Fylde welcome fellow National One newcomers Jersey to the Woodlands on Saturday (ko 15.00) in the biggest possible start to the 2011/12 season. The visitors, one of the pre-season favourites in the division, are likely to bring a large group of supporters to the most significant game in their long history. Fylde's return to level 3 after a gap of eight seasons is also a major step for the Club and it joins Sedgley Park & Macclesfield as the senior North West clubs below Premiership giants Sale Sharks.
Chairman Michael Brennand is hoping for another large crowd to give the team the very best support: “I ask all rugby followers on the Fylde Coast and in Lancashire more generally to come to the Woodlands to enjoy National One level rugby. It's a very high standard and we intend to continue last season's style of play with open, flowing rugby. But the guys need vocal support as they face what will be a long and very tough season, pitting themselves against famous names such as Blackheath, Rosslyn Park & Tynedale. And what a game to open the campaign!”
Fylde's squad building has gone on apace since the end of last season in April. Eleven newcomers have joined the 1stteam squad, some with substantial experience in the higher levels of the professional game. Competition for places in the 20-man squad named for the game will be acute as the rugby managers try to blend this talent into a winning formula. The Club had a superb sequence of seventeen wins and just one defeat in 2011 and will be hoping to continue in the same vein in the new season.
Jersey was, until recent years, a long established club but mainly an attractive venue for touring clubs from England and other European locations. But in the past decade they have risen dramatically through the league structure following numerous promotions. One season in National Two (South) was sufficient as they qualified in the runners-up spot behind the outstanding Ealing Trailfinders team and hammered Loughborough Students 30-5 in the play-off game to reach National One. To rub it in, they beat the Students, albeit a much more inexperienced squad, once again last Saturday by 45-3 in a pre-season warm-up game.
Well informed observers of the National Leagues believe that they will be pressing the top clubs once again this season. With substantial financial backing from sponsors and the local community, they have a squad carefully made up of a majority of locally developed players plus numerous 'imports' from the mainland. Speaking of the Club's ambitions, Head Coach for the past three seasons Ben Harvey said: “We want to get to as high as possible in the league system as can be sustained by the best Jersey-born players.”
“As the Club has become more successful, it has attracted much greater attention and backing on the Island. It's a very enthusiastic sporting environment and the Rugby Club has tapped in to this. The Club knows it has to represent the Island in the most positive way and that's the ethos that has developed. We are also about 'participation' and over 500 youngsters play at the St Peters Ground on Sundays.”
The Club has a core of locally born players in the 1st team squad and does all it can to keep them playing on the Island. No one personifies this more than the highly talented young fullback and goal kicker Michael Le Bourgeois who was top scorer last season with 307 points. But the Club's success is also down to the careful recruitment of players from the mainland. These tend to come and go but some have made a major impact and as Harvey says “they have to embrace and contribute to Island life.” Strengthening the squad this summer sees the arrival of accomplished former Leicester Tigers, London Irish & Bedford fly-half Ross Broadfoot, and two former Welsh U'21 internationals - centre David Bishop (ex-Ospreys, Dragons, Sale & Edinburgh) & scrum-half Nicky Griffiths (also formerly Ospreys & Dragons, & Cornish Pirates).
An even more notable capture is former Welsh full international prop Ben Evans (ex-Cardiff, Sale & Calvisano) who has arrived as player-coach. He joins a fearsomely strong pack including fellow prop John Brennan, towering locks Paul Rogers and Nathan Hannay, and backrower Nick Trower. Amongst the backs, another import who has played a big part in recent success is former Lancastrian County scrum-half Dave McCormack.(ex-Sedgley Park & Otley). Fellow danger men include centre Donovan Sanders and free scoring wingers James Copsey & Ed Dawson.
Fylde's rugby managers face some interesting selection decisions. It's expected that England 7s squad member and Fylde's try scoring star Nick Royle will be available for selection, as will be virtually all members of the squad. Injuries to new back Gavin Cartmel and established hooker Alan Holmes have been the only setbacks so far. One question is whether newcomer Chris Briers will play alongside his elder brother Stephen for only their second ever senior match? For such experienced players it is surprising that they have played just one senior game together, for home club West Park many years ago.
Photo: Newcomer Chris Briers shows off Fylde's new kit, based on a much loved original hooped design.
