The squad are well into Block 2 of pre-season, which means we’re less than a month away from their scheduled warm-up fixtures at Richmond, and here at Ellgia Fields against Ulster…new back row Dan Eckersley is raring to go and can’t wait to get into ‘live’ action. It’s been a brilliant summer so far for Dan, who arrived at Cambridge Rugby from BUCS side Loughborough University via a tour with England Students. Especially, as it turns out, because of our new Head Coach Craig Newby…who’s been ‘hands on’ and ‘hands in’ in training…
“You’re in the defensive line, you look to your left, and you’ve got an All Black standing next to you! It’s quite something to see, especially for a young player. Newbs is intense, when he needs to be intense, he’ll let nothing slide. If you’re not physical enough he’ll let you know – but that’s a good thing, especially in pre season, when you want everyone to be giving it their all to get fit and ready for the battles ahead.
“It feels really good to be a part of this group – the new players, the new coaches – it’s a nice environment to be in. Everyone’s bonded well and got very close, very quickly. Everyone’s come from different areas, different career paths, and because of that no one feels out of place . I started playing really young, as both my parents played to a decent level and I ended up at Wasps Academy, with some England U182, 19s and 20s along the way and got signed at Wasps the year before Covid.
“I transitioned into a hooker from the back row – which I ended up not liking – but played England U20s and in the Prem Cup for Wasps in that position. When I went to Loughborough I transitioned back to 7, which is where my heart is on the field and after 4 years there, with two BUCS titles ( 1 league, 1 cup) and two runners-up (1 league, 1 cup) , and then moved here after graduating.
“There’s a difference – the speed of BUCS rugby is definitely the same as Champ Rugby – but there’s a difference in physicality as BUCs players for the most part haven’t fully grown into their bodies. Here, there’s some big units, which makes it slightly harder. BUCs is a great competition but the physical challenge is the big difference and the big attraction. You do get some big boys in BUCS, but this is the next part of the journey. It was great, too, to be here at the back end of last season training against Cambridge with England Students. It’s really helped with the settling in process and made me feel at home from the off.
“We’re building up towards the Ulster game – there’s more game play in the sessions and we’re putting together the set-piece. We’re still doing fitness but it’s becoming more rugby-focussed and it’s getting really exciting! Ulster a bit more of an unknown quantity – we have more idea about Richmond who were deservedly promoted from National One. And the banter has already started between the boys and some of the boys we know at Ampthill ahead of the start of the Champ Rugby season.”