The rugby season kicks off in just a few weeks time and Colchester's players have been working hard over the summer preparing for the challenges it will bring. Having narrowly missed out on a third successive promotion the players and management are determined to go one step further.
Changes at the club have seen Tim Grimsey move into a new role of Director of Coaching with responsibility for player and coach development throughout the club, while former Saracens hooker Roy Abrehart takes over as senior coach. Jay Duder continues for a second season as captain and Andrew Sarek remains as Director of Rugby.
The coaching team has been strengthened with the addition of Eastern Counties player Andy Cryne who will join Dai Kenyon as backs coach after moving to the club from Chelmsford. Cryne's experience will be invaluable in helping Colchester's talented back line maintain their fearsome attacking record that has seen them score nearly 200 tries in the past three seasons.
The players have had six weeks of athletics training from John Hyland of Colchester & Tendring Athletics club, including a session from Stuart Houston, the former Manchester United player. The coaching team has also had help from Premiership club London Irish who have invited them to watch their training sessions and to offer advice on specific areas of play. These ideas have been brought back to Colchester to create challenging and imaginative coaching sessions that have been regularly attended by between 30 and 40 players twice a week since the end of June.
A couple of warm up matches are planned, but the first major game of the season will be the annual Colchester vs Tendring Barbarians game on Tuesday 31 August at Mill Road, kick-off 7:30pm.
13/8/04
