Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to your comprehensive guide to everything happening across the Barnstaple Rugby family this weekend and beyond. While Pottington Road will be quiet this Saturday, our club’s competitive spirit is hitting the road in full force.
This Weekend: All Teams on the Road
There are no home fixtures at Pottington Road, but our commitment to the game continues away. All three senior sides—the Chiefs, Athletic, and Buccaneers—along with our Colts, are travelling for their respective matches. We’ll have detailed previews, including destinations and key match-ups, coming up shortly.
A Blockbuster Finale Awaits at Pottington Road: December 20th
Mark your calendars for next Saturday, December 20th—the final league showdown of 2025 promises an epic double-header at home, with both matches kicking off at 2:00 PM.
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Barnstaple Chiefs vs. Exeter University: The Chiefs host a massive local derby, and revenge is on the menu. This pivotal clash is one the squad is fiercely hungry for.
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Barnstaple Athletic vs. Wiveliscombe: Athletic face a monumental challenge, welcoming the league leaders for what is set to be a season-defining encounter.
These are two huge fixtures you simply will not want to miss. For our Buccaneers and Colts, next weekend marks the start of a well-earned—if perhaps reluctantly accepted—long Christmas break, with their next matches scheduled for January 24th, 2026. The pause comes despite both teams showing excellent form in December.
Festive Treats at the Clubhouse
To complement the on-field action next weekend, we’re getting into the holiday spirit! The bar will be serving warm Mulled Wine, and the kitchen is preparing a special Festive Loaded Fries, featuring pulled turkey, Brie, pigs in blankets, and cranberry sauce.
Club Announcements & Updates
Before we dive into this weekend’s matches, here are some important club updates:
Boxing Day Charity Match – Building Excitement!
The upcoming Boxing Day charity fixture has generated fantastic feedback, with a large crowd anticipated. It’s shaping up to be an epic, family-friendly day out. All current details are available on the poster below.
Last-Chance Christmas Season Ticket Offer
As the Barnstaple Chiefs forge ahead in what could be their most successful season in history, you won’t want to miss a moment of the 2026 action. For those who haven’t yet secured their season ticket, membership secretary Harry Harrison has arranged a special seasonal offer. Ensure your place for every thrilling home game in the New Year!
With the season reaching the half-way stage, Barnstaple RFC is pleased to offer half price membership for the remainder of the season.
This represents fantastic value with members gaining free entry to the remaining 6 home games for the Chiefs competing in National League 2 West (level 4), and a further 7 home games for the Athletic competing in the Counties 1 Tribute West league (level 7).
As well as free entry to league games, you will have the right to vote at the AGM, be eligible for the international tickets ballot, and be contributing towards helping Barnstaple RFC remain the premier sports club in North Devon.
Please complete the membership form at https://www.barnstaplerugby.co.uk/membership-2/ and transfer 50% of the full season fee.
Alternatively, you can complete a membership form and pay at the bar.
Barnstaple RFC Membership Secretary
And lastly there are still some dryrobes on offer. This is a members only offer and they can be purchased behind the bar, just see the poster below.
Road Warriors: Barnstaple’s Four-Team Assault on Key Clashes
This weekend, every corner of the Barnstaple Rugby Club is on a mission. From a long-haul league battle to fierce local derbies, here’s what’s at stake for our sides on the road.
Barnstaple Chiefs: An M5 Mission to Syston
The Chiefs embark on a crucial near-four-hour journey up the M5 to face Syston this Saturday. While this is a clear must-win to solidify their third-place standing heading into Christmas, the trip is far from a foregone conclusion.
Syston, currently bottom of the table with just one win, cannot be underestimated. That solitary victory was a significant 34-28 home triumph over fifth-placed Hornets just three weeks ago. Having been promoted as Regional 1 Midlands champions, this result suggests Syston may finally be finding their feet at this higher level. They will be a much tougher proposition on home turf than their early-season form indicated.
The Chiefs must eradicate any hint of complacency. The focus will be on disciplined, ruthless rugby to secure the vital points. The team selected to execute this demanding task will be missing the influential Jake Muphyas well as Mitch Turner. Fin Body starts in the front row whilst Josh Ridewood-Williams returns on the wing and on the bench new signing Sam Vickery gets his first game in Barnstaple Colours, more about him in the program next week.
Barnstaple Athletic: A Pivotal Clash at Kingsbridge
Last weekend’s postponement has seen Athletic slip to 6th in the table, overtaken by the very side they travel to face today: Kingsbridge. However, Athletic retain the advantage of a game in hand.
This sets the stage for a tough and exceptionally important encounter. With both teams closely matched in stature, it represents a prime opportunity for the improving Athletic squad to strike back and haul themselves back up the standings. A win would be the perfect catalyst to fuel a strong run of form heading into 2026.
Buccaneers: Heading to Ilfracombe for a Revenge Derby
The big games continue for the Buccaneers as they make the short trip to face Ilfracombe—the team they secured their first victory of the season against. Ilfracombe will be hungry for revenge, adding extra spice to this local derby.
The Buccs, however, are riding a wave of momentum with three consecutive wins. The question is: can they play another blinder, defy a motivated opponent, and extend their winning streak to four as they head into the new year? With squad confidence soaring, they have every opportunity to do just that. This is a fixture packed with narrative and ambition.
Colts: Aiming to Preserve a Pristine Record
Finally, our Colts will be delighted to return to competitive action after a long break, travelling to Topsham for their first league game since November 1st. They carry an impressive record of three wins and zero losses into this fixture.
The objective is clear: maintain that unbeaten run as they head towards 2026, strengthening their position at the top of the merit table. This match is all about momentum and proving their early-season form was no fluke.
That wraps up this weekend’s preview. We’ll be back next week with a full programme for the monumental Barnstaple Chiefs vs. Exeter University derby at Pottington Road—a fixture guaranteed to whet any rugby appetite.
Enjoy your rugby wherever you’re watching it this weekend.
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