With the end of the first block of pre season training in sight, the squad have next week off… Time, then, to catch up with winger Eli Caven – who says it’s been a tough three weeks and a brilliant bonding experience for newcomers and veterans alike as they prepare for the Champ rugby battles ahead.
“There’s been a huge change-around here from Day 1. When we sat down in the meetings, the amount of detail we’ve covered off, what’s expected of us as players going into the new season, you can tell that Craig, Will and Pete have had their input and it’s already starting to look really good. With that change-around, there comes a lot of excitement for a lot of players. There’s 8 or 9 of us from last season, 20-plus new players – it’s a fresh start, and a first crack at Champ Rugby for some, and it’s going to bring a lot of desire and dedication to training.
“The group has got really tight really quickly – from that first Monday, when we were split into our groups and had that scavenger hunt around the city, for the new boys it helped massively to gel everybody as a squad from day one, making those little connections, and they’ll just gradually build as the rugby goes on and players start to understand each other, those bonds start to happen on and off the pitch, in the changing room, in the gym, sitting down for food after training – all that just keeps on growing.
“We’ve got a slightly later start this year – it gives us a just a bit more time to fine-tune a few things and make sure we get that detail right. It’s a long pre-season – and by the time we get to that first match in October against Ampthill here at Ellgia Fields, we’ll be ready to go, ready to set loose on the league, and see what Champ Rugby is about, especially for boys that haven’t yet experienced it.”
You can get your tickets to see the squad in Champ Rugby action here.
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