GARNER REFLECTS ON FIRST BLOCK OF PRE-SEASON

Guildford Rugby Club

GARNER REFLECTS ON FIRST BLOCK OF PRE-SEASON

So Joe, we’re into the final block of pre-season and we’ve got our first pre-season hit out against Sutton & Epsom on Thursday night, how valuable is that going to be for the club?

Super valuable in terms of our own preparations for both squads to be honest. We’ll be taking a blended team on Thursday so a great opportunity for the boys to apply what we’ve been learning over the last 6 weeks against a decent opposition.

The other run out we’ve got is at home against Old Reigatians on Saturday 31st August, what are you hoping to get out of that game?

This will be our final chance to see new faces and try out new combinations as well as really build up the contact conditioning. This is so important heading into the first league game so we’re hitting that 100%.

We’ve seen various changes to the coaching staff this season, can you just explain a little bit about what those changes are?

Following Tom Williams (Tommy) and Chris Cracknell’s (Crackers) departure I have stepped up from forwards coach into the head coach position, supported Charlie Wallace as assistant coach as well as Alex Jordan (AJ) who is leading our S&C and our attack. Merlin still leads the Gazelles and the 4 of us have worked really well so far together to put on both men’s and Gazelles blended as well as team only sessions. What’s great is we still have that remote support from Crackers and meet up online every fortnight or so to go through what’s going well and what we can improve within our coaching group.

How are you enjoying your new role on the coaching staff?

I’m loving it, I really am. Being able to put my own stamp on things whilst also carrying on the great work that Tommy and Crackers put in over the last 3 years is both hugely rewarding and challenging. Makes it so much easier when the guys are putting in such a huge effort like they have been. I just want this group to realise their potential and if I can help unleash that then I’ll be a happy coach.

We’re obviously now into the start of the second block of pre-season, how do you think things have gone so far?

Overall really pleasing, we set out clear aims at the start of pre season and the coaches wanted July to be ‘Hustle’ month with lots of skills, games and running and the work and effort the guys have put in has been unreal. We thought it would be key to give players a week off beginning of August and since their return there hasn’t been a dip and both commitment to the hard work and the learning has been first class.

What has the engagement been like for training? Will we see any new faces out there?

It’s been really impressive with the majority of sessions pushing 45/50 players including the Gazelles, so to have so many faces old and new has certainly been a challenge for the coaching group to be creative and challenge those that have been at the club for many years, as well as those returning or completely new to rugby. There are some exciting new faces that have joined us this year. Firstly, returning after a year out are Tom Devereux and Matt Naeem who have both been fantastic for us in previous seasons. Some new players to the area such as Lewis and Paddy will be joining the FRU (Front Row Union), the two Tyler’s, Tyler Smith and Tyler Pickford who know some of the boys already, as well as Jordan Brodley, George Angel, Jamie Curtis and James Delderfield who bolster up our pack. And finally on the back of last year, we couldn’t go a season without a couple of Kiwis so we welcomed Will Sheere and Charlie Hamilton to the club last week. I’m really excited to see how they all get on in the next few games.

What would your message be to the Guildford Rugby Community about their support this season?

I’m hopeful that off the back of last year’s performances as well as results, we’ve built that trust with the supporters that we’re going to put in the effort along with a good brand of running rugby so it should be a good game to watch whenever our supporters can head down. They should know that their support really does mean a huge deal to the lads and sometimes a noisy balcony can be the difference between a win and a loss so I hope to see all our faithful supporters down for our pre-season fixture against Old Reigatians on the 31st of August to give the boost that the lads would really appreciate, before heading into the first league game of the season the following week.

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