Easter targets top six finish with Chinnor
CHINNOR director of rugby Nick Easter is optimistic that his side can compete at the top of an ultra competitive National 1 next season.
The title race in the third tier went down to the final day as Cambridge triumphed at the expense of Rams via points difference, while the relegation dogfight was also settled in the final round with Taunton edging Esher to survival.
Former England No.8 Easter guided his side to eighth in his first season in charge but believes with the help of his new recruits they can push for a high place in what will be another congested table.
Easter said: “We're excited. We've just got back into pre-season and on our first session 36 lads turned out in a good quality session in the rain, which isn't what you expect on the first day of pre-season.
“I'm happy with the recruitment. We've had to fill a few spots with a few retirements last year but we've managed to do that and bolster our squad in areas we needed to and strengthened it in others. We've got real competition for places, guys have turned up with a real spring in their step and a real hunger.
“But it's a tough league, its excitement showed last year when on the last day of the season you don't know who's getting promoted or the last team to get relegated. Looking around it looks like other teams have recruited quite well and it's very much the same story this year.
“We're looking to certainly be in the top half looking up the higher end of the table. It's an old cliche but it's true that we have to focus on the here and now. We've got a tough start, with second and third place in our second and third games but we've got to face them sometime and it'll be a good barometer with where we are compared to last year.”
Easter is eager to see how his new winger Morgan Passman from Darlington Mowden Park goes and is hoping hooker/openside Will Cave and loosehead Keston Lines have another stellar season.
He said: “Morgan is a stirring signing, Will is a youngster with huge potential and Keston was close to being our player of the season. I've recruited some back five players that may not be names on the circuit but ones that I see quite a lot of potential in and with a good pre-season I think will become standout performers.”
On the title contenders Easter says: “Richmond will be strong as they're used to a higher level. Rams will be up there, they were frontrunners all of last year and they missed out in the last few weeks. Sale will be strong again, they get a lot of their academy players on loan from Sale Sharks so have always got young talented players especially in the backline.
“Plymouth Albion have got some good resources to recruit well as it's very much a rugby playing town and they'll be better this year. You've got your usual suspects like Rosslyn Park that fly out the traps and Cinderford are always tricky customers.”
