H&B coach savours most successful season

Hastings & Bexhill head coach Chris Brooks called it '˜the best season I can remember' after the rugby club completed a league and cup double.
Steve McManus scores H&B's opening try in the Sussex Shield final. Picture courtesy Nigel BakerSteve McManus scores H&B's opening try in the Sussex Shield final. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker
Steve McManus scores H&B's opening try in the Sussex Shield final. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker

H&B added the Sussex Shield to their Kent One title courtesy of a 25-8 victory over Burgess Hill in Saturday’s final at a very warm East Grinstead RFC.

Brooks said: “I think I’ve been at the club since 1990 and certainly this is the most successful season results-wise that I can remember. It’s been an awesome season.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

H&B have won 25 of their 28 games in all competitions this term, scoring 915 points and conceding only 315. In their three Sussex Shield matches, they amassed 140 points and conceded just 18.

H&B in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel BakerH&B in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker
H&B in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker

“It’s solely down to the players,” continued Brooks. “They’re a very talented group, they love their rugby and training is always very well attended.

“Training isn’t autocratic either. The players themselves, if they’ve got an idea or want to try something, aren’t shy in coming forward and running a training session. We’ve got a lot of integrity.”

H&B’s success has been very much homegrown. Of the 22 players used in the Sussex Shield final, for example, 15 had begun playing in the club’s minis section.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’ve got such a good youth development policy in the club now,” Brooks went on. “We’re very much a community club.

Harry Walker in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel BakerHarry Walker in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker
Harry Walker in possession against Burgess Hill. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker

“We can’t pay players so we’re very much homegrown and that truly is incredibly satisfying. I can’t remember the last time we had such a young average age of the team.”

H&B’s success hasn’t just been confined to the first team. The seconds won Sussex Division Three and reached the Sussex Bowl final, while the thirds made it to the Sussex Salver final.

“The second and third team players do the same training as the first team players, and I’ve been able to bounce players between the two 15s with very little, if any, reduction in quality,” added Brooks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The spirit runs right down through the club. The touchline at East Grinstead was well-attended by second and third team players as well, and last week both training sessions included an awful lot of people who knew they weren’t going to be playing.”

Mark Piotrowski in possession. Picture courtesy Nigel BakerMark Piotrowski in possession. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker
Mark Piotrowski in possession. Picture courtesy Nigel Baker

Saturday’s victory was a triumphant conclusion to the career of long-serving player/backs’ coach Kit Claughton, who is retiring, and Jimmy Adams’s stint as captain. Adams is stepping down from the role after several years and Joe Umpleby will take over.

“Over the years Jimmy’s really grown into the role and his team-talks these days are positively Churchillian, but his expertise will still be on the field,” Brooks said.

“There were three contenders (to take over) and all three of them were very close. It came down to a deciding vote and Joe pipped it. He’s got exactly the right temperament for it, always puts in a solid shift every game and leads from the front.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although set to lose Harry Walker and Adam Baker to university, H&B are now looking forward to the challenge of stepping up to London Three South East next season.

“We’re not going to try anything too adventurous next year,” added Brooks. “We need to stabilise our position in that league and a good mid-table finish would be eminently satisfying.”