Craig Newby is back at Ellgia Fields. And he means business. “We are a ‘fight for every inch’ team that shows courage and sportsmanship and earns respect by our actions”. It’s a direct, bold mission statement from the former Leicester Tigers skipper, who has All Blacks and New Zealand 7s caps, and he’s spent the summer recruiting hard for the battles ahead in the new 2025-26 Champ Rugby campaign.
Lock Rhys Fulford, number eight Sam Asotasi, centre Levi Reweti, back row Dan Eckersley, hooker Dylan Irvine, fly half Jamie Annand and winger Vereimi Qorowale have already been announced – there are many more announcements to come. Craig’s burgeoning squad is back in training on Monday.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the last three months looking, observing, talking to people, questioning, planning, and finding out where Cambridge Rugby wants to get to and how we’re going to get there. We’re going to keep it really simple – we’ve identified a few key areas for growth. We’ve retained some good men, good players and we’ve recruited some good people to the playing staff, the coaching staff and the backroom staff. Really good people. Everything we’re doing is around the type of person you are but everyone in this building, this Club, will have talent.
“If you’re not willing to fight for your team mates, you’re not willing to care for your Club, you’re not willing to push yourself then this place is not really going to be for you. It’s going to be a challenge. With that comes a really good opportunity to grow as a group people and enjoy ourselves. The Champ is going to be a tough competition – it’s got harder with Worcester and Richmond, it’s a longer season. It’s going to be a challenge and we have to get things right on and off the field. We have to get the balance right between hard work and enjoying ourselves. Ultimately, though, we want to win matches”.
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