Newark Rugby Club 1sts record sixth-placed finish in Midlands Two East (North)
Having lost six of their first seven league matches, Tim Barker has reflected on what turned out to be a successful season for Newark Rugby Club’s 1st teamers, who are gearing up for a promotion-chasing campaign next season.
Newark appointed former Leicester Tigers academy prospect Adam Corcoran as their head coach in June as preparations for the 2019-20 season were put in place at the close of the 2018-19 season.
And, after a slow start to the league, it looked as if it Newark were embarking on a season focussed purely on rebuilding rather than securing a high finish, but inspired form from late November onwards saw the Kelham Road side win eight of their following ten league matches, prompting promising thoughts for Barker, the club’s director of rugby.
“We are a young side still and we had two new coaches coming in, which was a lot to get our heads round at the beginning of the season and it explains our slow start,” said Barker.
“We started to pick up late in November, and in December and January we were really strong.
“We beat Dronfield, who got promoted. We beat Coalville away, who were a strong side, and we beat Long Eaton at the end, who were also above us.
“The initial sluggish period was about getting the players used to the coaching style, the different style of play, their coaching methods and everything else they were looking for.
“These things do tend to take a little bit of time.”
Newark’s revival saw them finish sixth in the Midlands Two East (North) Division and reach a spot in the Midlands semi-finals of the RFU Intermediate Cup, where they lost to Leighton Buzzard.
The confirmed league position followed a decision by the RFU, who decided a point-per-game system would be the most suitable way to draw the curtains on the season and settle the promotion and relegation spots.
“We certainly want to kick on from here, it is going to call on a lot of commitment from players in terms of availability and staying injury free, which are big ones for us as an amateur club,” said Barker.
“We don’t have that massive depth (in the 1st team) and if you lose a couple of key players to injury it really hits you.
“It is something that you can’t really plan for, but that aside, we will be looking to push hard for more success next season.”