Cambus are on the up
Coach Jamie Seery seeks mid-table finish
Cambuslang Rugby Club head coach Jamie Seery insists the club will not just be out to avoid relegation from this year’s BT West League Division 1.
The Cambus kick off their new campaign on Saturday away to Greenock Wanderers after securing a return to the league last season.
Seery has managed to hold on to all of his players from the 16/17 squad which saw the team bounce back from the previous year’s relegation.
The 26-year-old coach, who took over at Coats Park in July 2016, has also brought in experience to try to cement a mid-table finish after a seven-month long pre-season.
He told the Reformer: “The key aim is to try to stay in West 1 but I believe we can push for mid-table based on the players we’ve got and who have played in this division before.
“To win your home games is important and I think we can win all of them this season.
“We’ve had a long pre-season after the league finished in January but the guys have been in training every week after a two-week break. Since the end of last season we haven’t lost any players and four have come in. Three of them were playing for the police team last year and James McLaren has joined us from East Kilbride.
“Based on where they finished last year, I feel Carrick will be up there at the top, East Kilbride too. Apart from that it looks pretty even among the other teams, there’s good competition there.”
Cambuslang man Gavin Bannerman has returned to the club after a year with the Police Scotland Glasgow team.
He is joined by Stuart Nwell and Ross Hynde who are in contention for selection on Saturday against Greenock who have dropped a division.
The Cambus however will be without new captain Alec Bean for the first game of the season. He was injured by an elbow to the face during a pre-season friendly.
Seery said: “Greenock have just came down from the BT National League Division 3 and we’ve just come up so it will be a tough game.
“They played Cumnock in the West Shield last weekend who are also in the same division. Greenock lost by 10 points so this is potentially a winnable game in my eyes.
“Our captain Alec Bean suffered an injury two weeks ago. He has a fractured cheekbone and goes for an operation this week and will be out for up to six weeks. That’s obviously a blow.
“Our vice captain Euan Jones, the brother of the club’s former captain Gregor, will take charge of things on the field on Saturday.”
Cambuslang RFC are celebrating 40 years of their junior section on Sunday, September 3, from 1 to 4pm.
The club are inviting all who have been involved in the Cambus minis, including former players, coaches and parents, to come along.