March 11th, 2008

New territory for Bracknell

Bracknell RFC face the challenge of their first ever EDF Energy Intermediate Cup semi-final this Saturday and if they are successful what a year they will have had.

Under the successful and inspiring leadership of player/coach and former England international Chris Sheasby the Berkshire side have really turned around their fortunes and are in contention for promotion into National Three South and on course to defend their Berkshire Cup crown.

This Saturday they face Birkenhead Park in the Intermediate Cup and Sheasby said: “We’ve really been enjoying this season. We came into it on the back of a difficult year where it really was a huge endeavour to stay up.

“But the team worked hard with the changes I wanted to make and after Christmas last season we had a great run and won 10 out of 12 games to turn around our season, win the Berkshire Cup and stay up.

“That momentum has continued into this term and we are now in contention to be promoted, and are in both the semi-finals of the Berkshire Cup and the EDF Energy Intermediate Cup. It’s a bit of a quirky treble but it would be great to pull it off.”

Sheasby is certainly full of praise for his players and indeed everyone at the club for stopping the rot. The former England and Wasps forward has worked hard on improving player self belief and he has developed a fresh defensive style that has in turn started to open opportunities for counter attacks.

He added: “This is a great squad who have pulled off a minor miracle really. Certainly the whole ethos of the club has changed since the bleak days of last season. The club has worked hard on and off the field and the supporters have come back. We now have a very warm club and a close squad who have really enjoyed themselves and want more of it.”

Like Bracknell, Birkenhead Park are also enjoying their rugby this season and are fourth in the North 1 league. They have also won twice on the road in this season’s EDF Energy Intermediate Cup.

“It is a big game for us this weekend with it being our first ever semi-final in this competition, but I know the players will be fine,” added Sheasby. “We have had big matches before, so this is just another game for us. The boys know what they have to do and we will leave no stone unturned. We will concentrate very hard on every detail and that will, I hope, bring the spoils.

“Northern rugby is clearly very strong at the moment with three out of the four teams left in the competition being from that area. I am expecting them to be well drilled and combative. They love their rugby too, so they won’t be lacking in any passion, but at the end of the day we will pay them the respect they deserve and we will concentrate on our own game.”

Ends…

Notes to editors
EDF Energy is supporting rugby from the grassroots to the elite – through the EDF Energy Cup, EDF Energy National Trophy, EDF Energy Intermediate Cup, EDF Energy Senior and Junior Vase. At grassroots, the energy company is introducing 112,000 primary school children to the sport through the EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme. Parent company EDF was a sponsor of the IRB Rugby World Cup 2007 and EDF Energy an ITV broadcast sponsor. EDF is also a major partner of European Rugby Cup Ltd, organiser of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.