Roux’s pride as Dorking set to defy injury crisis
Despite enduring a tumultuous, injury-hit season which included losing their club captain, Fred Dalton, Dorking look set to at least match their all-time best finish in the National Leagues.
Armand Roux's side have lost five players to season-ending injuries. One of those is a neck fracture to skipper Dalton, who after being voted into the National Two East team of the season last year, has decided to call time on his playing career following a difficult conversation with his family.
Director of rugby Roux has since appointed a new captain in Johnny Ellis and have put their disruption to one side, coming into this weekend third off the back of an impressive 42-22 victory at home to Canterbury.
Roux told The Rugby Paper: “Fred picked up a neck fracture a while ago and then in the Sevenoaks game got cleared out resulting in another neck fracture that was millimetres away from his spinal cord. He did some reflecting, realised he wanted to get married and have kids, so didn't want rugby to end his life as he was so close to being paralysed. He's a really good club guy and still supporting the team. I fully respect his call.
“Last week was a great win against a really good side. We've got a squad of largely 50 per cent homegrown, we've had boys who have joined after being fed up of a few other clubs. Every club will say they're doing the right thing culturally with good values and I'm doing that as well, it's about being honest with the guys and having fun.
“Life is too serious that if they've all got paid jobs to come to a rugby club and get shouted at especially with a lot of our guys travelling an hour or two to us.”
Table-toppers Esher are five points clear with a game in hand and look out of their title rivals reach, destined to return to National One.
Former captain Roux led Dorking to their previous best finish (fourth) in what was then National Two South as a player and after guiding the newly promoted club to third last term, he's hoping to go one better and beat Barnes to second place.
Roux added: “Last year we were deter mined to get to that third spot and this year we've been hovering around that area for a while now.
“All we can ask from the players is to better that, it's like anything in life you always want to get better. Since becoming coach my goal has been to take this side to a better position.”
Winger Tobermory Mc-Rae finished 2023 as the top try scorer in rugby with 42 tries in just 26 games and has continued his fine form this year.
South African Roux added: “The pack has been outstanding and provided the platform backs like Toby need.
“We're really pleased with how we've gone in terms of our skill and physicality.”
