Ealing Trailfinders 1871 Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jeremy Inson
Welcome to the Ealing Trailfinders 1871 pod where you can find out all about the people that make up Ealing Trailfinders men's amateur section, and the news that will come from the club throughout the season.
With two teams chasing success in the league and the cup, 2022-23 is set to be a huge year, so keep up with all the highs and lows as the season progresses.
Done and dusted, the 2023-24 is over, so what better way to look back over the previous season, than at the annual club dinner?
Join Jez and guest host Toby as they mingle with the great and good of Ealing 1871 - women's and men's teams, the powerbrokers, and those who just want to bask in the reflected glory.
We hear from the awards winners, the glory makers, and those who run our teams and ensure we all #bleedgreen
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Zoe Cox, Ealing 1871 Women's hooker is chasing the international dream this summer, with the England Deaf Women's team.
After Zoe discovered that she was profoundly deaf during Covid-19, she has progressed through the team and is in line to tour South Africa with England in August.
Guest host Toby Holt is on hand with Jez to find out how she got to this point, who has inspired her along the way, what playing without hearing aids is like, and what the tour to South Africa will entail.
To help Zoe get to South Africa, donate here - https://www.gofundme.com/f/pdgz89-south-africa-2024
bleedgreen
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With the 2023-24 season over, who better to look back on the season just gone than 1st XV captain Lewis Steadman?
We review a season that earned the 1st XV promotion from Herts/Middlesex Counites 2 to Herts/Middlesex Counties 1 and featured a run to the Papa John Cup quarterfinals.
Lewis picks out which players stood out? How the new coaches fared? What the off-field highlights were? And which club servants we are waving goodbye to.
BleedGreen
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Ealing 1871 Women's captain Sarah Taws is our guest this week to tell us all about the team and how their season has gone.
After three years, the flyhalf has helped the team grow, develop and learn, while this season they have also benefitted from head coach Andrew 'Quicky' Quick and his team, including members of the Ealing Trailfinders Women's professional team.
We talk about the season gone, how the team has grown and how they have one final challenge before celebrating the season's end.
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Harry Vidler, may have had the 1st XV captaincy dropped on him, but once the surprise of seeing (C) next to his name on the teamsheet had dissipated, he led the team in supreme fashion.
His assignment...lead the team to the sunny (and windy) Essex coast to beat Burnham on Crouch and progress to the next round of the Papa John's Trophy, and he responded by guiding the team to a 56-26 victory that sets up a match against Basildon at Vallis Way on Saturday.
We look back on the win, the season so far, what his song choice was, and just where the Bronson Cup is....
BleedGreen
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Liam McDonagh, a lifer at Ealing 1871, a boy who became a man, met his wife, married, and started a family while giving his all for the green and white shirt has something to tell you...
Before then though, we look forward to our final league match of the season, the brotherhood of west London clubs, a potential cup run, and his Easter egg of choice.
BleedGreen
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Alex Kritikos, an Ealing man through and through, since he first rolled up to Vallis Way when barely out of nappies. After a few years living in Sydney, he's back and doing what he does best, handing out the boshes.
It almost came to an end though, and he tells us how a collapsed lung threatened not just his ability to charge around a rugby field and hand out pain bombs, but his long-term health too.
Thankfully, now fully recovered, Alex tells us about his love for the club and why it was one of his first ports of call after he moved back to London.
BleedGreen
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Stan Clausen may be an ex-Royal Marine, but his military discipline is still being brought to bear for Ealing 1871.
Tasked with ensuring players are signed up in time for matches and training, good luck to anyone who hasn't signed up as soon as they can. (Just to be sure, get signed up for next week now!!!!!).
He also tells us about life as a Royal Marine, how he found a team sport of choice later in life, and just how silver Lewis and Josh Steadman's tongues are.
BleedGreen
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Jack Hobbs has spent most of his life playing at Ealing Trailfinders, from rugby rats on the back paddock to running around for the 1871 firsts on the stadium pitch.
Last Friday was a big night for Jack and the club as the first team secured their promotion to Counties 1 Herts/Middx , and he helps review a memorable evening.
He also marks your card for Saturday 23 March when 1871 go head-to-head with Brunel University where both teams will be pushing for the title.
BleedGreen
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Sometime-host Toby Holt returns by popular demand to share a convivial chat about all things Ealing 1871.
The winger-turned-flanker, talks about his new-found fitness passion, his attempts to woo his local cafe into some sponsorship, and how he spent Valentine's Day.
Toby also looks forward to the weekend's fixtures and the 1st XV's trip to Twyford Avenue to face local rivals Wasps.
BleedGreen
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Harry Reed was new to Ealing 1871 this season, but it hasn't stopped him from grabbing a place in the first XV second row, where his height and energy have helped the team to the top of the table.
Harry looks back on our defeat to Saracens that put the promotion party on ice, and talks about what brought him down to Vallis Way and what he loves about the club.
We also chew over his time at the University of West London, his aims to work in the film world, and just how many different countries he's lived in.
BleedGreen
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It is potentially a red letter day for Ealing Trailfinders 1871 on Saturday when a five-point win at home to Saracens would guarantee promotion from Counties 2 Herts/Middx to Counties 1 Herts/Middx.
With such a huge match coming up we catch up with 1st XV captain Lewis Steadman to look forward to what could be a memorable day for the club, what they expect from Saracens and what they will need to do to maintain their focus with a huge prize on the line.
We also find out what he puts on his pancakes, and what he has planned for Valentine's Evening.
Romance and rugby, what more do you need. #BleedGreen
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There is very little that Dave Steene hasn't seen since he joined the club nearly 40 years ago.
He has taken on several roles, from player to administrator and now coach of the Colts, the U-18s, who are playing excellent rugby.
Dave talks about his playing days, some of his favourite faces from down the years and how much he enjoys developing the next crop of players for Ealing 1871.
BleedGreen
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It’s a happy New Year and welcome to 2024 from Ben Parkinson. The vice-captain might be out with injury, but he’s as involved as ever.
He talks over the opening round of matches of 2024, how he spent his festive break and who led the way on the piste in France
Parky also looks forward to this weekend’s matches when all three are in action.
BleedGreen
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Connor Godfrey is one of the new heroes of Ealing 1871, returning to rugby when he joined the club in late 2021 aged 28.
He's thrown himself into life at the club and is a fixture for the second and third teams, as well as helping out as a member of the social media team.
It is impressive considering he's up early to for his job as a chef, and so we don't hold back getting his tips on what makes a great Christmas dinner.
BleedGreen
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Luke Beasley, front-row animal, social media whizz-kid, and, as we discover, neither a Scot nor a Chelsea fan.
It took him a while to find his place in west London rugby, but he sure found it at Ealing 1871.
He's 'full English' (aren't all front rowers?) and the man bleeds green, ready to give his all for whichever of the three teams wants him.
BleedGreen
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This is the saddest episode yet, one in which we bid farewell to our favourite Frenchman, Abdou Traore.
He arrived at Vallis Way nine years ago, just a boy, and he leaves a man. He provided numerous highlights on the pitch, and many more off it.
Abdou is a player who loves a broken field that he can exploit with his pace and power, but also a player who never shirked in defence.
He returns home with memories and friends galore. À bientôt Abdou, you will be missed.
See you in Lyon.
Music: Dana Boulé - Rainy Night (accordion)
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Josh Steadman is an elusive player, a tricky player, and someone hard to pin down on and off the pitch, but finally, we've got him.
Player of the Season for the past two seasons, and a threat with the ball in hand whether in the centre, the wing or now, at full-back.
Find out why he's been part of the club since first coming along as a six-year-old, what playing alongside his elder brother is like, and how high his talents have taken him.
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Bernadette Weeks is a long-term member of the club and queen of the stash.
Bernadette is the one who ensures that Ealing 1871 players look as good off the field as they do on it.
She's the one who orders it and the one players go to cap in hand to ensure they cut a dash post-match, but she is more than just the gear steward.
Bernadette has been involved throughout the club for many years, so she has a unique perspective on what makes it so special.
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Steve Shingler, Ealing Trailfinders club captain, joins the podcast after he and fellow Championship player Craig Willis helped out at training to explain what he put the squad through and how they responded.
He also talked about his coaching ambitions, the visit of Leicester Tigers in the Premiership Cup on 18 February, and how the Championship season is unfolding.
We also hear from head coach Dave Brathwaite, who explains how the club are being helped by the pros, and how that relationship will develop over the season.
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Clayton Pochop is a long-term member of Ealing 1871, first as a player and now as a coach where he is passing on his huge knowledge of front row play.
As a South African and a lover of the Springboks, he is counting down the days until the France 2023 final and a jaunt to Paris to take in the final against New Zealand.
He explains the secret of what makes South Africa's prop forwards so fearsome, how he's hanging on as a player until he can play against his son, and the secret of when he passed himself as a former Bok international.
We'll also get his prediction of what to expect at the Stade de France on Saturday night.
Bleedgreen
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Reggie Elliott-Jones, English-born, New Zealand-raised and with Welsh blood coursing through his veins, but until he'd turned up at Vallis Way in 2022 he had barely played any rugby.
Undeterred, he threw himself into life at Ealing 1871 and made himself an indispensable member of the first XV pack.
Find out what kept him coming back and what he wants to achieve this season.
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Dick Craig, President of the Club and someone known to many, but what does his role entail?
A man involved in all facets of the club from the men's and women's pros, through the amateur section and onto the minis and youths, for Dick the club has become a family affair.
In this week's episode, he takes us into the rarified air of the presidential box, to explain how he became involved in the club, how he became President and what being landlord to three professional players was like.
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Izana 'Izzy' Maknus introduces us to the latest section of the Ealing 1871 family, the women's team.
After two seasons Ealing 1871 Women are now firmly under the 1871 banner and making great strides. They've begun the season with two wins, and are growing as a team, welcoming new players of all ages and levels of experience.
Izzy tells us about her time at Vallis Way, how the season has gone, what the coaches are like, where the team would like to be at the season's end, and why you should want to get involved with them.
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David Brathwaite and Eddie Beck, Ealing 1871's new dream-team double act running the show, and we also have Toby Holt along to reprise his club dinner role as co-host.
When the club head coach position became vacant in the summer, these two stalwarts stepped up to fill the void and take on the challenge of guiding the three teams under their charge.
Brathers and Eddie may sound like an 80s romantic ballad-singing duo, but they know their eggs and the players and teams are in good hands.
Hear what they have to say about their aims for the club, their coaching philosophy, squeaky voices, and who is the good cop, and who the bad.
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It is the new season, and we're catching up with first team captain Lewis Steadman to find out what is new at the club and what to look forward to as we begin the 2023-24 season.
Lewis talks new players, new coaches, and most importantly for the fashion-conscious out there, new kits.
We'll be with the teams - all three men's and the new women's side - as they journey through the 2023-24 season.
bleedgreen
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It is the end of the season and the time to reflect and celebrate another memorable season for the brave heroes in green and white.
The 1871 men's and women's teams, their coaches, support staff and supporters met in the Olympic Pavillion to salute those given club caps, named as award winners and recognised for their efforts in making the club a success.
We catch up with many of the key faces at Ealing Trailfinders 1871 and hear from a number of award winners and we bid farewell to 2022-23 in fine style.
BleedGreen
Meet...Sunny Gujadhur and try not to get lost in the eyes.
We catch up with him as the season draws to a close with only a couple of friendlies to go before he waves farewell to Ealing Trailfinders.
There will be tears galore when he and his fiance head off to a new life in Australia, but before then he looks back on his time at Vallis Way and his highlights while wearing the green and white.
BleedGreen
Kavan Fitzpatrick returns to the podcast to look back on a fine Papa Johns National Cup quarterfinal win on the road over Woodbridge, and look forward to the semifinal against Chipstead in Surrey.
The number 8/wing/fullback also talks about his new podcast and his newfound fame as the face of a well-known men's grooming range.
Danny Ford is back on the pod to preview a huge weekend of rugby for Ealing 1871 Exiles and 1st XV.
Danny will lead the Exiles in a second consecutive Middlesex Merit Table 4 playoff final, as they take on Belsize Park at Wasps, kickoff at midday.
Meanwhile, the 1st XV head to Suffolk to take on Woodbridge in the national cup quarterfinals. Will their march to the finals day at the Stone X Arena continue?
Finally, there's a warm welcome to new 1871 chair Roger Hitchcock, who we will catch up with later in the season.
Meet...Nyall Wake. Vice-captain, second-row and Easter egg aficionado.
The big man talks cup runs, cup finals and why he chose Ealing Trailfinders in the first place.
He also tells us what type of Easter egg he hopes the Easter bunny will bring him this year.
BleedGreen
Meet...Harry Vidler, first-choice fly-half and a man with over 200 points this season (so far).
The number 10 tells what has made his form so good this season, and hangs his head as he tells us what lay behind his two yellow cards.
He also reveals all about how he joined the club and he dodged the tasty treats during a year playing in Italy.
Meet...Ben Parkinson, a first-team regular, ex-army officer and west London's favourite Ulsterman.
Ben looks back on the league season in which 1871 finished third and looks forward to the national cup campaign.
He also reveals how he celebrated Ireland's Six Nations grand slam and St Patrick's Day.
Meet. Abdou Traore, west London's favourite Frenchman. From Lyon, France's culinary capital, he has been part of the set-up for nearly 10 years.
Where's his favourite position? What does he think of Guinness? What does he think the differences between English and French rugby are?
Then there's his love of Le Crunch and the time he and Toby Holt became social media sensations at a match between the old enemies.
Meet...Tim Hitchcock, academy graduate, scrum anchor, and sevens team manager.
He has seen it all since joining the club aged six, but having gone from boy to man at Vallis Way, how much is he enjoying life in the 1871 set-up?
Have a listen as he shares the ups and downs of life playing rugby in W13.
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It's Valentine's Day, so what better way to get in the mood than to share feelings of love?
In this case, it's the love of our club. Hear from those involved as to why they love playing for Ealing 1871.
On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 February, the Trailfinders Olympic Pavillion became a mobile heart-screening clinic for people aged between 14 and 35, including members of the Ealing 1871 squad,
Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is the charity that set up the clinic and it is supported by The Tom Clabburn Fund, which was founded after Tom died in his sleep aged 14 with an undetected heart problem, and helps fund CRY's clinics.
Ealing 1871 are well aware of the risk of sudden heart failure after one of its veteran players nearly died during a match in 2021 (see episode six parts one and two) and would encourage everyone to have their heart checked.
We went along to the clinic, to meet the founder and Tom's father Paul, talk to the attending heart specialist, and find out from a player exactly what took place behind the curtains.
Meet...Toby Hall, the award-winning winger turned flanker. A man with a smile on his face and a welcome tackle for any opponent who runs down his channel.
He's the beating, social heart of the club, but he's had problems in the past with his mental health and he speaks candidly about how being involved in rugby union has helped him through those tough times.
Meet...David Niven. No not that one. This one is our favourite flaxen-haired, whirlwind, Scottish back-rower. A true highland terrier.
He tells us what Ealing 1871's upcoming clash against London Scottish means to him, how the piper gets him pumped up for a match like nothing else, and what makes a good Burns' Night.
Enjoy the show...
Meet Harrison Slater, a long-time player at the club and academy graduate, multi-use back, and a man with a foot like a traction engine.
He'll tell us all about his near-lifetime involvement at Vallis Way, from rugby rat to ball boy and now first-team regular.
Harrison also tells us how becoming a rugby coach has helped his game, and his latest adventure coaching sports to children with special needs. #bleedgreen
It's Christmas and the time to look back on a hugely successful 2022 for Ealing Trailfinders 1871.
Captain Lewis Steadman joins us to review a year in which the side won promotion, made their mark in Herts/Middx 2, and bloodied a string of new faces in the famous green and white jersey.
He also tells us about his plans for a Cornish Christmas, and the possibility of a guest appearance on Boxing Day.
Meet...Jake Usher, a long-time club stalwart, captain of numerous teams, leader of the lineout and score of hattricks...and he has been compared to Daniel Craig.
We find out all about him, why he joined the club, what happened to the Evergreens, and how he enjoys life over 50 by turning out for the seconds and Exiles.
Meet...Danny Ford. Exiles captain, motormouth and slimmer of the decade.
Find out how proud he is to be captaining Ealing 1871's social team, how he has dropped six stone (yes six stone!) since the start of lockdown and how it has changed his game and enhanced his enjoyment of the sport.
He'll also tell you what his being involved in the club means and how it has helped him away from the pitch.
Meet Pat Nash...a long-serving player and the rock on which Ealing Trailfinders' 1871 pack is built. A man who started his rugby days in the number three shirt, a shirt he wears with pride.
Find out how he became involved in the sport, what he loves about playing at the coal face, how the club has grown during his time at Vallis Way, and how he has become the club's lucky charm.
Meet Matt Knights, Ealing Trailfinders 1871 head physio, the man responsible for ensuring our players are fit, healthy and able to give their all every Saturday.
Find out how he became involved with the club, what his qualifications are (don't worry he's no quack), if he'll ever make his playing cameos more permanent, and how the 1871 set-up compares to one of the leading names in English rugby union.
He also talks about how big a problem concussion is at amateur level, and what the latest developments in recognising it are.
After collapsing on the pitch during an Ealing Evergreens match and receiving life-saving treatment from teammates and UCS Old Boys opponents, John Fenlon was rushed to hospital for surgery.
Here, he recounts what happened at the hospital and what life has been like since.
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John Fenlon will never forget Ealing Evergreens' veterans match against UCS Old Boys on 8 October 2021.
Early in the second half, he collapsed having suffered a cardiac arrest. Thankfully swift action from teammates Dr Justin Green, Brendan O'Flaherty, Eddie Beck and Paul Jackson, and UCS player Sid Young saved his life.
In this episode John, Justin and Sid explained what happened, their recollections from the evening, and how they combine to help save John's life.
Meet Kavan Fitzpatrick, second team captain, back turned forward, and owner of the sharpest abs at the club.
As part of the strength and conditioning team, he has helped whip the team into shape, and moved from the back three to the back row. Find out how S+C at rugby clubs has changed, how he is adapting to life among the forwards, and what you can do to ensure you're at your best for the season ahead.
Meet newly appointed Ealing 1871 first XV captain Lewis Steadman, a man who has been with Ealing Trailfinders since he was five, but who is enjoying a new lease of life and a new love of the sport.
Find out what drives him, what his aims are for the team and how his rugby journey has brought him to this career high.
Steve Weekes has been involved with Ealing Trailfinders 1871 from the start, and part of the wider club for many years, so he was the perfect candidate to be the club's first chair.
Find out from him what his role involves, and what goes into running an amateur sports club to ensure that success on the field is matched by success off it.
Meet Ealing 1871 coach Mark 'Percy' Percival, a man who has travelled the world playing and coaching rugby and now in charge at Trailfinders Sports Club.
Find out why he joined, how the club have progressed under him, where they're heading and how he makes players better.
Meet Liam McDonagh, a long time servant of the club, who has risen from the juniors to the 1871 first team, including a stint as captain.
Find out what the club means to him, how it has developed since he first turned up as a five-year-old and how why he wouldn't want to play anywhere else.