We are thrilled to announce further details of this season’s Ian Williams Memorial Match:

OURFC vs Richmond FC

Saturday 27th September

Richmond Athletic Ground

KO 2pm

We have decided this year to return to some core Williams family history and are delighted to have the involvement of Richmond FC, and to be hosting the 4th Ian Williams Memorial Match at Richmond Athletic Ground.

This September marks 50 years since Ian’s Dad Philip “Tonka” Williams had his first official match for Richmond FC - a debut-date we are confident in courtesy of a write-up in the Richmond & Twickenham Times (not to mention the notable scoring debut from a prop!)  

Many of you may recall that Phil continued to play for Richmond his entire playing career - running out for every one of the senior men’s teams, and at every position in the pack!  Alongside running out for them himself as an adult, Ian’s earliest exposure to rugby - indeed arguably his formative rugby years - was all here at this very ground, with this club and through the Richmond rugby community.  He continued to build on this foundation whilst at OURFC, and having these two sides take the field in his memory for us this year seems remarkably fitting.

It is our intention that this match should be a celebration of key things Ian loved - good rugby, good food, good company, and maybe even a good pint… anyone who has ever been to any match at the RAG knows all of these things to be true at fixtures and events hosted here.

So - come one and all to celebrate with us and get this back on the permanent fixture list… we have big plans as we head towards 2028 and revitalising this match is one of our early steps on that road: a journey on which we sincerely hope Ian’s friends, teammates, colleagues, cohort, possibly even rivals, will join us…

Families welcome (some more core rugby memories for future generations pending), alumni welcome, friends, family, frenemies and strangers welcome!!  See you all in a few weeks!

#memorialmatch #rugbyfam #Roadto2028 #cardiacscreening #gonebutneverforgotten #nowwebuild #alumnipending 

Find out more about us: https://theianwilliamsfoundation.org/