GRASS ROOTS
ON THE UP Step forward Reeds Weybridge and Rochford Hundred: the grass-roots promotion wizards in the RFU leagues over the past decade.
Reeds, celebrating their 90th anniversary, have gone up five times in the past six seasons after dropping out of the system in the mid-2000s and almost disbanding. They re-entered in 2012 and spent two years in Surrey Four before rising. They’re now in London Two South-East after consecutive titles in the past three seasons under captain Billy Maddock and DoR Nigel Connell.
Essex-based Rochford, too, have a story to tell. They were champions four times in the past ten seasons, including three trophies in as many years that elevated them to National Two South for the cancelled 2020-21 season.
RISE AND SHINE Honourable mentions also go to Old Elthamians, of National One, who rose impressively after kicking off the decade four levels lower, and Greene King IPA Championship club Ampthill, who climbed three times.
, of National Two North, completed a spectacular 13-year emergence from the lower leagues by winning Midlands Premier last
