Staying up’s going to be a challenge
Ben Jaycock talks to Devonport Services head coach Ben Russell, below, as they prepare for life in National Two West
So, Ben how are preparations going for next season?
We’ve been in pre-season for four weeks now. Boys are working hard and it’s started well, it’s been nice weather throughout which has been handy.
Tell us about the excitement among the group going into the National Leagues for the first time?
It’s a close knit group and for the club it’s the first time we’ve been in the National Leagues. We’re a fully amateur side, there are a lot of boys that are very good rugby players but all work a 9-5. They want to test themselves at the next level. When you hear Taunton Titans have just signed Ollie Devoto, who was at Exeter Chiefs last year, it’s exciting to come up against players like him.
Have you retained a large bulk of the players from last year or have some moved on?
All the first team lads have stayed because they love the club. We’ve got quite a few players that have been approached by bigger teams in better leagues but have stayed because they want to continue their journey here by seeing how we go this year.
How are training numbers at the start of the new pre-season?
We’ve averaged around 35-40 per session which has been pleasing to see. We’ve got a second team as well at level 8, so we’ve got a lot of young lads coming through. We did a bit of hill runs this week which the boys didn’t appreciate. I used to do those quite a lot and know the pain involved but it’s important to work them hard.
Have you made many new signings during the summer?
We’ve brought in a couple lads. Joe Stansfield was at Cardiff Met University and is an awesome player who I used to coach at Ivybridge College. We’ve got a couple of Navy boys; Henry Glidden a back three player who played for the Navy two years ago at Twickenham, Freddie Elliott is another Navy Marine winger. We approached a number of players but some have declined and gone to other clubs that pay better as we don’t pay at all. So, we’ll do the best we can with what we’ve got.
How much will it mean to lead your side out in the National Leagues?
When people ask me what’s my greatest achievement in rugby, I have to say winning the league and going up in what was a very competitive Regional 1 South West. It’s a hell of an achievement for us as a fully amateur outfit that doesn’t pay anyone. To now be facing the likes of Taunton and Cinderford, who have been National One teams for the last five, six, seven seasons, it’s exciting to see where we are. It is going to be very tough and we’ll have to fight but there’s excitement across the club building.
What are your primary goals for next season?
Try and stay up! That’s the only realistic goal we’ve got. It’s going to be hard week in and week out and there’s not going to be a game where we can afford to have an off day and not play well but still win.
How much do you know about the other sides in the division?
I refereed quite a lot of them before. I refereed Old Redcliffians when Saul Nelson was head coach and they’ve played a nice brand of rugby and have been in that league for years. Exeter University have one hell of a setup with their Super BUCS and now in National Two with a lot of young 18-22-year-olds trying to get on the professional pathway, so will be a very fit side looking to run the ball. Clifton get a lot of academy players from Bristol Bears. So, I know a lot from my refereeing and that there’s no easy teams. There’s quality everywhere. Because of what’s happened in the Premiership and Championship losing those four clubs, a lot of very talented players are dropping down the leagues to pick up good pay cheques and look to plan their careers after rugby.
Who should we look out for in your side?
We’ve got a young lad in the back three called Harrison Coonick who last season scored tries from nothing, he’s unreal with his lovely feet and pace. James Hocking in the back row bats way above his weight class and is an old school openside who tackles anything that moves, and we’ve got a couple of young players in the front row who are decent operators in the set-piece. It will be exciting for our younger players to test themselves at the next level.
Will you have players from the Division 3 Devon County Championship winning side?
We had nine boys in the final who all stayed and really enjoyed their Twickenham trip, with not one of them having played there before. They played North Midlands in the final and a lot of their players ended up going into National Two with Oxford Harlequins which is good to see.
What’s the message from your side to the rest of the league?
We won’t roll over, we’ll try our best and will always be in the fight. Teams will enjoy coming to the Rec because it’s a lovely ground to come and play with great history behind it.
“It will be exciting for our younger players to test themselves”