RUGBY UNION: Chinnor on track for their big bow

From the Oxford Mail, first published Wednesday 23rd Aug 2006.

CHINNOR head coach John Brodley has been impressed with his players' dedication as they prepare for their National League debut.

Last year's South West 1 champions are now just ten days away from their opening Division 3 South game against Clifton and Brodley believes they will hit the ground running.

He said: "I'm very pleased with the way things are going this year.

"Everybody is looking forward to the new season. You can just see the enthusiasm.

"From the club's point of view, it's just a massive learning curve.

"We've talked to Henley and Newbury and asked them what it's all about. We've tried to get as much information as we possibly can.

"We've had more new players come to pre-season than at any time since I've been here.

"You can only assume it's due to the publicity and everything we did last year.

"We have recruited some quality foreign players to replace those who have left.

"Their performance in the Henley friendly was very encouraging.

"What was pleasing about that day was that we asked 39 guys to play and they were all there on time."

Brodley, who stressed players needed to do their own conditioning work before reporting for training in July, has recruited John Phipps as fitness coach.

"He's now started testing the players and working hard on their physical development," said Brodley "He will also do a lot of work on rehabilitation."

Brodley has not made sweeping changes to the Chinnor training programme now they are in the National League.

He said: "We've worked on the principle that the game is still the same, it is just more physical and played at a greater pace.

"In National 3, they are able to do the skills at a faster pace.

"We've tried to look at playing with pace in our training.

"We've also spent a lot of time on communication and really encouraging the new players into the squad.

"We are now going to work on showing patience so that when we get into the scoring zone we come away with something.

"We know we won't get in there anywhere near as often as we did in South West 1."

Brodley expects Chinnor to pick up more injuries this season, but with their second and third teams also playing at a higher level, they should have strength in depth.

"Against Henley we had a broken nose and six stitches just because it was more physical," said Brodley.

"Last year when we won the league we used 42 players and that was when we were the strongest side.

"We think our squad is big enough to cope. If not, come October we'll have to do something about it."

Chinnor 2nd will now play in Division 2 of the Canterbury Shield, which should help their development.

Brodley said: "There are six clubs that are in the Canterbury Shield and in National 3 South.

"What we've tried to arrange is that we play the firsts and seconds away and home together.

"That way we travel together and create this senior squad idea."

EARLY FIXTURES Sep 2: Clifton (home), Sep 9: Hertford (home), Sep 16: Cinderford (away), Sep 23: Dings Crusaders (home), Sep 30: North Walsham away).

AMONG Chinnor's new signings is 20-year-old South African No 8 Johan De Bruin.

He joins the club after graduating from the University of the North West - where the rugby team is known locally as Pukke.

De Bruin said: "Back home I've got an agent and he got in touch with John Brodley. I've been over here for two weeks now.

"It's great fun. The people over here are very nice, especially at the club, where it is like one big family.

"The first goal for me is to get into the team. The competition for places is a good thing and it keeps you on top of your game."

De Bruin has also played representative rugby for Leopards Under 19s and Pumas Under 20s.

He added: "I'm really looking forward to the season. I want to get out there and make my mark.

"I'm getting on really well with the guys, there's a great spirit here."

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