Chinnor will set the pace warns new captain Carl
FORMER Worcester flanker Carl Kirwan has unfinished business in higher level rugby as fully-loaded Chinnor target promotion to the Championship.
Kirwan, 28, was bitterly disappointed to be denied a new contract by Warriors but, after joining the growing band of former pros opting for part-time rugby while embarking on a new career, he believes Chinnor are well placed for a title challenge.
Kirwan, Chinnor’s new captain, told The Rugby
Paper: “I was very disappointed not to get a new contract and it was difficult to take because I think I’m more than good enough to play in the Premiership, but we’re building a good squad here.
“The transition to fulltime work and part-time rugby has been tough but I’m a site manager for Rectory Homes, who own Chinnor, and I can’t thank them enough.
“They’ve been really good in offering me that stepping stone, but I’d still love to get back to the higher level because I thought I played pretty well last season.”
Joining Kirwan at the ambitious Kingsey Road outfit are some other renowned names in former London Irish and Samoa back row Ofisa Treviranus, ex-Ealing duo Laurence May and Will Harries and Chris Elder from Yorkshire Carnegie.
Kirwan added: “We’ve made some really good signings and they’re not just good players, they’re good lads as well. On a parttime basis you need a really good team ethos and that’s shown in some really big performances in preseason.
“National One’s going to be really competitive but we believe we can push anyone.”
Rosslyn Park have also recruited impressively with former Harlequins trio Sam Twomey, who was at London Irish last season, Dave Lewis and Henry Cheesman joining ex-Scotland prop Kyle Traynor at the Rock, along with former Premiership pros Nick Scott and Ben Howard.
Park finished third last season after pushing Ampthill and Old Elthamians close and head coach Kieran Power said: “Realistically, it was a season too soon for us and we didn’t have the strength-in-depth we needed towards the end of the campaign.
“I’m really pleased with our recruitment now, though, and we’re quite lucky with our location because it’s been a lifestyle choice for these players. It’s a massive transition for guys coming from a professional environment so they’ve got to embrace the old-fashioned factors of rugby again, as well as working life, and enjoy themselves.
“They’ve all fitted in really well and we’ve progressed our squad while keeping the boys who were impressive for us last season, so we’ll aim to really kick on now in what is becoming a more and more competitive league each year.”
While relegated Richmond will be viewed as favourites, joining Chinnor and Rosslyn Park as potential
challengers are Darlington Mowden Park,
who have also made some headline signings, including full-back Paul Jarvis from Doncaster.
“Paul’s got six years of Championship experience and we’re hoping his chat from the back will offer something different,” says head coach Garry Law.
“David Nelson is a quality hooker from Doncaster as well and although we’re still short of one or two players, 95 per cent of
our squad from last season stayed and we’ve bulked up our numbers from last year to deal with any injuries.”
Law added: “National One is getting bigger each year and as more guys drop down from the Premiership and Championship into part-time rugby, the quality improves and there’s not a week when you can take anything for granted.
“Our aim is to get promotion, though, so at Christmas time we’ll
assess it and if we’re in the top four then, we’ll try to kick-on from there.”
Old Elthamians were runners-up to Ampthill last season and have recruited strongly with full-back Louis Brown arriving from Yorkshire Carnegie along with ex-Cornish Pirates prop Tom Concu and experienced lock Perry Parker from French rugby.
Rugby director Gavin Lach predicts a fierce title race, telling TRP: “Chinnor have gone way outside
everyone else’s remit with their recruitment and so have Rosslyn Park, while Richmond are a known force along with Blackheath and Darlington. “I expect Plymouth to be there or thereabouts and it’s all change at Moseley with a new director of rugby in Adam Balding and the signing of Jonny Arr. “There are lots of players with Premiership and Championship experience, so it’s going to be terrific.”