Welcome to my Winter Update. Following on from my last message in October, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the busy months we’ve shared and look ahead to what is shaping up to be an ambitious 2026 for the Guernsey Raiders.

Reflecting on the Festive Season
It was fantastic to see so many of you at our Christmas celebrations. Our Christmas party was a particular highlight, providing a great opportunity for the Raiders family to come together from our youngest academy players up to our senior players, parents and members.

The Challenges of Winter: Weather and Pitch Maintenance
As many of you are aware, the recent adverse weather has been a significant challenge. We share your frustration regarding the number of games we have been unable to play due to the condition of the pitches at the States’ facility.

While the rainfall has been heavy, the primary issue stems from the complex drainage system. It is clear that the importance of regular, structured maintenance has seemingly slipped in recent times. We are committed to working closely with the States to address these maintenance issues/schedules.

On a more positive note, the efforts put into our own Club pitch maintenance, led by Rob Waters, have been exceptional. After 40 years of tending to Guernsey’s cattle, Rob is finally putting that expertise to the ultimate test, our pitch. We’re seeing much better grass coverage than in previous seasons, it turns out that if you can keep a herd of cows from ruining a field, you might just stand a chance against a Raiders scrum. Thank you Rob for all of your hard work.

Facilities and Infrastructure
We are also busy upgrading our storage and match-day facilities. You may have noticed the two green and white striped units, generously donated by Guernsey FC, which are currently being repaired. These will soon be repurposed as pop-up retail units, enhancing the experience for supporters on game days. If you’d like the opportunity to use this space, do get in touch. Don’t forget, you can also rent our Clubhouse, our fantastic Bar Manager Layla Marie can help with any requests (Bar@GuernseyRaiders.com).

Team Integration
I am delighted to officially announce the successful migration of the St Jacques Vikings into the Raiders family. Now playing as the Raiders second team, we’ve now completed the full integration into the main club’s operations. We’re continuing to look into how we can bring all of our associated teams under one cohesive identity. We’re hoping to bring an update on that towards the end of the 25/26 season, so stay tuned for that.

Upcoming Rugby
Looking ahead, our Women’s side is preparing to host two French teams on the 1st May 2026. We hope this will be the start of a much deeper relationship with our French neighbours for both our Men’s and Women’s squads. Additionally, we’ll be hosting the island’s Tag Festival on the 21st March 2026. The festival was moved from September to May at the Academy’s request, and I know that all involved are excited to see this back at Footes Lane.

Dates for the Diary
The Granite Trophy has been rescheduled for July 25th 2026 in Jersey, where our team will face Poland. Looking much further ahead, we have big ambitions for when we host the event in 2027; we’ll be aiming to raise the club’s global profile and are working hard behind the scenes to get our plans confirmed.

Closer to home, tickets for the 2026 Spring Insure Siam Cup in Guernsey are selling fast, please make sure to secure yours soon to support the Raiders in our biggest local fixture!

We’re currently showcasing the 2026 Six Nations at the Club, we appreciate all the support of those who have joined us, it’s been great to see everyone down in their supporters' shirts. We’re building our facilities in order to be able to showcase the 2027 Rugby World Cup at the best level possible for our fans, so stay tuned for updates. I’m looking forward to heading over to Australia to watch the finals, if anyone else is heading over, do let me know.

Our Unsung Heroes
Finally, I want to extend a huge thank you to our volunteers. You truly are the unsung heroes of this club. We will be hosting a dedicated Volunteers appreciation event in June to celebrate your contributions properly.

We’ve enjoyed seeing photos of Joe and Julie Maloret, who are currently enjoying their holiday to St Lucia. Joe (our fantastic Security Officer) brought a ticket to our 2025 raffle, and was able to win the dream holiday. There’s no need for Joe’s high-vis this week, we hope they enjoy a very well earned rest. If you haven’t brought any raffle tickets yet, make sure you do, as next year, this could be you!

I also want to give a special mention to Martin Gray. His phenomenal photography and support through Guernsey Sport Photography is invaluable. I am always looking forward to seeing his photographs after a home game, and I know that many fans are too! So thank you Martin, for always dedicating your time to rugby.

I also feel I can’t write another update without the mention of our wonderful supporter, Russell Tostevin. If you’ve been to a rugby game at Footes Lane, you’ll know who Russell is! His enthusiasm encompasses everything about rugby in Guernsey and we truly appreciate his loyal support week in, week out.

Thank you
Thank you for your continued support through the winter months, we appreciate your support in the wind, the rain and the cold. I look forward to seeing you all at Footes Lane very soon.

Gary Haycock-West
Chair, Guernsey Raiders
Chair@GuernseyRaiders.com