Blues set eyes in the top four

Trowbridge trip opens rugby campaign with new players in the ranks

NEWBURY BLUES are first into action at the start of the rugby season when they head for Trowbridge in South West One East on Saturday.

After their pre-season campaign ended with a comfortable win over Gosport and Fareham, Blues’ players are targeting breaking into the top four that usually assumes a predictable nature.

“The players have set themselves the target of a top four finish,” said head coach Lee Goodall, “ which is quite ambitious.

“When you look at the league standings for the last three years, the team that comes down alays wins it, Towcestrians are second but don’t win the promotion play-off and you always get Swindon and Witney next.

“I like that ambition” he added, “but an improvement on sixth is an achievement for me.”

Blues will have a number of new players in action against the team coached by former Bath and England flanker Steve Ojomoh with newcomers including a mini-influx from Basingstoke as Chris Guyatt, Ben O’Shea, Ryan Treviskas, and Kyle Diel join earlier arrival Ryan Davis and Joe Pigott to add depth to a squas that has also welcomed Ady Herriott from Salisbury and Nick Packham from Ruislip.

Herriott, Treviskas and Packham miss the opener along with Robbie Drysdale.