Ionians ring changes in promotion bid
After the bitter disappointment of his side’s controversial relegation from National One last season, Hull Ionians rugby director Martyn Wood has rejigged his coaching team as the Brantingham Park outfit look to bounce back at the first attempt.
Ionians ended three points adrift of safety behind Loughborough Students, who benefitted late in the season from significant numbers of Leicester Tigers academy players being made available – a loophole in regulations that has since been addressed.
With head coach Alex Crockett moving on due to work commitments, former Bridlington coach Paul Cook has been promoted to backs coach with Wood picking up some slack.
Former England and Bath No.9 Wood told The
Rugby Paper: “What happened last season was disappointing, but we’ve put it behind us and, with Alex going, Paul will now coach our first XV and Joe Makin, our captain last year, will coach the forwards.
“Dave Laverick, our stalwart prop, will captain us this year and it seems to be working well. We lost some players but retained a good core of last year’s squad and I think we’ve got players who are capable of competing in National Two.”
Wood admits promotion might be a stretch. He added: “If I’m brutally honest, the financial structure of the club means the budget is less than it was last year.
“We haven’t got the same strength-in-depth, but we’ll certainly be the fittest team and if we have luck with injuries, I’d like to think we’ll be there or thereabouts.
“It’s a hard division and I think Otley will be good. They’ve recruited well, as have Stourbridge, and I’d expect Sedgley Park and Tynedale to be strong as well.”
Sedgley Park are desperate to go one step further after ending last season second behind champions Sale and then losing a thrilling promotion playoff at Chinnor.
Park head coach Matt Bebbington said: “Having come so close last year, it does fuel the fire a bit. Speaking to our senior players, promotion is certainly in their minds, but we’re not looking too far past our first game at Huddersfield this week.
“We’ve retained the vast majority of last year’s squad and added to it, but the league keeps getting stronger and there could be seven or eight challengers.
“Hull Ionians and Fylde should be strong after coming down, while I expect Huddersfield to join us, Stourbridge, Hinckley and Tynedale in the mix.”