Players' committee plan to share team burden

ANDY BAILEY has been returned for a second season as Guernsey Rugby Club first team captain. At its annual meeting this week, there were no major changes at the top level, with Jon Colley remaining head coach - a role he took over after Colin McLatchie became the second top man to stand down last season after Rob Box.

However, GRUFC chairman Ady Le Page revealed that plans were afoot to share the burden of organising the teams.

'We are going to form a new players' committee to help run the playing side of things, but that is still in its early stages,' he said.

Pre-season training is already well under way, with the squad going through a hard series of varied tasks ranging from the normal cliff runs and coastal swims through to pulling tractor tyres and a variation of the Indian sport, kabaddi.

There has been the usual player turnover at the club over the summer, with 2005 Siam Cup winner Jon Flynn among those lost for work reasons, but there are new faces turning up at training.

Guernsey start their London Three South-West campaign away to Old Mid-Whitgiftian on Saturday 9 September and the following week they travel to Camberley. The Sarnians' first home fixture is on Saturday 23 September when Winchester visit Foote's Lane.

Meanwhile, Jon Arch will be the club's second XV captain this season.