Pre-season Training Underway at Swords

August 14th, 2009

IT'S shaping up to be a big season at Swords RFC, with the club set to announce a major rugby name as its first team coach this month. Pre-season training is well underway at ALSAA as the Fingal side gear up for another season in the Leinster League and new first and second team captains will also be unveiled in the coming days.

The Greens had a mixed campaign last time around as an emerging side found their feet in a highly competitive division, but with a year of experience under their belts, the team are preparing well. ‘Last season was all about blooding new players, developing patterns and planning for the future,' Swords RFC president Alan Butler said. ‘The club committee have been working extremely hard for the past number of months to ensure we go forward over the coming seasons. ‘The addition of our new coaching team will also raise our game, not only on the pitch, but also off it. We are eager to put the club on
the map and give a town the size of Swords a rugby club it deserves.'

The club are in the midst of a major recruitment drive, targeting the key catchment areas of Swords, Malahide, Donabate, Portrane, Santry and beyond and already a number of new faces have come on board. Five years of their successful youth development programme has also paid off, with a handful of younger players set to make the step up to senior level this season. ‘We've already seen the benefits of the work done at junior level and we hope to continue our development programme this season and beyond,'

Butler continued.‘For the third season in succession, we've funded our own youth development officer and will be focussed on bringing the game of rugby
to Swords, whilst expanding our ever-growing youth section. ‘Anyone interested in playing rugby, even those without prior experience, will be more than welcome to come down to ALSAA and give it a go.'

With the restructure of the third division, Swords find themselves in one of two pools of six team, kicking-off their campaign with a tough
home fixture against Arklow on Sunday, October 11th.

Training takes place every Tuesday and Thursday at 7.15pm at ALSAA, opposite Dublin Airport and all new players are welcome.