It’s a lot of work but we’ll be ready in time

Q&A

Ben Jaycock talks to newly promoted Havant’s head coach Will Knight ahead of their National 2 East campaign

How are preparations going for next season?

So much for summer! We had training this week and had to put the floodlights on at 7pm which is ridiculous for this time of year. Hopefully it’ll brighten up. We started at the beginning of July, we had a pre preseason, doing a run through at the gym of the club. It’s been excellent, we’ve had ridiculous numbers, well into the 50s in every training session so that in itself is a challenge in ensuring we get the quality that we want with that many players there but a challenge we’d rather have than not.

Tell us about the new signings?

We’ve got quite a few new guys who have come in, no real superstars or big names but what we have got is a number of best players coming in from local clubs who want to challenge themselves. There’s a number of boys who have been playing a good standard elsewhere and we’re seeing some more Army and Navy boys coming across. We’ve got 22 new players who have come in this summer who will provide a level of depth which we believe is going to be crucial next season because of the attritional nature of the league. We’re in a decent place, the questions will come after a few games when you understand what you’re up against.

How much will it mean to lead your side out in the National Leagues?

It’s tremendous for the club. I was lucky enough to have played all my rugby, a long time ago, for Havant, at National League level. To get the club back to this level with a group of young guys, who have really grown together means so much.

The club was in a desperate state when I took over 13 seasons ago and now as we move into the 14th season, some of those players have been on that journey the whole way. So, it’s a real privilege and it’s great to bring that standard of rugby back to Hooks Lane. We have one of the best supported clubs in every league we’ve been in up until now and we’re pushing 1,000 people every home game, so we will hopefully build on that as well.

What are your primary goals for next season?

There’s a number of things. We’ve got to survive to secure our place at this level. A lot of teams have gone up and come straight back down again, so we know the difficulties of the task ahead. We want to continue to grow our player base, building our links with the universities and services in the area, perhaps to reach out to more senior clubs in the area for any loans. With the demise of London Irish that particular connection is gone. The other big focus is on our second team as we have the opportunity for the first time for the seconds to get promoted to level 6 at the end of the season. If we can get a team playing at level 4 and level 6 that would put us in a really strong position to provide the best possible rugby for the widest group of players on the south coast.

How much do you know about the other sides in the division?

We know what we know from the last time we played against a number of them but that’s going back a few seasons for a lot of teams. There are some teams in the league that are recruiting very heavily, in a position to remunerate players significantly. We’re very honest that we’re not going to compete with that. We are going to remunerate first team players for the first time in 15 years but we’re not at the level of some of the teams. What we’re hoping to do is surprise the league with what we can bring to the party.

Who should we look out for in your side?

The guys who have been there for a long time bring a lot of quality. My son Joel has played over 250 games and has been a key part of it. Ross Parkins in the second row will be a key player this year and is a former Army player. Sean Shepherd had an amazing season at hooker and we hope he can bring that again. Returning from injury Jerome Trail is another really exciting player who has come through the ranks but I’m also excited about the new guys and what they can bring.

Tell us about the extra work off the pitch that comes with playing at a higher level?

Our director of rugby Rob Matthews will tell you there’s a lot more admin involved. The work is the same but perhaps more intense. There’s been a lot more communication over the summer with players, meetings, and recruitment work. We want to refresh and do things slightly differently. We’ve made plans for how we’re going to play and that’s a key element that’ll be ongoing. We’re going up against a whole new set of teams, so we’re starting from scratch a bit. We’re busy making sure the preparation is right in terms of pre-season fixtures, so we’re ready to go for the first weekend of the season. It’s a lot of work but something we all love doing rather than feeling onerous.