Academy - Sam Clapham will continue with the good job he started last season and will work closely with Giles and the 1st 2nd team. Sam will be assisted, as last year, by a team of Academy coaches, and I am currently working with Sam on the structure of this team.

Strength and Conditioning – Richard Beeny will combine playing by taking on this role assisted by Andrew Macintosh who will be able to implement Richard’s strategy whilst he trains or plays. Richard will bring us the latest methods and ideas having just completed a degree in this subject.

3rd Team – Dan Boniface will manage/captain the 3s and Gareth Hayward will be his deputy/vice captain. As the 1s and 2s are a squad the 3s and 4s are too and our aim rebuild as the 3s had a difficult season last year. Nick Russon who will again manage the 4s will work with Dan and Gareth.

These appointments continue to show our ethos of “strength from within” and will put us in the strongest position possible at the start of a season.

In making the above announcements I want to thank Brian Rowlands for the work he has done in strength and conditioning for the last two seasons, Ben Dumpleton who has been 3rd team captain and Rob Edwards who has decided to take a break from coaching, which he has been doing for as long as I can remember, and enjoy TRUFC from the side of the pitch. Thank you all for you commitment, clubs can’t run without people like you.

Please remember there is a players meeting on the 30th June, at the club, where we will set out our objectives for next season, all players and coaches are welcome. The bar will be open and there will be food afterwards.

Pre season training starts in earnest Thursday 2nd July. Please don’t turn up on the 2nd not having any aerobic fitness (for the front and 2nd rows that means go for a run!) as the 2nd July will be a slightly less painful experience if you have some level of fitness. The harder you train the easier you play.

Mike Ward
Director of Rugby