Romans announce new coaching team and commence pre-season training

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

After Tom Howley (Player-Head Coach) moved to Nottingham for work at the end of Bath & Wiltshire Romans Rugby League Football Club (RLFC) successful founding and debut season signing for Nottingham Outlaws the Romans were keen to appoint an experienced Head Coach.

 

The club are keen to maintain and improve the professionalism in coaching standards targeting similar success on the pitch in 2016 to 2015 when the club won the West of England Challenge Cup, West Of England League, West of England Grand Final, along with West of England 9’s finalists and semi-finalists of the national Harry Jepson Trophy going down to eventual winners South West London Chargers. With this in mind the club has the experienced John Fatiaki as Head Coach, John has recruited Matthew Tatman as Strength & Conditioning Coach and they will be assisted by Paul Riley and Rob Cryer.

 

John Fatiaki has previously played and represented the Royal Corps of Signals at both Rugby Union and League but unfortunately his playing career ended in 2010 due to a major knee injury. John is predominantly from a Rugby Union background and is currently Head Coach of Blandford Town RFC.

 

Strength & Conditioning Coach Matthew Tatman is a level 1 Power Lifting Coach and competed in the Army Power Lifting Championships in 2015, looking to compete again in 2016. Matthew is a Physical Training Instructor trainee leading physical training sessions at Colerne Army camp and is very knowledgeable and experience in the strength & conditioning arena.

 

Assistant Coach Paul Riley was inspirational as a player in the Romans debut and founding season in 2015, and acted as captain for a number of fixtures. Paul is also currently assistant coach of the Royal Artillery and previously played for the Royal Artillery and British Army Rugby League sides for a number of years. Incidentally, Paul was talked out of retirement by ex-romans coach Tom Howley. Paul has good memories of playing for the Army in the Rugby League Challenge Cup against professional sides such as Oldham and Featherstone in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

 

Assistant Coach Rob Cryer has played Rugby League all his life and is from the northern heartlands, Castleford to be specific (playing for Castleford Panthers and Townville Tigers before moving south), but at the age of 23 he took the bold move to venture to the South West which was at the time very much a developmental area for Rugby League to go to University and played in the new University of the West of England side. Rob has good memories of coaching university sides with Arron Simms. Rob soon became Head Coach of the University of Bath Broncos Rugby League side and also assisted with coaching at the Romans in 2015. Rob commented “I am looking forward to the new season and working with the newly formed coaching team”.

 

Chairman, Chris Chatten said “We have strengthened the coaching set up to alleviate the risk of second season syndrome, and achieve the same level of performance showing continuous improvement. We know this will be more challenging in 2016 with an expanded West of England League.”

 

The Romans are looking to recruit new players for the 2016 season and will be holding an initial players meeting to outline plans for 2016 and first training session on Wednesday 17^th February (TODAY) 2016, 6.30pm at Corsham RU Club, the club will be training on Wednesday's from 7pm thereafter till the season starts in May. The club are keen for as many current and new players to attend as possible. For further information please contact the Romans:

Email: romansrlfc@gmail.com

Twitter: @RomansRLFC

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romansRLFC

 

 

[AL FALL]

Just out of interest BWR how is your club funded and is their plenty of volunteers .In our area there seems to be a shortage of players,sponsers and volunteers but we soldier on and make the best of things.

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

I wouldn't say plenty of volunteers, but be do ok in comparison to other clubs in our league, what is your club/area AL FALL?

 

We had 45 signed on last year and about 30ish regular players last year for one team, if we can recruit even better in 2016 I would like to see us turning out a second team playing friendlies. Sponsors we did ok last season, and just started looking this season so hard to say yet.

[AL FALL]

Its Oldham saint annes  .Oldham GT Manchester.We presently run two open age teams and about seven youth teams.At the moment by coincidence we have ex players  playing in your neck of the woods at Bath rugby union ,to their misfortune I must say.Its probably the more popular code down there.

 We have about the same numbers at training as yourself,and with the league season just about to start a lot of eager lads at training,  the coaches problem is who to pick  .Like yourself we also have a new coach this season( and a new assistant coach) and they have both shown plenty of enthusiasm so far.The last few years the teams in and around Oldham have struggled to say the least but at the beginning of every season new hope springs eternal. 

  Anyway thanks for your reply,keep in touch always nice to discuss rugby topics 

[Bath Wiltshire Romans RLFC]

I think I was at University with a lad who might play for Oldham St. Annes, Andy Deakin?

Would you be so kind to direct your ex-players to our club? It is always good to get a few northerners into the squad who have been brought up on the game. Our club actually plays just outside Bath in the town of Corsham at the Rugby Union club, less than 30 mins drive from Bath. It would be excellent if you could send me their details to romansrlfc@gmail.com we would be keen to welcome them to the club.

 

Our new website is currently under development but we also use Twitter @RomansRLFC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romansRLFC/

 

Like yourselves our new coaching team showed bags of enthusiasm at our first session on Wednesday.

 

I hope you have a great season and at some point it would be good to test our squad against potentially stronger northern opposition like yourselves.

[AL FALL]

Cant begin to believe what a small world this is.I only made the post to you on the 17th feb because I noticed you have made the effort to post info about Bath Romans a number of times with very little response from other users.And by me replying will show you there are people out there reading your pages,

 Andy Deakin is  the same person you went to uni with,after hanging his boots up he has now joined the committee at OSA and is the fixture secretary and A team coach along with his brother Peter,Its very hard to run A teams these days and there are plenty of cancelations for a number of reasons  one being shortage of players on match days but never the less they do a great job.

 Last night I  looked on the your clubs website and googled the new ground at the rugby union club seems a good set up ,the old grounds name sounds impressive ( LEAVEY LANE).

 I will phone Andy and ask him to to look at this foram site,and I will speak to him tomorrow as we have a A team friendly down the road at Bury Broncos.

 I think it might be a bit to far for us us to travel down there for a a friendly  game,although ime sure the lads would jump at the chance of night out in Bath .There is a couple of people at Bath RU with connections at OSA who might put us up for the night.