Bromsgrove and Droitwich face off

4:07pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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BROMSGROVE kick off their pre-season rugby union schedule under floodlights at Finstall Park tonight against Droitwich (7.30).

The club will hand full debuts to new signings Doug Townsend (prop), Sam Stiley (second row), Wayne Cooper (back row), Sam Bastock (wing), Phil Shore (full-back), Warren Oliver, Sam Kirkby and Rob Price (centres).

These debuts will be supplemented by game time for Charles Micheal, Tom Hinks and Barney Parker, who have returned from the colts’ successful unbeaten tour of Australia.

“The team will have three matches at home before the league opener against Sutton Coldfield on September 13,” said player-coach Duncan Roke.

“This is the first opportunity for players to gain match fitness, put in practice the defensive and attacking structure and put a marker down for selection against Sutton.

“The game will have all the usual first game mistakes and over-enthusiasm but we really want the players to execute the game plan, control the ball, take the opposition out of their comfort zone and defend aggressively.

“We have had a great pre-season to date with over 35 players training hard for the past five weeks.

“They are all desperate to get into the action but they need to understand that this is the second or third step towards the first game in four weeks.’ Club coach Ross Baxter said: “We have developed strong competition in every position except at scrum-half where only Brett Toole has staked a claim for the starting role.

“We would like to see more competition in this area but are happy with the commitment by the rest of the players to move the club forward.”