ONE of the district’s long-established rugby clubs is looking forward to the new campaign.

Pre-season training is well under-way at Prudhoe & Stocksfield, as players prepare for another adventure in Durham and Northumberland League Division Three.

And there is room for more players to get on board - provided they have necessary credentials.

P & S have enough players in their squad to fulfil fixtures, but they are looking to create more competition for places in the first XV.

The club’s Yannick Debil said: “We have a lot of talent here, but we feel as though we need a little bit more to fulfil our potential.

“When all of our players are fit and available, we can give anyone a good game, but we need a bit more strength in depth.”

On average, P & S have a matchday squad of about 17 players, but Yannick said two or three additions would make a big difference.

“We’ve actually got about 30 players on the roster,” he admitted. “But not everyone is available on a Saturday because naturally, some people have families and other commitments. We just need a few quality additions to cover various positions, and to ensure we can bring on fresh legs when we need them.”

Yannick said that the club would be pleased to hear from anyone who believed they could make a difference at P & S.

The first XV have recently been playing in the Northumberland 7s tournament in pre-season, and are also working at E.T. Fitness and Therapy in Hexham.

He added: “We finished eighth or ninth last season, but we believe we can do better.

“Our goal is to ultimately challenge at the top of the table. We have a great bunch of lads and a lot of potential.”

Yannick hopes the chance to play first team rugby will appeal to local players seeking an opportunity, but said the creation of a second team could also be a possibility.

He added: “We just want to remind people that we’re here. We have a great club and and an opportunity for people to play rugby at a good level. “

For more information and to get in touch, visit the Prudhoe & Stocksfield RUFC page on Facebook.