Veseyans Women

Exciting news for the season ahead! 💚🩷🖤

We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be competing in NC3 League as Sutton Veseyans Women, playing as one team with Sutton Coldfield.

This is a fantastic step forward that will create even more opportunities for our players, helping to support development at every level while providing regular, competitive Rugby throughout the season.

We’ll be playing home and away fixtures, with matches taking place both at Sutton and at our home ground, with switching grounds.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us on the journey so far we’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead!

🌞 Launch Date & Family Fun Day - BANKED HQ ❤️

The official launch of BANKED HQ will be taking place on Saturday August 8th at Veseyans Rugby Club.

Grab your tickets and come along to the family fun and launch day. Entry is completely FREE, but tickets are required. Get yours here - https://bloco.co.uk/events/banked-hq-launch-and-family-day

Whether you’re a runner, HYROX athlete, gym-goer or just looking for a great day out with the family, everyone is welcome.

What’s happening on the day:
• 3km Community Run & Walk
• HYROX Inspired Workout
• Strength & Fitness Sessions
• Family Fun Day
• Food & Drink Vendors
• Local Business Stalls
• Competitions & Giveaways
• Exclusive BANKED Merch
• Meet the Coaches
• food and drinks
• live dj
• bouncy castles
• football
• competitions
• plus so much more

Come and see what BANKED HQ is all about.
BANKED.
Invest in yourself.

Ticket link - https://bloco.co.uk/events/banked-hq-launch-and-family-day

The final round of the 2026 Staffordshire Mixed Touch Series arrived in Stafford on Friday 17th July and saw the biggest number of entrants of the Summer with 10 teams touching off!

Veseyans first game was against Lichfield and the big pitches were an adjustment we took time to adapt to. Callum Fletcher arrived on time and lead the defensive line well if quietly. Late on we went 0-1 down and as Jack Courage, Dave Dwyer and Sam Bartlett searched for the equaliser on their try line an unfortunate interception gave our opponents a second with Andrew Payne walking on for ten seconds in the massively shortened game.

Our second game was against perennial opponents Essington and their great touch tactics saw them beat us 1-4 as they isolated defenders despite hard work from Lawrence Springgate and a Nick Yates tantrum with Alex Shepherd’s darting inside run and dive getting our try and securing his top scorer of the series title taking it off last Summer’s winner Andrew Payne.

Our third game was a tight contest against a strong Rugeley side and an Ethan Taylor weaving score saw us 1-0 up for the majority before we were beaten out wide late on to draw 1-1.

Our final group game was against the talented hosts Stafford. Played in the right spirit we lead from the start with a penalty try and held out valiantly for 5 minutes with Ben Hale and Theo Dwyer showing their massive improvements before the floodgates broke and we conceded 4 but the highlight of the night was to come. A try two years in the making saw Claire Payne diving to score in the corner (like a salmon) after Olivia Breakenridge drew the defenders and skipper Adam Dugmore popped her the ball. Engulfed by her team mates in a massive show of support for “This Girl Can”. The touch side can’t wait to repay the favour and travel to support Izzy Borg at Lichfield Ladies and Olivia at Worcester next season!

Our final game saw us make Essington our most regular opponents as we faced them again and despite continuing our night of great performances we went down 2-3. Adam Dugmore scored both as despite finishing 10th we had a fun night of rugby. Their third try was an interception and our late chance to equalise was spurned by a poor Andrew Payne pass as he didn’t realise Olivia wasn’t 9 foot tall!

Well done to Cannock on winning again. 3rd win of the series so overall champs for the Summer! Touch will carry on as we seek to give competitive, enjoyable playing opportunities to those who want it. Awards and Season Appearance Statistics to follow…

Player of the Night: Adam Dugmore with two tries and two assists. Eejit of the Evening: Andrew Payne for his horrendous pass.

Overall Scorers Chart:
Alex Shepherd x12
Ethan Taylor x9
Adam Dugmore x8
Izzy Borg x7
Andrew Payne x5
Jordan Baldock x4
Lawrence Springgate x3
Nick Yates x2
Rob Clohessy x2
Ben Cleaver
Theo Dwyer
Damion McCarthy
Claire Payne
Penalty Tries x12

The report on the fifth round of the 2026 Staffordshire Mixed Touch Series has to start by congratulating Lichfield on their first win of the Summer. It was fantastic to see 6 ex-Veseyans in their side (as well another in the Cannock side) playing and carrying on their competitive rugby journey. It also shows the tightness of the tournaments as they were the 4th different winner in 5 weeks!

For the Veseyans side this week they started off playing regular opponents and fantastic competitors: Rugeley Mighty Ducks! 1 minute in captain Adam Dugmore coasted through the middle to put us 1-0 up before Olivia Breakenridge’s touch was missed and Rugeley equalised. However, from then on it was all Vs in an awesome team performance. An excellent break from Lawrence Springgate saw him fall over “after” he scored this week. Ethan Taylor then found space from quick scrum half work to keep himself top of the scoring charts before an Izzy Borg double firstly cutting inside and then sprinting out wide. James Roberts then came on to secure the game and a terrific 5-1 win.

Again though Veseyans tired alongside constant changes from a large squad seeing their later results not matching the brilliant performances from those pulling on a Veseyans playing shirt.

In game two of the group phase they faced St Leonard’s and had to settle for a 2-2 draw from a penalty try and excellent hands from Nick Yates, Callum Fletcher and a returning Aaron Smith putting Alex Shepherd over in the corner. His effort seeing him injured in the diving score. Our luck had run out as Olivia, Adam and then Ethan all had disallowed tries in a tight game that we deserved to win.

Unfortunately this result put pressure on us in our final game against the hosts Essington. Unusually poor hands saw us miss several opportunities before Dave Dwyers experience got Alex out wide but his disallowed try at 0-0 and confusion over the 9 laws put us 1-0 down on the break despite Damion McCarthy working hard in D. Alex then found his changeover tough as this decision clearly affected him. Claire Payne came on to inject impetus but Essington worked a second try very well on the right wing late on costing Vs second place in the group with the finest of margins: on tries scored.

In our final game, the 5th/6th playoff we were surprised to find ourselves facing two-time winners Stafford and even though we had two penalty tries we couldn’t keep out their slick and quick play. James Roberts starting and direct running from kick offs gave us scoring opportunities but we couldn’t convert and eventually went down 4-2. Despite two very good results and 4 great performances it was another 6th place finish but the fair play award for the second week in a row and third time across the 2 seasons kept smiles on everyone faces as playing fun rugby matches competitively in a Vs shirt is what it’s all about!

We finally go to Cannock next Friday on the 10th before the final tournament of the series at Stafford the week after. Vs Player of the Night was the captain Adam Dugmore and Eejit of the Evening was Alex Shepherd for his unique take on rolling substitutions.

Contact Andrew Payne if you’d like to play as we end this tournament and consider how to carry this on throughout the year with options like the Midlands Women’s touch league and many of our opponents seeking regular ETA fixtures.

Overall Scorers Chart:
Ethan Taylor x8
Alex Shepherd x7
Adam Dugmore x6
Izzy Borg x5
Andrew Payne x5
Lawrence Springgate x3
Nick Yates x2
Rob Clohessy x2
Ben Cleaver
Damion McCarthy
Penalty Tries x9

The report on the fourth round of the 2026 Staffordshire Mixed Touch Series has to start by saying after Cannock were forced to change their hosting date late the true rugby values of Veseyans shone through as they stepped up to host last minute.
Massive thanks to Emma and her bar staff, Grills Grills Grills for their amazing food. Claire Payne for sourcing trophies and Coach Mike on the ho**er who all contributed to a great evening. Thanks also to everyone who contributed to help with setting up, supporting, reffing and clearing away, it was a brilliant evening at the club.
7 other clubs came to the Memorial Ground and Veseyans proudly put out two sides with a lot of debutants and first timers for this season taking our number of players for the Summer to 29 - men and women aged 14-49!
Both teams started brilliantly as well with Veseyans Blues beating St Leonards 2-0 (Ethan Taylor and Adam Dugmore scoring) as Claire Payne and Izzy Borg guided two of our new girls with good handling and defence whilst Veseyans Black&Whites were only 25 seconds away from an incredible draw against last weeks winners Essington going down 2-1 despite a debut try from Damion McCarthy.

However this was to be as good as it got with the remaining opponents proving too tough under the shade of the setting sun. The Blues were controversially denied a breakaway try with a contentious touch at 0-0 before succumbing 2-0 to Lichfield as touches in their case were missed by the ref despite excellent defence from the trio of debutants in their ranks: Olivia-Leigh Breakenridge, James Ellis and Kirsty Springgate alongside a returning Matt Dell and a re-energised Claire Payne. Whilst the Black&Whites went down 4-2 to Stafford despite 5 of our fantastic ladies team learning the game and linking up to earn two penalty tries.

In the final group stage games Cannock proved too strong for the Blues over running us 4-0, on their way to their first tournament victory of the series later on, even denying Lawrence Springgate on the line in the last play of the game despite his best diving efforts with a returning Ben Cleaver, a strong Nick Yates and a speedy Rob Clohessy defending til the end. The Black&Whites lost 6-2 to a professional Barton playing their first event of the year and showing their class on their way to the final.

In the play off games the Black&Whites drew 0-0 with St Leonards to come joint 7th and the Blues suffered the same fate as their sister team against Essington going down 1-0 late on to finish 6th.

But this wasn’t the main takeaway from tonight, it was 25 players pulling on the Vs kit, playing well and all having fun with too many great moments to mention everyone by name.

Hopefully all of them and more can make the short trip to Essington next week before we finally make it to Cannock the week after then finish the series in Stafford on the 17th. It’d be great if we can be the first side to put out multiple teams at an away event.

If you’re interested in joining in message Andrew Payne.
Vs Blues Players of the Night: Olivia and Lawrence. Blues Eejit of the Evening: Andrew “should’ve dived earlier” Payne. Vs Black&Whites Players of the Night: Callum and Fran. Black&Whites Eejits of the Evening: Callum and Dave for interception nightmares.



Overall Scorers Chart:
Ethan Taylor x7
Alex Shepherd x6
Penalty Tries x6
Andrew Payne x5
Adam Dugmore x5
Izzy Borg x3
Nick Yates x2
Rob Clohessy x2
Lawrence Springgate x2
Ben Cleaver
Damion McCarthy