Reynolds raids first opponents
RAIDERS will start and finish their maiden season at National Two South level against an Old Albanian side from which they have signed their first new recruit of the summer.
The game will be away at the St Albans-based side on Saturday 1 September.
The following week Raiders welcome Worthing Raiders to Footes Lane for the first of 15 home games, which excites director of rugby Jordan Reynolds, delighted to get his first new recruit over the line.
His name is Daley Aremu, who recently completed a degree and accepted a job on island.
‘He will be arriving in two weeks and he will give us a bit of speed out wide. In terms of speed he will be up there with Armstrong. He will be a good addition to the outside backs.’
Old Albanian were playing at National One level last season and, to back up their firm intention of making the swiftest of returns to that level, have made extensive changes to their squad.
Already this close season they have signed 16 new players and said goodbye to seven, although that will be eight with the news of Aremu’s departure.
The Hertfordshire side were riven by injuries in a failed fight against relegation, using a remarkable 72 players over a long winter.
Raiders operate with probably a third of that number and Reynolds is keen to provide back-up to the squad secured promotion and he hopes to get another couple of new signings over the line in the next couple of weeks by which time the majority of the squad will have returned to training.
‘Next week we will start strength and sped testing and we will be back on the pitch the following week,’ said Reynolds.
For Raiders it promises to be a physically challenging campaign with few breaks. Once up and running Raiders play 10 weekly rounds before their first break.
