After battling against the elements and water logged pitches for much of the last three frustrating months, leading to all but one home match to be postponed for Heath 1st XV since Christmas, Heath found their rugby season curtailed and brought to an abrupt end when the RFU decided to call time on season 2019/20 due to the Corona Virus outbreak. Although this brought clarity for all at the Club - across all senior and youth age groups - it also brought frustration since Heath had lost only two matches during the whole season, and were favourites to take the LSE2 title in April. The Club will find out their fate on Friday 3 April (by 6pm) when final league tables will be published by the RFU.

Currently four points behind Old Colfeians due to the wet weather postponements with two matches in hand against the sides occupying the bottom two places in the league, unfortunately the outcome of a hard fought season will now never officially be known by playing the remaining fixtures. But whatever the outcome the senior squad at Heath can take great pride in their achievements in a fiercely competitive league while using 40 different players across this season’s fixtures – with front row Charles Newey being the only Heath player to feature in all 16 matches.

Commenting on Heath’s performance this season, 1st XV Lead Coach and Harlequins professional Ross Chisholm commented “It has been a strange season since the turn of the year, firstly with the unprecedented rainfall in Sussex and now managing the effects of COVID-19 on our sport, however the squad has shown nothing but commitment in pre-season, regular training and in the heat of the battle for the league title and although that accolade is now left at the discretion of the RFU, we are prepared as a squad to regroup and go again next season, whenever the situation allows.”

Heath’s Youth section also recorded some fantastic performances this season with the Colts winning their Championship undefeated in the league and the Under 15s again undefeated in Sussex and venturing outside the county to find strong opposition so the large and competitive squad is ready to take on the challenges of Under 16 rugby next season. Overall Heath has kept over 450 children involved in rugby every weekend across ages Under 6 to Under 16 and with its work progressing off the pitch to build a new Clubhouse at Whitemans Green in the near future, the Club is in as good a position as any to reboot in September if conditions are right for rugby to return.

In the meantime, Ross Chisholm is sharing with the Youth squads a series of rugby videos with exercises that players of all ages can use remotely to develop their rugby skills. These are being published on the HHRFC website and will make sure that while rugby is halted on the pitch, all players will be prepared to make sure rugby will be back in style at Heath as soon as possible.