WEYMOUTH & Portland’s departing coach Paul Harding has said the club need to decide how seriously they are about progressing as a team.

 

Harding, who has left his role following the end of the Dorset & Wilts One South season, says the team have the ability to challenge for their current league title and compete in the Southern Counties South League structure, but only if they can ensure their players are consistently available.

 

He said: “I believe the personnel is there within the club to take it on and put in some good performances to be in the mix for the league title next season.

 

“But the club has to come together to ensure the first team get the resources of the best players week in, week out, I think that’s where the club fall down a little bit.

 

“You face games with five or six of your best players missing and that’s a real dilemma.

 

“The players are there but they need to ensure the best players are available each week. As a club they need to decide where the emphasis is on playing social rugby, or playing at the highest level.

 

“If they want to play social rugby then that’s fine, but if they want to kick on and go to the next level, then they really have to dedicate to the first team.

 

“To be able to survive in Southern Counties you need to be able to win this league comfortably, otherwise you’ll just come straight back down.

 

“I think the club has a bit of building to do before they get to that stage but they’ve certainly got some good players.”

 

Harding leaves the club having secured a respectable fifth-place finish upon the team’s promotion to the Dorset & Wilts One South, and he says he has enjoyed his time back at the club.

 

He said: “I’ve not heard for definite what they’ve got planned for next season. I came here with a job to get the team into this league and consolidate, and that’s what we’ve done.

 

“I’ve enjoyed my time. I want to say a big thank you to all the players who’ve trained so hard and I’m really pleased with the development of some of the team, who are on the way to becoming good players.”