Raiders make moves on and off the pitch
RAIDERS’ director of rugby has hailed plans to upgrade the club’s ‘old pitch’ at Footes Lane.
Guernsey Rugby Club plan to spend £100,000 to instal floodlights and address the severe drainage issues on the area at the Rohais end of the sports complex.
Jordan Reynolds said it was a game-changer for the club.
‘It’s something I’ve been jumping up and down for over the last decade.’
‘We had to do something,’ admitted Charles McHugh, the club chairman, who says the moves were part of the club’s development plan to improve facilities.
‘It was almost unplayable for half of last season,’ he added.
The erection of lights of sufficient standard to enable matches to be played is subject to planning permission, but the drainage work already has the go-ahead and it is hoped to start the work later this year.
Once completed it will not only add more certainty to the club’s training options but also negate the need to play 2nd XV, Ladies and Academy games on outside pitches such as Les Ozouets or the KGV 3G.
Meanwhile, Reynolds has added a second new recruit ahead of a debut season in National Two South with French Polynesian scrum-half Nicolas Alexandre having arrived in the island a couple of weeks ago.
‘He was recommended to us by Romain [Mercadal, the French flanker who played for Raiders in season 2016-17] who was playing with him last season in Spain,’ said Reynolds, who hopes to have a second new No. 9 arriving next week.
He is young Welshman Owen Clemett, who was playing for Cardiff University in the Welsh Championship last season but has now completed his university studies and will vie with Alexandre for the ‘9’ slot vacated by the veteran and injury-plagued Malcolm Barnes.
Reynolds said his hand had been forced somewhat as Ben Holland, the exciting Colt who played in the Siam Cup triumph back in May, is to spend the next winter in New Zealand where for several months he will work in an Academy environment.
