scheduled home game with Horsham won’t go ahead as planned, with the opposition having not made the necessary travel arrangements.
The Civil Service Rugby Club was one of the 21 founding members of the RFU, of which fewer than half remain in existence. Coincidentally, another was Wimbledon Hornets, who (shorn of the ‘Hornet’ label) will be the next visitors to the Island on February 1st.
After a nomadic existence during the Victorian era, the Stags called the appropriately-named Old Deer Park in Richmond home for three decades before taking up residence at Duke’s Meadow in Chiswick in 1926 – it’s still their home ground today.
Having begun the league era in 1987 playing at level 10, and remaining at this level until 2001, the club had a steep rise and had reached level 5 by 2007. Since this point they have been constant in either the fifth or sixth tier of the English pyramid. Recent seasons saw a 10th-placed finish in Regional 1 South-East in 2022/23 and then sixth last season after moving across to the South-Central division.
Currently the Stags are third in the R!SC table, having lost four of their 14 games so far, with just one of these defeats – to London Welsh – coming away from home.
The two sides locked horns in Chiswick on the second week of October, with the visitors prevailing by just four points. Hooker Jack Macfarlane claimed a hat-trick, with a further try from George Willmott and 11 points from the boot of Mark Boarer, but the home side competed fiercely before the final whistle came at 31-27 to Jersey.
The Island side started 2025 with another narrow victory, defeating Bracknell 28-26 as a last-kick conversion from the touchline by the home side went wide. The game was in fact moved to the nearby all-weather pitch at Maidenhead, as Bracknell’s home surface was frozen solid.
Selecting his squad to face CS this weekend, Jersey Head of Rugby Myles Landick makes five changes changes to his starting XV. Four are in the pack, including props George Thomas and Huw Owen in for Jake Bates and Tom Wilson, while Cam Keys returns in place of Bryn Edwards in the engine room.
The final forward shift sees Jerry Sexton come in for Willmott at number 8, while at outside centre Tom Bulfin comes in for Dylan Stocks. The Jersey bench includes Mark Boarer, returning from holiday.
Jersey RFC (15-9, 1-8): Scott Van Breda; Bevan Biggs, Tom Bulfin, Dan Barnes, Lance Armstrong; Aaron Penberthy, Max Harrington; George Thomas, Jack Macfarlane, Huw Owen, Max Ayling, Cameron Keys, PJ Dodge, Evan Whitson (capt), Jerry Sexton. Replacements: Joe Ridgway, Tom Tilstone, Mark Boarer.
The remaining January fixtures for JRFC are both away from home, with a first-ever visit to Horsham followed by the rearranged match at Old Alleynians.
JRFC Women have this weekend off, and sadly next Saturday’s scheduled home game with Horsham won’t go ahead as planned, with the opposition having not made the necessary travel arrangements.
