2:30pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
STOURBRIDGE RFC kick off their National One campaign at home to Macclesfield on Saturday with up to 13 new faces in the starting line-up.
Skipper Ben Hughes, Tom Richardson and back row pair James Rodley and Rupert Cooper are all that remains from last season’s Stourton Park squad after Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell brought in a string of new faces over the summer.
A link with Worcester Warriors will also see several of their Academy players linking up, while a number of Stourbridge’s new recruits have also been training at Sixways.
Mitchell explained: “We will have a new side out there on Saturday.
“I understand and appreciate that these things take time, we cannot expect it to come together straight away when we have so many new players – there could be 13 players in the starting line-up making their debut.
“But while we don’t have the advantage of a settled side, we do have young skilful players.
“We have great conditioning and fitness because so many of the squad are full-time trainers – that will be our bonus and we will grow in strength as the season progresses.”
Macclesfield were promoted to the division after winning National Two (North) last season and Mitchell knows they will be full of confidence.
He added: “They will be relying on the core of players who got them their promotion.
“They have probably been together for a couple of seasons, know each other and know how each other plays.
“And they will be throwing everything at us to see how they fare in this league. We will be their first test and they will have nothing to lose. It is going to be a tough game and a very interesting match.”
Among the new arrivals likely to start against Macclesfield are Worcester Warriors scrum-half Ollie Frost and powerful second row Will Betts (pictured) who finished last season playing his rugby in France.
Mitchell added: “All the new players have settled in well and, after our two warm-up games, they can’t wait for the season to start proper.”
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