London South Africa News

'500' club is launched.................

Due to growing demand LSA are pleased to aanounce the '500' club. Be it meeting and greeting or sheer indulgence. Get closer to the club and become an integral part of LSA’s success story with this unique membership opportunity.

LSA add more silverware..............

LSA fight hard to win Plate at Surrey 7s in dramatic final.

LSA gain their customary promotion..................

The final league game of the season created an exciting finale to what had been a long hard fought campaign. The prospect of a winner takes all game meant that the boys were extremely pumped before kick off. Even with the home advantage the home support felt that LSA may be slight underdogs. Old Wellingtonians started well and the ref was all too happy to blow his whistle. Their centre and kicker was able to slot some long range efforts to take the score to 9-0. LSA had looked in control but couldn’t get in the oppositions twenty two. As the half went on LSA were able to rumble down the field and gain some valuable pitch position. The LSA pack showed their South African muscle allowing the backs to carve the openings. Nick Osman was enjoying a fine game and a very neat move allowed the outstanding Malcolm Mirfin to glide over for the first score of the match. At 9-5 Old Wellingtonians enjoyed another long range kick to take it to 12-5. The next score was crucial and thankfully it went to LSA with Malcolm finding a gap after another well executed move to go under the posts. With the converted try they went in at half time level.

Calling all SA Rugby Supporters - LSA 80 Minutes From Glory.....................

Your country needs you – this Saturday 12th April, South Africa’s rugby outpost in the Capital, London South Africa, face Old Wellingtonians in the most important match in their history thus far. And the club are promoting the game widely to drum up a good crowd to get down to Imber Court to support. With pitch side beer wagon it promises to be a big match for all to enjoy.

Coming off the back of a magnificent five-game winning streak in the league (including two whitewashes, one by 95 points) the Warriors go into the game with confidence and aiming for their third consecutive promotion in 3 seasons.

Old Wellingtonians will be no pushovers though, as they were the only club this season to inflict a heavy defeat on the exiles in the first league encounter away in November. This time with home advantage, LSA should be slight favourites, but with both clubs vying for the last promotion place there is no doubt it will be tough for LSA.

It has been a long season for LSA, but after a blistering start they soon realised that they had made a step up in class, and players returning home disrupted the team which led to a mid-season wobble that threatened to de-rail promotion hopes. The team soon re-discovered their form, with the senior players leading the charge from the front.

LSA suffer minor setback.....

London South Africa suffered a blow as they lost 35-7 away at Chobham in the semi-final of the Surrey Cup. The exiles could be forgiven however, as their priority clearly lies in getting automatic promotion as it is going down to the wire. The visitors didn’t ever really seem in the first half as Chobham ran in 25 unanswered points before Malcolm Mirfin managed to get one back for the Warriors. Matt Fendick’s conversion gave LSA a glimmer of hope, but it was not to be. Despite a much improved second half performance, Chobham’s superior defence held out and they managed to add two more unanswered tries.

LSA dominate.......

With three league games to go there was no opportunity for anything but a win for London South Africa, and the exiles didn’t disappoint. Having trounced Weybridge away earlier on in the season a home victory was on the cards only five minutes in when Anton Kriel got his first try of the day. Christian van Rooyen added one his own try after ten minutes, and Matt Fendick’s conversion pushed the score into double figures. Weybridge began to find their feet, but they could only hold out for ten minutes before a Fendick penalty took it to 15-0. Kriel got his second just before the half-hour to round off a fantastic first half forward display, and Fendick’s conversion allowed the home side to go in 22-0 at the break.

Warriors rack up points.......

After a club record 118-0 win earlier on in the season, hopes were high for London South Africa in the return leg against Farnham. The visiting exiles looked to maintain their superb recent form, and began strongly with two Malcolm Mirfin scores sandwiching a Nick Osman try- the first coming in under a minute. Matt Fendick’s conversion meant that after 11 minutes LSA were on their way to an unassailable lead at 17-0. The half-back partnership of Fendick and Vaughan Gilson ran the show from then on, Gilson getting his first for Fendick to convert in the 24th minute. Fendick then scored and converted his own try in the 40th minute, and there was time for Gilson to add another in injury time. With Fendick getting the extras, the visitors were able to go in at the break 38 points to the good. click here for more details.....

Warriors crush London 2 opposition.........

This weekend’s game saw London South Africa play their quarter-final of the Wimbledon Cup - and they romped home. LSA looked to have a stern test on their hands but the exiles rose to the challenge superbly. With nine tries and a superb kicking display by Matt Fendick meant that Guilford never stood a chance- and with the Warriors’ defence limiting the away side to twelve points it proved to be a good day for the form book as LSA seek to maintain their 100% competition winning record that began two years ago. click here for more details...

LSA Cruise again........

London South Africa needed to get a win against Petersfield if they were to keep their title-winning ambitions alive and they responded with a resounding 57-7 victory to stay on course. A fantastic forward display set up the win, with prop Gerry Kruger’s try settling any early nerves when he went over in the 6th minute. Clint Dearmer followed suit with another, and Matt Fendick’s conversion meant that at 12-0 after 9 minutes the game looked over. There was a slight lull in the scoring however, and in the calm Petersfield pulled one back to make the difference only five but LSA quickly rallied through Malcolm Mirfin and Fendick with the extras. Mirfin got his pair soon after the half hour mark, and Gary Johnston added his own three minutes later. With Fendick getting both kicks LSA were able to go in to the break comfortably 33-7 up.

click here for more details

LSA Cruise.....................

After managing a great win the last time these two sides met, London South Africa hoped to start the season’s run-in with another as they travelled to Camberley. Things started brightly as Malcolm Mirfin racked up the first score in the third minute. Gary Johnston got his first for the day after a quarter of an hour, which allowed Matt Fendick to get on the scoresheet with the conversion. Sauer then got in on the act mid-way though the half and eight minutes later Anton Kriel got his first. Fendick added two more with his conversion, and in truth the lead should have been even greater had it not been for spurned chances and dropped balls. LSA may not have been taking all their opportunities but they were still adding points to the board with regularity as half-back Vaughan Gilson got in on the act. Johnston got his second in injury time as the half finished with the Warriors in an unassailable position. click here for more details...

Jake White to visit LSA.....

Grass roots rugby is essential for the success of the game at the highest level, and nobody knows this more than South Africa’s former World Cup winning coach Jake White. Having begun his coaching career at Park Town Boys High School, the current holder of the IRB’s International Coach of the Year Award’s rise from PE teacher to South Africa’s most successful coach of the modern era has been meteoric to say the least. It has made him one of rugby’s most coveted men - and London South Africa are lucky enough to be getting their own piece of the Springbok hero.

In Black and White: The Jake White Story is set to become South Africa’s greatest ever selling sporting book, and on February 6th at 18:30 the man himself will be visiting London South Africa’s ground at Imber Court, East Molesey for a book signing. It will be a great chance for fans of the game to meet the man who put the Springboks at the top of the world, and to find out what he thinks of South Africa’s main exponent of grass roots rugby in the UK and Europe. Please contact LSA to confirm your place at the signing.

LSA lack cohesion...........

On Saturday, LSA took on Trojans at home in a eagerly anticipated return match, but it was not to be their day. The team lacked its usual cohesion, and this showed as a lacklustre first half ended with the Warriors down 20-9. LSA looked the better side in the second, but couldn’t find their cutting edge, and while Trevor Grundelingh added a try to Matt Fendick’s 3 first and 1 second half penalties it was not enough in a dull game and the Trojans finished up winning 25-17. Next week sees Wimbledon visit Imber Court in the Surrey Cup.

click here for more details...

Warriors’ fall short in Warlingham.....

As the season’s run-in begins, London South Africa was looking to use this week’s home fixture against title contenders Warlingham to cement their place at the top of the league but it was not to be. With both teams looking evenly matched, it was set to be a great competition in South London as the teams took the field. The away side drew first blood with a penalty, but Matt Fendick tied up the scores with a penalty in front of the posts. The Warriors were pegged back a minute later by another well taken kick after slowing the ball down, and the penalty exchange continued when a deliberate obstruction brought a penalty into Fendick’s kicking range and he duly delivered. Things did not stay even long as errors in their own half were beginning to cost the home side as Warlingham made another well taken kick to make it 9-6. LSA continued to advance, and looked as if they were finding their feet in the match when a good passage of play allowed Chris Jones to end up on the bottom of a pile the right side of the line, and Fendick’s 100% kicking record continued as he got the extras. There was no more significant action in the half as it finished 13-9, but the Warriors looked the better side. click here for more details...

LSA grind out victory...........

Not wanting to let their grip on the top spot slip, LSA faced a difficult trip to the south coast as they took on Gosport & Fareham. Although the Warriors had won by sixty points at home, this promised to be a different proposition as the home team’s recent record on their own ground was excellent and certainly would have wanted to reverse the result of their previous meeting. With the game coming so soon after the festive period many of the South African players had only just retuned home, and the usual half-back partnering was also missing. The rustiness certainly showed early on as Gosport & Fareham took advantage of early mistakes to run in three unanswered tries in the 10th, 23rd and 29th minutes. The Warriors then began to find their form and pulled a try back through a great backs move that allowed Malcolm Mirfin to cut in and cross the line, Jarred Rock getting the extras. Half-time couldn’t come soon enough however as the lacklustre first half didn’t find any more significant action as the first period ended 17-7.click here for more details...

LSA finish on a high....

London South Africa lined up against Old Pauline in their last game of 2007 and were looking to end the year on a high note. After a good period of early pressure Malcolm Mirfin opened the scoring in the seventh minute, which Matt Fendick converted to make it 7-0. Old Pauline went on the attack but good defence kept them out, and LSA always looked a danger on the counter-attack. The game went back and forth with both teams playing well, but the final ball wasn’t there for either side as the cold began to take its toll. Christian Van Rooyen and Malcolm Mirfin both went down injured, the former eventually having to leave the field for good. The half finished with Old Pauline on the attack, but the hosts couldn’t find a way through as the break arrived. click here for more details...

LSA back to winning ways.......

With the Wimbledon Surrey Cup game postponed a combined LSA XV took on Basingstoke in the Canterbury Shield. Gareth Williams opened the home side’s account on five minutes, and four minutes later LSA raced into a 12-0 lead when Williams converted Malcolm Mirfin’s first try of three. Trevor Grundelingh weighed in with his first on 18 minutes, and whilst only being 17 points up LSA had full control of the game. Hugo Baldwin ensured that there was no coming back for Basingstoke with a try in the 28th minute, and Ben Bougas began his own unanswered scoring spree on the half hour with a try and conversion. Bougas then completed the half’s scoring with his second in the 37th minute as the exiles went in at the break with a totally dominant 34-0 lead. click here for more details...

Warriors struggle away from home.....

London South Africa travelled to Old Wellingtonians for another top of the table clash trying to build on last week’s win, but things didn’t quite work out as the exiles had hoped. Early mistakes by LSA set the tone for the game, and OW took an early lead from a penalty. Three minutes later they went further ahead, exploiting an overlap to cross the whitewash and converting. They repeated the feat on 14 minutes after charging down a kick, and completed their scoring for the half after kicking a penalty for holding on. The Warriors’ only reply came from a Louis Van Zyl penalty as the half finished 20-3. click here for more details...

Warriors cruise to victory.....

Back at home for the first time in three weeks, London South Africa were looking to avenge last week’s narrow defeat. Although they started nervously, the Warriors were quick to kick off the scoring when Louis van Zyl’s great break led to a Tom Howells try (Van Zyl with the conversion) on 9 minutes. Howells then broke the line well and the backs spread the ball well for the returning Gary Johnston to make it 12-0. Gosport & Fareham began to hit back but couldn’t beat the LSA defence, who then went up the other end and put more points on the board through Johan Strydom.  The away side continued to try their best were always competitve, but a break by man-of-the-match Brad Hall gave Trevor Grundelingh the chance to score and Van Zyl’s conversion made it 24-0. A great individual try by Tom Lloyd followed, and the half’s scoring finished with Van Zyl’s conversion on 36 minutes. click here for more details...

Warriors suffer narrow loss in replayed match...

For the second time in three weeks the Warriors headed down to the south coast to face the Trojans as they re-played the abandoned game from two weeks ago, with both teams needing to be on their best behaviour. In cold and wet weather LSA started well but the conditions proved taxing as the ball was dropped to allow the Trojans’ centre to use his footballing skills to race to the line for an early score. click here for more details...

Top Of The Table Clash Provides Worthy Entertainment......

This Saturday the two top teams in London 4 took each other on at Warlingham. Looking to avenge last week’s poor performance, London South Africa started brightly but Warlingham were the first to register on the scoreboard with a penalty early on to make it 3-0. The Warriors worked towards the opposition line and entrenched in their opponents half, their powerful scrum won against the head and Louis van Zyl put in Trevor Grundelingh (van Zyl converting) to hit back immediately. Van Zyl kicked another penalty on 14 minutes, but Warlingham’s full back did the same minutes later to keep the difference at 4 points. Approaching the break Warlingham had a spell of pressure, but LSA held out to go in 10-6 up. click here for more details...

LSA suffer narrow loss.....

(Match to be replayed)

On Saturday LSA travelled down to the outskirts of Southampton to take on the Trojans, which was sure to be a tough test. Due to an incident on the motorways, the team was no further than their home ground after an hour in the team bus! As such, kick off was pushed back by 15 minutes, which allowed a very brief warm-up to take place. click here for more details...

LSA Warriors make it four in a row in the league...

When one of the opposition players gets sin-binned for punching one of your danger-men on one of his first touches you know what sort of game it’s going to be.  The visiting Camberley fans seemed to have been brought along to match the on-field provocation with off-field taunts that in some cases were bordering on racist. The match started well enough, with the Warriors facing what looked to be their toughest competition so far. The early big hits set the tone for the rest of the game. When a scuffle broke out on the halfway line and the game was allowed to continue Matt Fendick tried to use the space with a clever kick to the wing but the bounce didn’t favour Ben Bougas as LSA tried to take an early lead. click here for more details...

Shield XV show guts...

The LSA Shield Team put on a gutsy display this weekend against a well drilled Esher Development Team, losing 29-0. Although the LSA team was put together late in the week, the players showed a huge amount of pride and gave their all for the full 80 minutes.click here for more details...

Warriors score 60 with worst performance of season.....

Speaking after the game Bob Crooks was clearly happy with the score, but not with the performance: “In the first half we didn’t play to our patterns or shape, but in the first twenty minutes of the second half we played as we should have- It was the worst performance of the season so far, but we still scored 60 points and didn’t concede.” The KWV man-of-the-match was Brad Hall, who underlined his good performance with two well taken tries. click here for more details...

Shield XV come through tough test.......

With six new players for London South Africa, and Reading turning up without a tight-head prop and asking for uncontested scrums, it was always going to be difficult to stick to any pre-ordained game plan.

Speaking after the game, Bob Crooks was clearly pleased with the performance, and how well the squad is developing: “The impact of the subs in the second half turned the game and I’m delighted about it - we had a plan to use our subs at certain strategic points of the second half, but injury and an illness forced our hand. We came from behind without leaders and structure and showed good mental strength to win…Werner’s [Swanepoel] leadership in the second half was exceptional. We had six debutants today and we have a very professional system for bringing new players in and I’m really happy with how it’s working for us.” click here for more details...

Shield XV produce another big win....

The LSA Shield team faced Portsmouth at the Theatre of Dreams, Imber Court, this past Saturday.

An earlier than usual kick-off seemed to have a slight disruptive effect on the team with a few of lads still rubbing some sleep out of their eyes as a slow start and some uncharacteristic penalties gifted Portsmouth a 3-0 lead. LSA hit back in the 6th minute with a try in the right hand corner by Ben Bougas, who touched down after a cross kick was recovered following some promising phase play. However, LSA proved to be generous hosts, and allowed the visiting kicker another shot at
goal, which he duly converted. click here for more details...

Farnham no match for free scoring Warriors...

At home for the first time this season, London South Africa had an opportunity to build on a fantastic opening win two weeks ago by taking on Farnham at Imber Court. A week off from competitive rugby can have one of two effects, but it appeared to have served the Warriors well as they looked fresh and dominated the game from start to finish. Aside from the initial kick-off Farnham barely managed to get out of their own half as LSA set about achieving what was to be a record score for the club. click here for more details...

LSA shield squeezed out after scoring 5.....

With no league matches scheduled for Saturday 22nd September, LSA’s shield team took the opportunity to prepare further for the upcoming campaign by hosting a friendly against future league opponents Ealing Development. In effectively their second game of the season, this match promised to be a very different proposition than the first as several new and squad team players looked to play themselves into contention for places in the Warriors side. click here for more details...

Warriors show their class...

The Warriors’ season kicked off with a trip to Weybridge Vandals, and with the national side’s victory the night before fresh in their minds the exiles dominated the game from the start.

Another dominating performance led to a 43-6 win for LSA in their opening away fixture.

“The result was fantastic for us today, first match of the league to not concede a try and run in seven of our own was fantastic- there are times in the games when we are on another level” said Bob Crooks after the game. see match reports for more details....

Shield XV off to winning start

On the weekend that the World Cup gets underway, so does the London South Africans’ Canterbury Shield campaign as they took on Sutton & Epsom. With the London Leagues starting next week both teams were filled with players that will likely be competing for their respective first teams later on in the season, and coach Bob Crooks took the opportunity to blood his new players further, making it sixteen new signings this season to have pulled on the shirt. see match reports for more details....

LSA smash League 2 opposition

LSA started preseason with a flying start by defeating Eton Manor (London 2) by a massive 71-10.

Speaking after the game, Bob Crooks was delighted with his players as they triumphed so convincingly over the London 2 side, but stated the need to keep their feet on the ground: “I expected mistakes but we exceeded expectations and showed good discipline, skills and work ethic. There is room for improvement however so that we can take it one step further as today we more than proved that we can beat sides from London 2.”

LSA go down fighting

On Saturday, the LSA summer 7's side played the curtain raiser to the Middlesex 7's final against Rosslyn Park. Unfortunately, the success of the summer circuit did not continue as the boys went down 14 – 7.

It was a great day and great occasion for the club, and it gave the boys an opportunity to play on a big stage on a big day. Congratulations must go to the boys for all their hard work over the summer. See match reports for more details....

LSA to feature in Middlesex 7's curtain raiser at Twickenham

The culmination of the summer 7's season resulted in the Men in Green earning a fixture at Twickenham as a curtain-raiser to the final of the Middlesex 7's on the 18th of August.

Immense downpours that threatened to dampen a very festive day held at Wimbledon Rugby Club did little to douse the spirits of the 12 players and their loyal supporters. A "nothing-to-lose" attitude was adopted as the approach for the day, seeing as the team were already in line to receive the trophy for topping the summer league.

The LSA 7's continued on it's successful journey in the Summer League after a competitive weekend at the Nottingham 7's.

After the stories were regaled from the previous weekend it was down to business, with an extremely tough opening fixture on the cards against the Kukri Badgers, a highly skilled unit made up mainly of members from London Scottish Rugby Club. Consistent pressure and excellent shifting, ensured the end score was a credible 3 tries to 2.

The second game proved to be marginally easier, with the scoring starting straight away. Also worth noting was Bok's 50 metre try from a restart, after collecting the ball from two opponents he had scared the daylights out of after an excellent drop kick-off from Trevor.

All in all, a highly enjoyable evening which has resulted in the team ending on top of their pool.

Pre-season dates announced for London division camapign in 2007/8

LSA will begin their preseason training on July 23rd at their pre-season training venue in Chiswick. All new players and volunteers are welcome to join our existing members in what promises to be an exciting preseason preparing for the club's third season in existence. for more info see the training page...

LSA blast their way to promotion

LSA has been promoted into the London & South-East Division, following their 71-10 victory over Ellingham & Ringwood on Saturday. The promotion marks the end of highly successful season in Surrey Division One. Just click here.

Another big score for London South Africa’s Super Fifteen

Press officer Sharlene Jobson reports back on LSA's game against Law Society on Saturday - a dynamic 69-0 away win. The club finishes the regular season in second place in Surrey Division One, but its not all over yet… LSA are continuing preparations ahead of the crucial play-off for promotion into the London Leagues on Saturday 28th April. Just click here.

LSA secure place in London play-offs

London South Africa RFC (LSA) have beaten Old Tiffinians 67-5 and secured their place in the play-offs for promotion into the London Division – all only 18 months after playing their first ever competitive game. On Saturday the team put on yet another big physical performance that has seen them out-muscle their opponents in Surrey League One. Just click here.

Report and photos of Surrey Cup match against Epsom & Sutton

Guest reporter Tiaan Visser analyses the weekends game against Epsom & Sutton. See all the action shots, courtesy of Sharlene Jobson. Just click here.

LSA bury Kingston 35-5

London South Africa RFC (LSA) have safely beaten off a challenge from Kingston for the coveted second-place in the Surrey One league, leaving them well on-track for a place in the play-offs for promotion into the London Leagues. LSA had expected a tough contest on Saturday, from a side that had only lost two of their previous 15 games and had crept their way into third place in Surrey One. But LSA had come prepared to give no corner to the opposition, and once again unleashed the massive try-scoring machine that has seen them average 50 points per game in their last five matches. See Match Reports for more details.

Close match for Shield XV against Basingstoke

The London South Africa RFC (LSA) Shield XV played Basingstoke at their homeground, Imber Court, on Saturday in a spirited match that ultimately went the opposition’s way by 12-24. The first half was closely contested, bringing the score to 7-7 by half-time. Going into the second half, LSA continued to play with a lot of heart against what was clearly a well-oiled side, whose excellent inside centre proved devastating. But lack of fitness on LSA’s side began to take its toll and Basingstoke were able to pull away in the last 20 minutes.  See Match Reports for more details.

22 All Draw...

London South Africa RFC (LSA) took on the Surrey One league leaders, Old Wellingtonians (OW), on Saturday, in a close game that resulted in a 22-22 tie. In what amounted to their biggest challenge so far of the season, LSA had hoped to break OW’s unbeaten home record this season.  See Match Reports for more details.

Another big win for LSA..

 Saturday saw yet another big win for London South Africa RFC (LSA) as they delivered a 46-0 win over Cranleigh at the club’s home ground, Imber Court. The Surrey XV looked in excellent shape as they took to the field with a tremendous pace in the first half, playing an open game that allowed them to rack up 29 points by half-time. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa rack up another win in promotion drive…

 London South Africa RFC (LSA) sealed another key victory on Saturday, with a 51-5 away win over Old Emmanuel away from home. This follows two big consecutive scores, of 88-6 over Battersea Ironsides and 43-12 over Warlingham in the Surrey Cup competition. See Match Reports for more details.

Fendy's Warlingham Report

On an overcast and damp day, LSA travelled down to Warlingham to participate in the club’s first ever cup match in the Surrey Cup competition. With the prospects of taking on a side who are achieving admirably in the league above us, the boys knew that it would be a tough afternoon. See Match Reports for more details.

Another big score for LSA’s super fifteen... this time in the Cup..

LSA put on an impressive performance on Saturday in their Surrey Cup game against Warlingham, resulting in a well-deserved 43-12 win. The game was expected to be a tough one, with Warlingham sitting in third place in a league above them so the game was also expected to be a good indication of how far LSA has come. The game did prove intense and physical, and Warlingham clocked up two tries in the first twenty minutes, to lead 12-0.

But LSA were able to absorb the pressure and maintain their confidence and enthusiasm. “We just stuck to our game plan and kept it simple”, noted coach Bob Crooks, “and proved that we were certainly able to compete at this level”. Warlingham struggled under the pressure, while LSA clearly dominated the game, clocking up a total of 43 points. With two consecutive big wins under their belt, LSA are hungry to inflict a few more high scores in their remaining games. See Match Reports for more details.

Fendy's Ironsides Report

On a day most rugby players dream of condition-wise, LSA made the relatively short trip to our rugby colleagues in Earlsfield. Although sitting bottom of the log, the Ironsides had put up a typically plucky performance in the first fixture at LSA’s “Theatre of Dreams” ground, Imber Court. See Match Reports for more details.

Massive win for LSA’s super fifteen

London South Africa RFC (LSA) put on a very strong performance on Saturday against Battersea Ironsides, clocking up an impressive 88 points to the opposition’s six. See Match Reports for more details.

Draw keeps LSA in second place

 London South Africa RFC (LSA) took to the field at their homeground, Imber Court, on Saturday with a clear determination to put in a strong performance against London Exiles, who are placed just below them in the Surrey One League. See Match Reports for more details.

Shield XV lose 19 - 0

Whilst the Surrey XV were out enjoying a saturday game of golf, the Shield XV were flying the LSA flag against Blackheath 3 on Saturday. Unfortunately Blackheath were too strong for the boys, going down 19 - 0. The Shield XV are looking to get there season back on track when they play Bishops Stortford away this coming weekend. Please get down there to show your support for the boys!

Tetleys Redbush gets a lift from London South Africa

Prior to Christmas, London South Africa helped launch a new brand of beverage for Tetley’s Tea. Tetley’s Redbush is being launched in London at the moment, with its relevance tracing back to South African origins.

IInitially, the attached photos will be issued to weekly magazines, regional publications and sports publications with the captions as seen. The remaining images that were shot on the day will be used for follow up images if anyone requires more.

Yes Consultancy who directed the shoot was very impressed with the novice models. One account manager was overheard saying that the boys were “really, really, good looking”.

Please keep an eye out for the advertisements, and thanks to all the LSA players who participated in this shoot. Click here to see the advertisements.

London South Africa back with a bang

London South Africa RFC (LSA) ground out an important 17-21 away win against Croydon (Shirley Wand) on Saturday, to maintain their second position at the top of the Surrey Division One. A slow start to the New Year saw LSA narrowly go down at home to a last gasp try by 14-15 the week before to Old Alleynian, but new head coach Bob Crooks has been quick to make his mark at the club. See Match Reports for more details.

Slow start to 2007 for both London South Africa teams

In dreadful conditions on Saturday at Imber Court, both LSA’s teams opened up the second half to their seasons with tricky fixtures. First up was the Shield XV taking on Rosslyn Park Dev’t, whilst the Surrey XV were playing against Old Alleynian. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa Appoint New Head Coach

With immediate effect, London South Africa has appointed Bob Crooks as Head Coach. Bob is a hugely experienced coach having in the past coached at Saracens and Bracknell amongst others. “I am delighted to be involved with an exciting venture like London South Africa. It has the direction and the infrastructure to move forward, and that’s the challenge I am looking for.”

 Director of LSA Justin Paige also expressed his delight in the new appointment. “It is great to have someone with Bob’s knowledge and experience joining the club. We have had a solid season so far, and his appointment is a positive step for the club”.

 Bob takes over the head coach role from Sunday 7th January after the Old Alleynian fixture this weekend.

Double win for London South Africa at Imber Court

London South Africa’s (LSA) two teams both secured victory at their home ground, Imber Court, on Saturday afternoon. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa win again to keep pressure on the leaders

 On a cold, wet autumn day, LSA travelled to Dulwich, south east London for their game against mid table Old Alleynian. A resilient OA team were determined to take it to LSA and make it a tough afternoon for the South Africans. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa move up to second with comfortable 31 - 6 win over Croydon

 Looking to make amends for a disappointing result the week before, it was a focused and determined LSA that took to the field at home to Croydon. Croydon had had mixed results coming into this fixture and as such LSA couldn’t be sure what to expect. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa prove to be their own worst enemy losing out by a point

On a beautiful day for rugby in west London LSA could take little solace from the opposition’s remarks that it was their toughest game of the season. The final score, 20-19 to London Exiles, has left LSA lying third in the table and the team wondering about two points dropped for the second time this season. See Match Reports for more details.

Spirited London South Africa clinch key victory against Blackheath by 16 – 13

With London South Africa’s (LSA) Surrey side having a bye this weekend, the Shield side took on Blackheath, the UK’s oldest rugby club and the leaders in the Canterbury Shield division three, at their Imber Court ground. Blackheath’s results (only one defeat in their last six) showed that they are clearly a well-drilled, professional side. See Match Reports for more details.

London South Africa move up to 2nd in the table

In blustery, showery conditions, Saturday saw a solid, if unspectacular performance from London’s very own South African team. LSA ran in five tries against a determined Battersea Ironsides outfit to run out winners by 32 – 16. This win cements second spot for LSA behind leaders Old Wellingtonians, their one defeat so far. See Match Reports for more details.

LSA the clear winner on Saturday

London South Africa RFC (LSA) put on a great show on Saturday at their homeground, Imber Court, with two good wins to reward their loyal supporters who missed the Currie Cup final to support their local club. First up, LSA Shield XV beat Bishops Stortford 28-5, The LSA Surrey XV followed with a 31-13 win over Old Emanuel, that included five tries. See Match Reports for more details.

All guns blazing in big LSA win 5 - 55 in lead up to Saturday’s double-header

London South Africa Shield XV (LSA) put on an excellent performance at their away game against Portsmouth on the weekend, with a convincing 5-55 win. Despite having only 14 men on the field, the team benefited from the presence of a blend of some of the club’s longstanding players as well as the new talent unearthed during last week’s Richmond Saxons game. See Match Reports for more details.

Surrey XV back to winning ways 5 - 32 away to league leaders Cranleigh....

Saturday 30th September saw the LSA Surrey XV return to winning ways with an important 5 - 32 away win over Cranleigh, the league leaders at the beginning of the weekend. Last week’s frustrating 22-26 loss to the Old Wellingtonians became as distant memory with this solid performance that brought 5 tries in the face of some very vocal home support.

In spite of playing most of the first half with only 14 men (thanks to 3 sin binnings) LSA played some fantastic second half rugby, scoring 4 unanswered tries in the process. See Match Reports for more details....

Shield XV make their competitive debut away to last season's league winners Richmond Saxons....

At an early stage, LSA identified that an important part of the club’s success in their second season is the development of a second XV of equal strength to the side competing in the Surrey League. On Saturday, the LSA Shield XV faced last year’s Division Four winners, the Richmond Saxons, which was a major challenge for the new team. With many new faces who had not trained or played together before LSA produced some exciting phases of play, and were unlucky not to have been rewarded with at least one or two tries for all their hard work, following a number of very near misses.

The scoreboard did not accurately reflect the relative strengths of the two teams when LSA found themselves down by 12-0 at halftime. Iin the last 20 minutes tiredness crept in and to the disappointment of a team that were still largely on the attack, the final score crept up to 34-0. Tom Modinger skippered the side and was supported with great performances from Daniel Meiring and Jarred Vock in particular.

Commenting on the game afterwards, coach Dries van Rensburg said that “with more cohesion and more practice this team has the potential to become a formidable force in the Shield”. Next week Shield XV are travelling to Portsmouth, where they are expected to put in a much stronger performance. see Match Reports for more details....

First defeat at home for 12 months after two yellowcards cost London South Afrcia Surrey XV dear.....

A tight game in great conditions at Imber Court resulted in LSA coming out on the wrong end of a 22-26 defeat to Surrey rivals Old Wellingtonians.... Not helped by some interesting refereeing law interpretations the Surrey XV battled hard but with a massive penalty count against and Old Wellingtonians kicking well for goal it was a frustrating game. The game also marked the last appearance for the club of young Quins bound Hano Vermaak.... see Match Reports for more details....

Successful training and trial day at Imber Court....

Saturday 16th September provided LSA with byes in both the competitions that the club are entered into this season. This gave Head Coach, Bert Merritt, the opportunity to fine tune the squad at this early stage of the season and have a close look at some new faces in preparation for some tough games ahead.

The assembled backs were lucky enought to benefit from somegreat coaching from London Wasps skills coach Rowley Williams and the results were quickly realised in the 60 minute game that followed... great preparation for both LSA's XVs....

London South Africa win first ever league game 34 - 7 … but are still looking to welcome more players...

In the week that the Springboks finished well in the Tri Nations, the outpost of South African rugby in London, London South Africa RFC, made its debut in Surrey Division 1… and won.

A solid opening weekend saw London South Africa run out 34-7 winners over their near neighbours, Kingston. On a fantastic afternoon for rugby the side ran in 5 tries against a solid Kingston side. Head coach Bert Merritt was satisfied with the team’s first weekend’s work. He commented, “in parts we (London South Africa) played well but you could see that there are a number of areas to work on to bring out the full potential of this side. We have some very talented players and I’m really looking forward to working with them over the coming weeks and months”.

Hot on the heels of the successful start to the season, this coming weekend LSA have a bye in the League but the club are using it as an opportunity to look at some new players. UK Director, Justin Paige, is keen to welcome new players. “It is not often that we have the chance to use a free Saturday to look at new players alongside the existing ones. We’ve told the boys to bring someone along and the club would like to encourage anyone else, especially if they’re new to London or just looking to join an ambitious but fun club, to come on either Wednesday or Saturday and meet the players and coaches.”

Countdown to historic first ever league match for LSA....

This coming Saturday 9th September (at 2.30 pm) sees LSA play host to Kingston in their first ever full RFU league fixture - an historic day for the club still only a year old.. We are welcoming new players and supporters every week and if you would like to come and play, watch or even volunteer please contact us through this website... Keep watching for our news as it happens...

Final pre-season friendly for LSA vs London Cornish....

Saturday 2nd September saw London Cornish host LSA in our final pre-season game. Having swiftly built a comfortable 26 - 0 lead by the break, a combination of playing into the wind and the large number of player changes, stripped the team of their continuity. 28 unanswered points from the Cornish meant that LSA were pipped at the death, succombing 26 - 28. Whilst there was no shame in losing to a side from a higher league, Head Coach, Bert Merritt, felt that "the game provided a good test for the side and a reminder that there a 80 minutes in a game of rugby". Again the club was fortunate to have a number of new faces on show and now boasts a strong squad on which to draw for the season....

Preseason gets under way with good win 24 - 16 away to Effingham & Leatherhead....

Sporting their new green and gold jerseys, a combined London South Africa RFC (LSA) 1st and 2nd team met on Saturday August 19th to play a friendly against Effingham and Leatherhead in Surrey. The match was expected to be a good test of LSA’s progress, as Effingham play in London South West Division 3, two leagues above LSA's new league this year. A good squad of 25 players made the journey, with much new talent on display to compliment the experience of returning players. The game saw LSA fight a hard battle to win by 24 to 16. Commenting on the team’s performance, Director of Rugby, Justin Paige, said that “to get our preseason off to a solid start against a good side was pleasing – it is always nice to keep a winning run going even if it is in a friendly. We won’t be complacent though – our attention is now focused on this weekend where our preparations continue and we look forward to bedding in some new players”.

Young LSA star experiences training with London's NEC Harlequins for 10 days.....

Through the top level rugby contacts of the management of LSA, the club have been able to arrange for one of the squad's bright young stars, Hano VERMAAK, to join up with Harlequins as part of their pre-season preparations for their assault on the Guiness Premiership. Vermaak told us how amazing the whole experience had been... "to be training and playing touch with the likes of superstars, Stu Abbott, Andre Vos and Andrew Mehrtens has been just incredible" he commented "This has been a superb experience and thanks to LSA for setting it up - I hope I might have done enough in a short time to impress Dean Richards [Quins Head Coach] to want to keep me there". Watch this space for more news on Hano's drive to become a pro...

Wednesday 5th July 2006 - Successful launch of the New Season introducing our new coaching team....

LSA welcomed back their current squad and new coaching team on Wednesday 5th July. An open evening took place at the Rose & Springbok, 14 Upper St Martins Lane, Covent Garden where the meeting was attended by a high number of new players..... a resounding success for the club. Anyone who missed it is welcome to apply via the contacts page for a Membership Application form and Info pack......

RFU backs London South Africa RFC with promotion....

LSA is pleased to announce that, less than 9 months after the club’s formation, the London & South East Division of the RFU have approved the club’s application to join the National Leagues and we will start the forthcoming 2006/07 season in Surrey League One. Following a hugely successful first season it is a tremendous endorsement of our success that it was considered appropriate that we were placed at this level. This latest achievement is just another example of how seriously we are being taken by English rugby....

Tense wait for outcome of LSA's application to Surrey and London Division to join the national RFU league structure for 2006/7....

The application posted to Surrey Rugby in April, has been discussed and debated and the club now face a tense wait to see if their application has been accepted and, if so, in which league LSA will be playing their rugby next season.... Watch this space for further details as the  news is expected through by 1st June.....

LSA runners-up on their Canterbury Shield 7's debut....

Another first for LSA on Sunday April 30th, when for the first time, LSA put out a strong 7's squad to take part in their first Canterbury Shield 7's competition at Basingstoke Rugby Club. The day was another resounding success for LSA as they romped through their group, quarters and semi and into the final of the senior competition. In the final they came up against a well-drilled London Welsh side who eventually overcame them by 31-21. Teh day was another fantastic success for the club in its first season and a demonstration of what is to come for 2006/7. The side was well led by former Australian 7s star, and now LSA coach, Tim Walsh....

Superb performance sees LSA triumph by 29 - 7 over London Scottish but its just not enough to clinch league title.....

Wednesday 12th April saw LSA travel to London Scottish for their final, floodlit, fixture of the season. The men in green knew that nothing less than a winning margin of 44 points would bring them the title whilst at the same time any kind of loss would see London Scottish overtake them, pushing LSA down to 3rd. With all to play for a ferocious first 20 minuts saw LSA race into a 22-0 lead and for a while the impossible seemed like it was about to happen.... Sadly a fight back in the second half by London Scottish left LSA some way short of the necessary points total to take the league title. Nevertheless a great away win over the third placed team in the league was a fitting way to round off LSA's first season.... a big thank you to all the players who have played their part and made this success possible.....

Final preparations leave LSA well placed for Wednesday's big game against third placed Scots....

Saturday saw LSA undertake their final run out at Imber Court before this weeks clash in Richmond against London Scottish.

Head Coach, Tim Walsh, believes the team are well prepared for their toughest game of the season.... "we will have a strong pack out to compete up front and hopefully allow our back line to express themselves. We are under no illusion that London Scottish will be be a tough propostion away from home...". LSA are hoping that a good number of supporters to will be in attendance to cheer on the team as they go for the first piece of silverware in this their inaugural season...

LSA 1 trounce Kent Champions 65 - 12 at Imber Court......

Saturday 1st April saw Beccehamians visit LSA in an important final friendly before LSA's  league showdown on April 12th - In a free-flowing game LSA started the scoring early and just kept going, going in at half time with an already impressive 39 - 0 lead. The second half saw the again impressive Hanno Vermaak lead the team from the front with four tries himself, just pipping regular scorer Tiaan Coetzee who could only manage three himself. The team would probably have preferred a tougher final outing before next weeks game in Richmond - but the winners of Kent Division 1 were better than the scoreline suggests - itself a good indication of the quality on show from LSA....

LSA XV overcome Barnes XV by 11 - 41 in impressive  away win.....

As the countdown begins to LSA's final league game on 12th April, the preparations are under way for the crunch match. A combined LSA XV ran out comfortable 11 - 41 winners away at Barnes (who play in London Div 2) on Saturday to keep the momentum going for the impending showdown with London Scottish. Once again there were some new faces on show in the side led well by Tom Modinger. Particularly impressive amonst the new faces was Vaughn Gilsen making his first start for the team and scoring 2 tries in the process. There were also strong games from Hanno Vermaak, Tiaan Visser (1 try) and Tiaan Coetzee (2 tries) to round off an excellent team performance...

LSA overcome Hertford 3 easily in 45 - 3 away win whilst Richmond lose to London Scottish....

Saturday 11th March saw LSA finally catch league leaders Richond in their battle for the Canterbury Shield with both sides now level on points. LSA comfortably saw off a Hertford side with an easy 7 try win - Tiaan Visser was the surpise of the day, coming off his sick bed to score twice from his unfamiliar position on the wing. The result leaves all to play for with both teams having one remaining fixture and the title looking like it will come down to points difference.... see Match Reports.

LSA 2 suffer first defeat away to Sutton & Epsom...

A scratch LSA 2 side went down 27 - 5 to a strong S & E side. The game was a reminder just how far the club has come in fielding two teams only 6 months into their existence. There were some standout performances from some of the new players just joining the club in a team ably led by skipper Tom Modinger - all bodes well for the future...

LSA grind out tough win away at Barking by 31 - 24 to keep the pressure on league leaders Richmond...

Saturday 4th March in Barking was one of the most physical encounters faced by LSA to date - to their credit no amount of questionable play by the opposition was to distract them from their task. A disciplined performance saw LSA score 5 tries in overcoming a strong Barking team made up of most of their 2nd XV rather than a development side... see Match Reports.

LSA XV in biggest win in club's short history by 86-0 against Ruislip 2nd XV....

Saturday 25th February saw a combined LSA 1st and 2nd XV assemble at Ruislip RFC (London Division 3) to take on their 2nd XV in what it was thought would be a competitive game in advance of the the resumption of the league campaign next Saturday. With the first LSA score coming inside 30 seconds, it was quickly obvious that the LSA side were going to dominate proceedings. The team ran in 14 tries and converted 8 of them. There were several stand out performances from a number of players and the club's strength in depth continues to grow as does the competition for places in the successful 1st XV....

Double success for LSA at weekend as LSA 2nd XV record massive 85-7 win whilst 1st XV win away at Civil Service by 33-17......

Tom Modinger led the LSA 2nd XV to their inaugural win with some impressive individual performances including from new players such as Hanno Vermaak (SA U20) and Rob Henning in the pack and Gary Johnson in the centre. Running in 15 tries, the team displayed some clinical finishing in what was a creative, expansive and fast-paced game that was thoroughly entertaining. Attending the game, LSA’s UK director, Justin Paige commented that “this was no second team performance here today - the guys were outstanding. What it does mean is that the competition for a place in the 1st XV will be intense.  It also means that the 2nd XV will be full of good players and will form an excellent proving ground for new faces arriving at the club”. 

But while the LSA 2’s made their debut on Saturday, the LSA 1’s had their second league game in as many weeks cancelled when Blackheath 3 were unable to field a side. LSA instead went away to Civil Service to play a friendly against a strong Civil Service 2nd XV, winning 33-17. All in all Saturday was another milestone in the club’s history with the successful launch of its 2nd XV and the 1st XV continuing on its winning streak – not bad for a club still less than 6 months old!

Worthing withdrawal gifts points to LSA....

LSA were able to claim their easiest 3 points of the season on Saturday without even leaving London. Disappointing though it was for the team to not have the opportunity of improving the clubs points tally, the enforced rest means that the players will be fresh for this weekend's important clash against their rivals Blackheath. Importantly the LSA 2's will also be playing in a warm up fixture at 2pm before the afternoon's main event gets under way at 3pm..... new players are welcome for the 2nd XV game and should Contact us.

"Probables XV" v "Possibles XV" Trial Match a big success....

Saturday 4th February saw a host of new faces attend at Imber Court to take part in the effective launch of the new LSA 2nd XV. In a tight game won by the Possibles XV by 20 - 15, there was a wide range of talent on show for the LSA selectors. The success of the day, and new players that the club were able to welcome, bode well for the future and will be a huge benefit with the addition of more players providing greater strength in depth. Any players who were unable to attend are welcome to make themselves available for the inaugural 2nd XV fixture on Saturday 18th February 2006... see Results & Fixtures for confirmation of details.

Big win for LSA in 10 try rout of Blackheath Development....

After two closely fought games in previous weeks, LSA ran out comfortable winners over a Blackheath side who had beaten third placed London Scottish in their previous match - a great game saw LSA cross for no less than 10 tries in an excellent 58-10 victory thereby cementing 2nd place in the League.... see Match Reports.

LSA announces All Black-style "Probables XV" v "Possibles XV" trial match on Saturday 4th February....

Due to the growing number of players who have registered their interest in playing for the South Africans, the club have scheduled a full trial match for 4th February - kick off 1.30pm. New players are welcome and should Contact the club if you wish to take part. 6 Nations rugby - England v Wales - will be shown live at 3.30 pm after the game. LSA is rugby's fastest growing club and welcomes all players from the world of rugby...

LSA graft to hard fought win over much improved Civil Service....

There was no repeat of the 50 point mauling of Civil Service back in October when the two teams met at Imber Court on Saturday. Against probably the best tight-five that LSA had come up against, the team battled to a tough 20-17 victory to get their title campaign back on track with this crucial win..... see Match Reports.

Under strength LSA suffer first defeat in 5 against league leaders Richmond....

After a long break for Chrsitmas and New Year, an under strength LSA side came off second best against a strong Richmond XV in a closely fought game. Richmond ran out eventual winners 18-12 but only after a good LSA try was controversially disallowed with 10 mintues remaining and the score standing at 13-12 to Richmond... see Match Reports.

LSA launch 2nd XV for 2006

With more and more players showing an interest in playing for LSA over the past few weeks, the Club are pleased to announce they are starting a Development XV from 14th January. Capitalising on early season success is important for LSA in moving forward toward their goal of playing National League, and eventually Premiership, rugby. The launch of the development side will not only provide game time for all those players who have joined this club, but will help to maintain the depth of quality players available to continue to field a successful first side.

Reflecting on this latest development, England’s former head coach and LSA’s technical director, Dick Best, commented that “..at a time when many rugby clubs are struggling to survive, it says a lot about London South Africa’s success that they are launching another side”.

Please see our Contact section for details of who to contact about joining LSA as a player.

Happy New Year...

... to all of the LSA supporters, players and staff. We look forward to welcoming you to Imber Court for the second half of our season in 2006 and thank you all for your great work in establishing such a successful team in our first season!

Deserved win for LSA over league leaders London Scottish....

Saturday 3rd December saw LSA finish the first half of their season with a great 12 - 8 win in a tight game against the unbeaten league leaders London Scottish 3. Nick Osman crossed twice in the game to ensure that LSA go into the Christmas break in a strong position in the Canterbury Shield..see Match Reports.

Former England Head Coach Dick Best impressed with LSA performance....

Former England Head Coach, Dick Best, was amongst the noisy crowd who witnessed LSA's triumph over a well organised and determined London Scottish 3. Best was quick to praise the standard of rugby in difficult conditions.. “I was completely enthralled by the whole thing! To have had all that adversity [2 sin bins] thrown at them and still come through and win. I was captivated by the gutsy efforts of the team and there’s clearly a lot of hard work going into making LSA successful. This is grassroots rugby at its best! The team showed tremendous character in coming from behind in the final quarter - a great win for the club."

LSA begin their preparation for the weekend's clash with League leaders London Scottish 3....

LSA are beginning the biggest week of their short history with the build up to their fixture against London Scottish 3, the pace setters in this division. Mike Horak has once again been on hand to fine tune the team's preparation and training has been intensely competitive. The club are expecting a big turnout from their supporters on Saturday for the most important game of the season so far, so don't miss it - come and support and enjoy what is sure to be a tight game....

Strong LSA performance see off Hertford 3 in 32-14 victory at Imber Court....

Saturday 5th November saw LSA play their second home game in a week and with it came a 6 try win over a determined Hertford side in an often heated encounter. LSA gave a debut to No 8 Mike Kuipers (ex Pirates) who made an immediate impact with some strong ball carrying....see Match Reports.

LSA give debuts to 4 new players...

The win over Barking was all the more satisfying for LSA given that the game saw them bedding in new talent in the form of Matt Fendick (ex Stellenbosch Univ), Dave Blackburn (ex British Army) Andrew Midgeley (ex UCT), Roland Suttie (ex Natal Piranhas). Fendick was thrown straight in and started the game well, providing a strong influence on LSA's attacking play..

LSA back on track with 7 try demolition of Barking...

Saturday 29th October marked a clinical LSA demolition of a Barking side with title ambitions of their own. Hard work from the forwards was responsible for setting up a good platform for the backs to dominate in spite of LSA spending a quarter of the match with only 14 men....see Match Reports.

An injury depleted LSA suffer first defeat on the road this season against a solid Blackheath side...

Warren Britz and Mike Horak lend their support to LSA's cause in their fourth match of the season...

LSA were proud to welcome Britz and Horak (again!) to their Imber Court ground to see the win over Worthing on Sunday. Their presence led to LSA upping their game notch and we look forward to welcoming them to our home again in the future...

LSA make it 3 in a row with 20-8 win over tough Worthing side...

Sunday 16th October saw LSA take on a Worthing 2 side which had been bolstered by the addition of a number of 1st XV players. A tough encounter ended with LSA on top.. again...see Match Reports.

LSA overcome Blackheath Dev't to make it two wins in two weeks on the road...

Saturday 8th October saw LSA travel to the Blackheath Club to meet their Development side and come away with an excellent 33-24 win after a tough encounter - see Match Reports.

LSA record superb away win 50-16 over Civil Service!

LSA's season really stepped up a gear with a fantastic win over the Civil Service on Saturday - see Match Reports.