DORCHESTER begin their preparations for a busy 2017/18 season tomorrow at 6.30pm at their Coburg Road base.

Coaching team Ben Parker and Rich Bament will look to go back to basics and make training fun in an intense nine-week pre-season programme, culminating in a final pre-season warm-up game on Friday, September 1 against a Wooden Spoon XV.

This season will see the club enter three senior men’s sides into the Dorset & Wilts Leagues, and the coaches will begin to bring colts into these sides for their first taste of senior rugby.

The first and second XVs will also both be entered into the local cup competitions giving a full programme to aim for and to promote competition for places in the senior sides.

Parker said: “There will be a lot of rugby to be involved this season and in order to compete and achieve our goals of first XV promotion and a strong top-of-the-table finish for the seconds.

“The players need to be fitter and performing at a higher level than in previous years, and I want players to compete for their place in the side.

“Training will be hard, full on and back to basics, but I hope fun.”

Reviewing last season, Parker said: “During the off season I’ve had time to reflect since joining in October.

“It came as a pleasant shock when asked to join as coach, but I was up for the challenge.

“Rich and I concentrated on the squad’s mental attitude and bringing back fun into the

game.

“Once we got that back things started to fall into place.

“Training went well and numbers grew before we marked up our first win together.

“Our eight-game winning run has to be my highlight and proved the squad has the ability.

“The cherry on the cake was beating a then unbeaten Yeovil who were on a 31-game run.

“Another highlight was the second XV finishing runners-up in the Vase final, which added to their overall development as a team.

“This coming season one of our main goals is to get both senior teams performing well and

consistently and the second

team mirroring the first XV to develop all of our players, especially the younger talent.

“We didn’t have it all our own way losing three of the games under Rich and myself.

“All games we should have one and it was very frustrating. I could give you excuses, but it was simply poor performances as a team.

“We finished the season fourth which I personally think was a huge achievement given where we started together.

“The main thing is players returned, new players arrived and everyone was enjoying their rugby again. We can build on that for this season and aim for promotion.”

The club is always keen to welcome new players along to training, anyone interested can contact Parker at: BPrugbycoach@Gmail.com or 07716 325709.