Pre-season News
Training is going very well under the guidance of the new extended coaching team. All players are working hard and turnout has been good with an average of 16 per session. In total there have been approximately 30 players seen so far including several new faces and returning "old" ones like Bobby Pike and Mike Sims. I'll give details of the new boys shortly but there looks to be some real competition for places particularly in the second row, back row and centre, which augers well. A few of last seasons regulars are still to show their face and will find the tempo of training difficult if they leave it much longer to put in an appearance.
For the first time in living memory a pre-season training session was cancelled last week due to a waterlogged pitch, which just about sums up the summer we have had.
Two pre-season friendlies have been arranged. The first is away at tricky junior club Hartridge on Saturday, 11th August at the Llanwern Club ground, kick off 2.30 p.m. This is followed by a testing match at Newport High School Old Boys, newly promoted to Division Two East, on Thursday 16th August, kick off 6.45 p.m.
The draw for the preliminary round of the Konica Minolta Cup has thrown up an away tie with fierce rivals Abergavenny. Croesy travel to Bailey Park on the weekend of 29th September, the scene of past cup triumphs including the infamous "Battle of Bailey Park" (the headline in the Argus which reported the game) in which the Cockerels, with a 6-man pack following two sendings-off in the first half, literally outfought the home side for a stunning victory. Coincidentally, this means we play Aber twice in September as they travel us for the opening league fixture of the season. Our fixtures for the season are now available under Fixtures & Results and you can also access the rest of the fixtures in our league by following a link to the WRU site on that page.
Finally, despite rumours to the contrary, the Youth Team is still very much up and running after the widely reported problems with the previous coach, Dale Burn. Andy Thomas is working hard to get the boys back together and I'm pleased to see he is being helped out on trainings night by former 1st XV captain David "Biffo" Burns. Training has been switched to Mondays and Wednesdays, 6.45 at Woodland Road. If you know anyone who might be interested drag them along, including any of last season's players who have apparently left the club for whatever reason. After the success of last season it will be a real pity if we are unable to field a competitve side this season.