Express & Star

Old Hales setting their sights high

Old Halesonians hope a close season coaching shake-up can make them contenders in Midlands One West.

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The Wassell Grove outfit have acted after last season’s disappointing 10th placed finish with James Angove, previously head of rugby at Southampton University, has been recruited as the club’s new head coach.

Other changes have seen the arrival of former Scotland international Tracy Balmer to coach the forwards, while Bryn Wenlock now heads up the strength and conditioning team.

“This was something we always planned to do during the summer. It was a case of making the right appointments,” explained director of rugby, Dan Grant.

“I think we now have a stronger set up, probably one of the strongest you could have at our level of rugby.”

Sights are very much set high with Hales eager to secure a return to the Midlands Premier Division.

Former club favourite Loz Breeze has returned from a spell at Luctonians to beef up the forward line, while the arrivals of Luke Smith and Nick Adams, from Birmingham and Solihull and Dudley Kingswinford respectively, add pace to the flanks.

Hales open the campaign with a testing trip to relegated Lichfield tomorrow and Grant said: “They are among the teams who will expect to be up there.

“The finish to last season was disappointing. We had issues with injuries and availability, the latter particularly when it became clear we weren’t going to finish in the top two.

“The target at the start of every season has to be to win promotion but we know this will be a competitive division.”