We’re back at Ellgia Fields tomorrow – Saturday 6th September – with an Open Day for all. Gates open at midday with FREE ENTRY – and you can watch our 1923 side (including a number of our new signings!) at 3pm, too…
Here’s Cambridge rugby Chair Tim Hague with an update…
“We welcome Ampthill’s 1881 side in our first battle of our season-long campaign…they’ll provide a terrific test for our 1923 side ahead of next Saturday’s home 1st XV ‘friendly’ against Ulster (tickets available here…) It’s felt like a short – and paradoxically long! – summer in that there’s been an awful lot going on! We’ve got masses of new, hungry energetic lads who want to make their way here at Cambridge in ‘the proving ground’ of Champ Rugby , a brand new coaching team, and it’s been exciting seeing it all come together, with the first salvo this Saturday. This a ‘taster’ for fans, and an opportunity to get our Mini & Youth set up acquainted with all these exciting athletes we’ve acquired over the summer. We’ll see some of them showcased in that game at 3pm.
“There’ve been off-field changes this summer too. There’s a recognition that we have to be very professional on and off the pitch in the Champ and maybe it’s taken us a little while longer than it should have. We’ve now got the gym installed, a huge space where the players can get fitter and stronger and we’re looking forward to utilising that to it’s full potential. We’ve made changes around the place – we’ve moved the fencing that borders Pitch 1 – the 1st XV pitch – to meet Champ minimum standards, and we’re upgrading what is now Pitch 2, the pitch parallel to Pitch 1, and putting new scaffolding up so we can comfortably film both pitches, which will give everybody a chance for detailed analysis and to be able to prove their worth, whichever team they play for.
“That’ll be particularly useful on ‘double-header day’. Pitch 1 is in fantastic condition – I guess we’ve occasionally made ourselves unpopular by restricting the number of matches played on it and making sure it’s a ‘showpiece’ pitch, but that’s paid dividends and it’s one of, if not the best, grass pitches in the Champ. We’re going to stick with that – every club, without exception, that comes here comments on the quality of our pitch, and we want that to continue to be the case. And we’ll be investing in our other pitches too to give everyone a better surface to play and train on.
“The Club has had a really good ‘polish’ over the summer – the bar will be open, there’ll be food vendors as usual, and you’ll see and feel that there’s been a whole cultural shift driven by Craig, the new coaching team, and the new players that have arrived here. They’ve come in, made efforts to connect with the City and they love the atmosphere that’s been created here – as do those players we retained from last season. I think we’ve got the balance right between ‘more professional’ – hungrier and more aggressive – and remaining a club that’s connected to it’s social side and it’s youngsters. We’re looking forward to welcoming our members and supporters back – and adding new faces around the pitch too, so bring friends. It’s great to be back!”