I am really pleased with the progress we've seen and the number of players who have attended pre-season training. We've worked very hard on improving our conditioning levels, thanks to the input of our new Strength and Conditioning Coach, Tom Jenkins. The boys have performed incredibly well in those sessions.

It's a very new coaching group. How has that dynamic developed over the past month?

Getting to know the players has been a key focus over the past few weeks, ensuring they understand the standards and work ethic we expect in training. We've spent the majority of our time training with the ball in hand, which allows the coaches to gauge skill levels under fatigue. Having Callum Caldwell involved in the coaching gives us valuable insight into how returning players are integrating into the squad. Craig Willis, the current Ealing Trailfinders fly-half, has introduced a very clear and simple attack structure that the players, both new and old, are really embracing and improving on in each session.

Defence is an area that probably needs improving. What steps have been taken to address this?

Defence will be a key focus for us this season, and the players have adapted well to the new defensive system. We've already incorporated a substantial amount of contact work, and it's great to see the enthusiasm the players have shown in this aspect of training. We'll continue to work hard to ensure we are a difficult team to score against.

What are your plans for August as the league season approaches?

We will continue training each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the month. On Saturday, August 17th, we have a full-day training session, which is a great opportunity to have the entire squad present and allows us to work through our complete range of structures on both sides of the ball. On Thursday, August 22nd, we have a home match against Barnes, with a 7:00 PM kickoff. Then, on August 31st, we will send two teams to play Havant’s 1st and 2nd teams away, followed by our first joint bus trip of the season. There's still plenty to do, but I'm excited to see how this squad performs against an opposing team on August 22nd.