AFTER spending half of last season away from home, there is huge excitement ahead of a return to Tynedale Park.

Tynedale Rugby Club’s Corbridge base was out of bounds from December onwards after the ground and clubhouse was under water by floods caused by Storm Desmond, forcing the first team to play their remaining home fixtures at Kingston Park by kind permission of Premiership neighbours Newcastle Falcons.

While the loan of the facilities was much appreciated, all involved at Tynedale cannot wait to return home as the new campaign is set to get under way in the coming weeks.

After a tumultuous last season which saw a change of coach early into the campaign followed by the floods, there is a strong air of optimism running throughout the club which hopes to have enough players to regularly field three senior teams.

First XV head coach Scott Lawson, a Scottish international hooker currently playing for the Falcons, is hopeful of a better season than a one which saw them narrowly avoid relegation from National League Two (North) last year. But more importantly, he is confident the fun factor is returning to the local rugby club.

He said: “We had 45 people at our first training night and we’ve been getting close to 60 senior players on average since, so the numbers have been strong.

“It will be ambitious but we want to get three teams out each week, and it’s achievable judging by what we have seen pre-season.

“Since I have taken over, I have loved the attitude and application of the players and I love going down the club to see that.

“I’m very fortunate to play rugby for my job, and I really enjoy seeing people come down after work and put so much effort and commitment into their rugby.

“It was a difficult year last season especially having to move away, but all the management and players made it as easy as possible for me. It was great to be able to use the professional facilities at Kingston Park, but there is so much excitement to get back home to Tynedale.

“The club is a members’ club so it’s important we get back and develop the facilities, and I hope local people come down and support the lads on.”

Realising how important the rugby club is to local people, Lawson plans to continue providing opportunities to players from the immediate area who have the club in their blood.

But he also wants to combine that with new players and has drafted in a number of new faces to help the team be more competitive.

Harry Snowdon has been snapped up after being released by the Falcons, as has Adam Radwan, while Richie Elliott joins from Alnwick, Michael Walton has signed from Northumbria University and Aidan Maloney heads to Corbridge from Novocastrians.

The club continues to link-up withe the Falcons through dual registrations, with England U18 hooker Jamie Blamire, Archie Erskine and Max Davies to get a run out at Corbridge.

Tynedale’s first team were due to start their pre-season programme with a trip to Stirling County on Saturday, but have to wait for the following week to face Hawick at home. They finish with a friendly at main rivals Blaydon on August 27.

Tynedale Raiders, the club’s second team, will travel to Morpeth for a friendly on Tuesday evening, before starting their season with a cup game at Berwick next Saturday.

The first team’s National League campaign gets under way with a trip to Leicester Lions on the opening day of September 3, with their much anticipated first home back at Corbridge against Harrogate seven days later.