7:20am Thursday 9th September 2010
By Sam Morshead
A NEW coaching structure in place, a new division in which to test their abilities and a new air of enthusiasm all contribute to a fresh start for Wootton Bassett in Southern Counties North this year.
Last term was a turbulent examination of morale and persistence for the Stoneover Lane outfit, who struggled in South West 1 East after their promotion a season prior, eventually dropping straight back down a level having failed to muster a win all season.
But the remnants of those memories have been swept under the carpet, pushed to the side and hidden in each and every possible nook and cranny as the club, under new stewardship, seek a campaign of consolidation.
Vice-captain Tim Gallimore says the general atmosphere around pre-season training has been positive, thanks to the introduction of Les Browne (a former coach of Pontypridd) and his team.
And, although levels of expectation are tinged with caution, the current squad of players are more than determined to realise their potential in a high-quality division over the next seven months.
“The new coaches have come in and it has been a lot more ball and skill-orientated in pre-season,” said back-row man Gallimore.
“Everyone is really excited to get back into it all again, and although it is a season of consolidation, we can hopefully be up and about there.
“It is a new division for us, we have never been in Southern Counties North before, and we are looking forward to playing against new teams and travelling to play at new venues.”
That feeling of being a relative stranger to their current level could work either way for Bassett.
Finding themselves squaring up to unknown opposition each and every week is a daunting task, but one Gallimore insists the squad are prepared for.
“We will be playing against teams who we don’t know anything about, but we have players who have come back into the side and we are well set,” he said.
“We might not know their strengths and weaknesses but we know our’s.
“We’re just looking to go out there, play our rugby and get results.”
Bassett have been buoyed by the return to their ranks of Steve Wells and J-P Travers, both of whom have been long-term casualties.
Wells missed the entirety of the last campaign with a knee injury, whilst Travers has been unavailable since last October, and their inclusion has generated further optimism within the squad, not that Gallimore is getting too carried away.
“We’re not going to make any predictions, we just want to play our rugby,” he said.
“We have a lot of strength in our three-quarters, and with a lot of youngsters coming up through the colts - Dan McCarthy, Billy Johnson and Phil Bardwell - we are looking pretty good to go now.”
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