Owen’s delight as Old Reds get ahead of the game
OLD Redcliffians have exceeded expectations this season and are ahead of time in the club’s fiveyear plan. The Bristol based side are led by club stalwart and director of rugby Craig Owen, who has spent 31 years at the club.
Former full-back and one-club man Owen enjoyed 20 years in a playing capacity before stepping into the coaching box and is in the midst of his third season in charge of the club.
A versatile player in his prime, Owen enjoys the accolade of being the only player in the club’s history to have played in every position in the National Leagues.
Owen’s side have been a surprise package this term and could finish as high as fourth, with the dizzy heights of a promotion push expected next term which would be well ahead of the club’s original plans.
He told The Rugby Paper:
“You always want to evolve and the next step is competing for promotion which is brilliant as that’s what we want longterm but the five-year plan included making sure the off field work was sustainable as well. If we were to go up two years early we’d struggle off the field, but on the field we couldn’t ask for more at the moment.
“We’ve got an average age of 23-24 with a developmental plan for players to move on to a higher level in the future.
We’ve developed at least 10 players into National League adult rugby, some of them are 18, or been dropped by Bristol academy and been a bit lost so we’ve provided a home to feel safe which isn’t an easy thing to do. Rejection for anyone is difficult to deal with, so that’s a big achievement for us.
“Our discipline in all facets of the game needs work on and off the field. We give away far too many penalties and have been pipped at the post two or three times this season.”
Old Reds secured an impressive 40-17 victory over Hinckley last weekend which thrilled their boss, who revealed the players in particular that have impressed him the most this season.
“It was a brilliant result,” said Owen.
“You never really know what you’re going to get with Hinckley, we went down there earlier in the season and got beat convincingly which is the same as last season as we beat them at home both times. Our boys are coming on leaps and bounds which our position shows. Our aim was to finish above where we finished last season which was eighth, so I couldn’t really ask for much more.
“The forward pack are always outstanding, the standout players are our captain Dan Thurston, who has more contribution statistics than anyone. Dan Fry at the old age of 38 is playing some of the best rugby of his career. In the backs, Finn Murphy and Jonathan Cook have been outstanding throughout and barely missed a game between them, putting in man of the match performances.”