Archer welcomes game return
NEWBURY head coach Paul Archer is happy that his squad can start preparing for a return to competitive rugby.
Blues have not yet played a competitive game since last season, as this year’s league campaign has been halted by the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s been a tough spell for the rugby club, but they have been able to train for a number of months in line with the ‘return to rugby road map’.
Newbury are at stage E, which means they can train together in preparation for matches and they could be returning to full games in January.
The senior team have been entered into a ‘cluster’ league and therefore will be able to play competitive games in South West Division 1 East from January 16.
Archer said: “We have been put in our cluster where there will be six teams and it just means there is some return to competitive games, even though there is no promotion or relegation.
“We’re looking forward to it because it’s been very weird from a rugby point of view as we have been training now for five months without any end game in sight.
“We’re now training towards games and it feels very weird,” he said.
Blues are playing an inter-club friendly at Monks Lane on Saturday as they step up preparations for a potential return to action next month.
And, although the rules will be different, with no scrums or mauls to avoid a lot of contact, Archer is excited about the return.
“We’re looking forward to it,” admitted Archer. “I am really proud of the coaching team because we have done a good job and the boys have done really well too.
“It will be strange, but we want to make our time together as fun as we possibly can and fortunately people have bought into that.
“We have managed to keep the good atmosphere at the club, which has kept the numbers and engagement levels high even when we came out of the second lockdown.
“We don’t think that we have lost time because I feel we have been moving forward and the provision of league rugby is pretty important and we’re looking forward to it.”
It is believed that Newbury Ladies are, too, looking to enter a ‘cluster’ league.‘