By Jersey RFC
September 25 2013

The following info has been prepared ahead of the Jersey v Bristol game this weekend. It's primarily aimed at visiting supporters who may not know the ropes regarding how things run on a match-day at St Peter. But there's no reason Jersey supporters can't take a look too. Please note there will be revised arrangements for car parking this seasonFull story and original copyright by Jersey RFC: http://www.jrfc.je/news/supporters-info-for-jersey-v-bedford.aspxPlease contact the administrator if this needs to be removed.

Jersey v Bristol

Saturday 28th September, K-O 3.00pm

Dear Bristol Supporters

All at Jersey RFC are looking forward to welcoming you to Jersey for our match in the Greene King IPA Championship. To help your trip go as smoothly as possible, here is some info to assist you. We hope your visit to our club will be part of an enjoyable weekend.

FRIDAY NIGHT

The club will be open on Friday evening before the game. A good chance to meet some 'native' supporters, engage in some pre-match banter, have a 'recce' of the ground, visit the club shop and pick up your tickets for the game the next day. The Barclays Pavilion will be open between 5.30 and 7.30pm, the Liberation Ale will be tapped and Sean the Club Manager will be providing free nibbles.

PRE-MATCH ON SATURDAY

There is a pre-match lunch on the day for members, sponsors and corporate guests in the Clubhouse. Bristol representatives have been invited through the official channels, but beyond this we're afraid lunch is sold out. As a result, the Clubhouse is only available prior to the game to the 200 lunch guests. There is also a corporate marquee - call Sean Dunne on 01534 499929 to check last-minute availability for this facility.

The Pavilion Bar adjacent to the Clubhouse will be open to all supporters from 12noon, offering full bar, including locally-brewed Liberation Ale on handpump, plus food such as 'special of the day', 'posh dogs', pasties, burgers etc. It gets pretty busy in the hour leading up to kick-off. Other mobile units around the ground will also be serving food and drink, including the almost legendary Pork van.

There are various other 'off-site' options, the first of which is the neighbouring Jersey Bowl which backs onto the club and does a good trade in pre-match rugby lunches (and Liberation Ale!) and tables can be booked there. Another 150 yards away you can indulge your inner plane spotter at the Jersey Aero Club, overlooking the runway.

There are three pubs within walking distance of the ground. Two are in St Peter's Village: the Star & Tipsy Toad and the St Peter's Inn, although they're not particularly 'rugby pubs' as such and are probably 15 minutes walk away. We got some decent feedback from some fans about the Star, and there's a betting shop next door. You won't need to know that General de Gaulle had a swift half in the St Peter's in 1940 en route to an important meeting with Winston Churchill in London. Or there's the Mermaid opposite the airport and adjacent to the Lakeside Manor Care Home (5 minutes walk from the Club).

Other pre-match options might be some of the restaurants in St Aubin which is a 5-minute taxi ride away. The Boathouse is one venue that offers transport up to the club, and the Salty Dog, Cheffins & Old Court House have a rugby lunch as well, while in nearby St Brelade the Oyster Box & Sugar Reef have a similar pre-match option, as does the Prince of Wales in Greve de Lecq. But a booking at any restaurant and a 2.15 taxi should work fine.

THE MATCH

For the match itself Ground Admission is £15, or £5 for full-time students with suitable ID. Under 17s are free, proof-of-age is required. Sorry, but there's no senior citizen concession. It's a good idea to arrive at least 30-40 minutes before the off. Our small stand is fully subscribed, with the exception of seats for the invited officials as above. For those with particularly severe mobility issues, JRFC will try and help out with vacant stand seats, but these are at a premium and can't be guaranteed. We have allocated two tiered benches for anyone who has difficulty in standing for long periods of time. Please call the club on 01534 499929 between 10am and 1pm Thursday or Friday if you need to arrange a seat.

While the game won't sell out (the ground capacity is approx 5,000) we would recommend visiting supporters purchase tickets in advance to avoid match-day queues. Tickets can be obtained on Friday at the club, and match-day sales commence at 12noon

There's not a great deal of space under cover (standing or seating) at St Peter, so it's wise to have warm/ waterproof gear in case of inclement weather, and some sensible footwear. Our recommended site for checking up on the weather is Jersey Met.

MATCH PROGRAMME

Did anyone buy a programme when they came to Jersey last year? Rubbish, wasn't it?! We're pleased to say that our programme has had a total revamp, and we don't just mean a coat of paint and a spot of polish on the door handle. Please give it a second chance - we think you'll like it! The price is £2.

POST-MATCH

In recent seasons we have had difficulty accommodating everyone in the Clubhouse after the match. Therefore access will once again be limited to players, officials, JRFC members and anyone in possesion of a wrist-band. Ideally, we do not want to exclude anyone from the clubhouse and, as soon as we are below our fire limit, we will let all supporters in, typically at around 6pm. The Pavilion bar and outlets around the ground will stay open for all supporters until well after the clubhouse is opened to all. Normally things start to wind down between 7pm and 8pm, when people head for St Aubin or St Helier.

TRANSPORT

For those flying in/out on the day, the ground is less than 10 minutes walk from the airport. A taxi to/from the ground to town (St Helier) will be around £15. Or there's the No 9 bus to/from St Helier (£1.70) which stops outside the ground or the number 15 to the Airport (also £1.70; get off at the penultimate stop, The Mermaid, and it's a 5-minute walk). Return bus times will be posted at the main gate on the day of the match or you can visitwww.libertybus.je . If you have a car, there is free parking available close to the ground, but traffic can be busy so please allow lots of time.

NEWS ABOUT THE GAME

The Jersey Evening Post will have a match preview on Friday (on sale from 12.30pm) while Saturday's edition (on sale from 7am) will have the four-page Inside Centre rugby pull-out. A full preview will be posted on Jersey's website www.jrfc.je on Thursday, with team news on Friday at 11am and the latest news is on Twitter - twitter.com/jerseyrfc orFacebook.

MOBILE PHONES

We've had feedback from some visiting supporters who have received large phone bills on their return from the Island because the small-print on their tariffs didn't include Jersey, leading to higher call/ roaming/ data charges. If you're in doubt about this, it might be a good idea to check out your phone contract in advance, or use the pesky device with caution.

Finally, we hope you have an enjoyable trip to Jersey and look forward to your company.

Jersey RFC
September 2013