Newark Rugby Club doing well after switching leagues
Newark Rugby Club continues to go from strength to strength as they sit in sixth spot after switching leagues last season.
“Things are going well at the moment,” said Newark’s president and former director of senior rugby, Tim Barker.
“Overall, I am really pleased with the way things are going this season,” he said.
It is always difficult for a team after winning a promotion and it was no exception for Newark as they had only played a handful of their new competitors in the past.
“It’s fair to say that we had a tough start to the season,” said Barker.
“We lost a few games early on, one by two points and another by a single point so we knew that we were not far off the pace.
“I am really proud of the squad because we have now turned things around.
“We are sixth in a league of 12 and we have ten games left to play.”
Newark has won five, drawn one, and lost sixth as they sit comfortably in mid-table.
Barker cites the improvement of the forward pack as a major difference and one of the reasons their record has improved.
“Anything above mid-table would be a good finish for our first season at this level,” said Barker.
“It is a good level of competition in a tough league and this would show that we belong here.
“We can definitely hold our own against this level of opposition and we have proved that in our first season.
“Obviously, we want to do as well as we can but we have to walk before we can run.
“Top three would be a great goal for next season.
“We have defeated two of the top four teams which were Leek and Sutton Coldfield.
“They were probably the stand-out games for us, along with a tough draw away at Melbourne who are always a strong side, particularly at their place.”
Newark has made some changes to their promotion-winning squad, including six completely new players who have played for the first team at some point this season.
Five returning players who wanted to get back to Newark and be a part of the programme have now rejoined the ranks.
The different components have meshed well together to form a strong, cohesive unit and the team have now found their stride.
“Anecdotally, we have been told by players that the coaching, atmosphere, and facilities have all contributed to getting these players back,” said Barker.
“We really do have a great culture at the club, both on and off the field and this is a significant contributory factor to our success.
“You only have to look at the strong pool of players we have, we have used 35 players in our 12 games so far in this season.
“The core is the same most weeks but then we have to manage injuries and unavailabilities and this gives opportunities to other players who are knocking on the door.
“We have a strong second team that is now in the league system for the first time and this adds fantastic strength in depth.
“They are currently second in their league, so competition for places is hot and this is encouraging.
“We have one player who travels 40 miles each way to come here for games and training, I think that is a testament to what we are building here.
“People understandably want to be a part of it, we have a great environment where communication and respect both ways are at the forefront.
It isn’t just the first team that is driving success at the club, Barker cited several areas where the club is excelling.
“The game day lunches we hold really do establish a community spirit within the club,” said Barker.
“We are lucky to have strong support, we get on average around 250 people for a home game at Kelham Road, which is awesome.
“Our away support is also always quite strong and is probably the best in the league.
“Our coaching quality is fantastic and our results reflect that.
“We are forward-thinking and invest to improve our performances.
“We use a professional service to film our home and away games which really helps coaches and players analyse where things went well and not so well and to improve individual and team performances.
“The future looks bright, but a lot of hard work ahead.”
