Colchester aim to raise community engagement
COLCHESTER hope their imminent move to a multimillion-pound new home at the town’s Northern Gateway will help them play their part in encouraging people to re-engage with rugby post Covid-19.
The club are due to leave their Mill Road ground after 40 years. Director of rugby Anthony O’Riordan says the move will be bittersweet: “Mill Road is a great facility. It’s part of the sporting landscape in north Essex. We’re in the top five largest community-based rugby clubs in the country and we’re very proud of that.”
“While he will be sad to leave, the new facility presents a huge opportunity.
“Moving into a brandnew facility which had such an input from us into its development and design, really does bring us into the modern era.
“It will allow us to expand our reach. It will reengage with the sports community beyond rugby, which means hopefully that for the game, more people are intrigued and encouraged to play rugby.
“Coming out the back of this horrific situation, rugby is going to need every bit of help it can get. If Colchester is doing its bit to engage and encourage schools and young people and people in all walks of life to get in touch with the game or reconnect with it, that’s only a positive thing.”
The new ground includes nine pitches, including two artificial surfaces, as well as hospitality facilities. O’Riordan says the club have done well commercially and their new home will ensure their future security.
There are encouraging signs on the pitch. Colchester, a side built around youth and homegrown talent, narrowly missed out on promotion from London 1 North last year and were in a strong position to secure a playoff place when lockdown came this season.
Their goal was to move into their new home with a momentum built around promotion. However, the RFU’s calculation of final promotion spots meant Colchester just missed out.
Though disappointed, O’Riordan is philosophical: “I know we would have done the job this year but I would not have wanted that success to be attributed to a lucky outcome from the RFU.
“I want us to share the combined challenge and live through the experience of such an achievement. The future is bright, and I expect us to re-group, re-think and re-play the season in a fun, enjoyable but ruthlessly professional manner.”