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Positive signs in Blues' first friendly




Newbury Blues head coach James McAvoy was "delighted" with his side's showing in their first pre-season fixture against Bournemouth on Saturday.

A 24 man squad made the trip to Bournemouth's Chapel Gate home ahead of the new season, which begins next month.

"One of the biggest positives was that we had seven new players, it was a fantastic opportunity to see them, I was really impressed," McAvoy said.

Blues captain Dan Thorne
Blues captain Dan Thorne

"We had a real mix of experience, we had some senior players, some Stags, and the new boys.

"Bournemouth are an established outfit in the league above us, it was great to see how some of our boys stood up to that test.

"The shape looked great, especially the first 40 minutes, it was important that we got some actionable feedback from within a game.

"We're in an exciting position, we've got to go and push on now."

McAvoy, in his first full season in charge of the Blues, is focused on instilling new ideas and a new culture into his squad.

He said: "Dan Thorne, our captain, told the dressing room 'we either get things right today, or we learn', you could see the boys played with freedom after that.

"A lot of the lads were buzzing, so happy to be back, it was a really good trip down.

"The more senior players are the ones that have led the language, the shape and driven the behaviours.

"I'm still looking to appoint someone within our senior leadership group who will be in charge of behaviours, that'll be established in the next few weeks, that's one of the most important roles in the squad.

"I want someone in the squad who isn't afraid to challenge our players, from the newest to the most senior.

"If it comes from their peers it's certainly more powerful than if it comes from me."

Next up McAvoy's side will welcome Wimbledon to Monks Lane this weekend before facing London 3 South West outfit Basingstoke on August 20 as part of the Blues 'Scrum in the Sun' event.

"It'll be great to host Wimbledon at Monks Lane and then onto the big one, Basingstoke, that's the one we're really targetting.

"We'll make sure we peak at the right time, post Basingstoke will be a time of learning and reflection and then we'll ramp it up ahead of September 3 and the new season.

"We're ready for a 22 round fight, I'm not nervous because of what I've seen from the boys, they're so keen to learn and develop.

"They know that if they're on it they'll probably get the result we need, we're confident."

With less than a month to go until the new season, things are looking up for McAvoy and his side – he knows the Blues will have to be at their best ahead of a long, hard and sometimes brutal campaign.



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