Fylde RFC players relish their looming reunion

The Woodlands club’s new joint-head coach Alex Loney told The Gazette that meetings have taken place among the players and at management level as plans for next season take shape.

Before then, the Rugby Football Union’s roadmap has opened the door to the possibility of friendly matches being played in front of limited crowds from May 17, though any played before the end of that month could not feature scrums or mauls as a precaution against Covid.

Loney said that contract arrangements with players for next season were going well, though the players were primarily looking forward to returning to their club after March 29, when government guidelines say training can resume.

Loney said: “Chris (Briers, his fellow joint-head coach) and I have spoken with the lads and they all want to get back to the club and be playing competitively.

“They are looking forward to spending time with each other in training and at the club. They all want to get moving.”

Last weekend marked the anniversary of Fylde’s last match and Loney acknowledged that the sooner the club can start staging games again, the better.

He added: “On a wider club level, we all know we have to reconnect people to club and the first team have to be a big part of that.

“People have missed all aspects of life at the club and we have to be ready to welcome everybody back just as soon as we can do so safely.

“The boys have been very good over the past year, and speaking to the first-team lads, the overwhelming indication is that they are keen to get back.

“We have just about agreed everyone’s contracts and will be making announcements over the next few weeks.”

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