Year Summary 2003
"The Greens' second season of National League Rugby demonstrated the difficulties of operating within a tight, but prudent, budget and with a small squad of mainly home-grown players.
Having achieved a respectable mid-table position the previous season, Director of Rugby, Doug Chapman was optimistic of achieving a top half position and the opening fixture, at home against newly-promoted local rivals Hull Ionians, seemed the ideal opportunity to start the new campaign. The match, played in front of a large crowd on a hot Sunday afternoon, turned out to be a harsh lesson in the realities of the league as a physically stronger visiting pack dominated possession and their pacier backs proved far too quick for the home defence. Another heavy defeat away was followed by a narrow loss, but by the end of September the Greens had lost all competitive matches, including a disappointing cup reverse at home to Cleckheaton.
Injuries to key players left the Greens down to the bare minimum for much of the season and it was mid-December before they recorded their first, and only, win - revenge away at Ionians.
Despite remaining outwardly optimistic, the club realised that relegation was already a near certainty, so attention shifted to utilising the remainder of the season to blood some of the promising crop of Colts ready for the season to come. All of the younger players who performed at 1st XV level acquitted themselves excellently, with some cementing a place in the squad, and with hindsight this was the highlight of the season. This was a hard learning experience but one that has shown them the class of rugby to which they can aspire.
All those connected with the Greens thoroughly enjoyed the stay in National League Rugby and will be doing their utmost to ensure a return to that stage in the very near future."
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