Shanahan: We need to create fear factor
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National One gets underway next weekend and supporters will expect another enthralling campaign with jeopardy throughout.
Chinnor hoisted the third tier title last year but before they departed National One, director of rugby Nick Easter said it was the best division in the country because it is the highest league with permutations at the top and bottom.
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Easter’s side were pushed all the way by Rams before breaking away in the final months of the season. Seb Reynolds’ side will be hoping to go one better next term and possess a dominant pack, while usual suspects like Rosslyn Park and Richmond, who have both recorded heavy victories over National Two sides during pre-season, will expect to compete at the top.
Blackheath flattered to deceive in the first half of last season and missed out on their pre-season goal of top six but have secured the league’s most high profile signing with 26-cap Fiji second row and former Newcastle Falcons forward Tex Cavubati joining the club.
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The Londoners have clearly illustrated their ambition and head coach James Shanahan is hoping for a fast start with their campaign beginning at home to London rivals Richmond.
Shanahan told The Rugby Paper: “Last season we wanted top six and were one win away from that. We were disappointed as that goal felt attainable. We want top six this year, maybe top four. I’m happy where the squad is at with our new signings but other clubs are strengthening as well. Everyone is happy in pre-season but you don’t really know where you are until you’re six games into a season.
“We need to trust our process and remain switched on. Teams will come at us but we need to throw the first few punches and dictate how we want to play. We’re sometimes relaxed in games and wait until a team has got at us then think let’s have a crack now which is often too late.”
Blackheath had more success on the road than they did at home with supporters asking Shanahan if they could drive around on a bus together before home games and pretend it was away.
Making Rectory Field a fortress is a must if they are going to contend at the top but Shanahan says his squad ‘need to create a fear factor’, starting on Saturday.
“It was frustrating at home last season,” said Shanahan. “We lost to Bishop’s Stortford, who were struggling near the bottom, lost to Sale FC when they were down the bottom, likewise Leicester Lions and Taunton, and had a shocker against Rosslyn Park. That’s five games that really hurt us and if we had won four of those five then we’d have had top six comfortably.
“If you go to Cinderford it’s a tough place to go to. You’re often faced with difficult conditions in front of a partisan crowd, same as Darlington, Sedgley, Sale and Plymouth with those long journeys factored in. When you come to Blackheath it’s one of the best, if not the best pitch in the league, a fairly decent crowd but it’s not partisan. Teams really enjoy coming to Blackheath and playing.
“When I coached other teams it was a fixture to look forward to. When I was at Cambridge and Old Albanian there was a feeling of ‘let’s take a scalp against the oldest club in the world’. It’s a challenge we face but one to overcome.”
Newly promoted Rotherham Titans lost just once in their National Two North winning campaign but face a difficult start at home to Rosslyn Park. A change in the coaching box has seen Gareth Lewis depart Rotherham to take some time away from the game with Harvey Biljon, formerly of the now defunct Jersey Reds where he won the Championship in 2022/23, taking over as director of rugby.
Rosslyn Park finished third last season and Kieran Power’s side had two inclusions in The Rugby Paper’s Dream Team; Charlie Walker is a pacey winger with quality in the final third shown by his 19 tries in 24 games last season, while Arthur Ellis was rewarded for being a scavenger on the floor and a top jackaler.
Runners-up Rams lost just seven times last year and their power up front saw them represented with half the forward pack in our Dream Team. They host Darlington Mowden Park at Old Bath Road, who finished mid-table last year in seventh with Garry Law’s men hoping to break into the top five.
Sedgley Park impressed in their inaugural campaign in National One, finishing ninth and clear of relegation. Scott Barrow’s side will be looking to push on and will fancy their chances at home to newly promoted National Two East winners Esher. Peter Winterbottom’s outfit have bounced between the third and fourth tiers in recent seasons and will pray for survival this time around. Instrumental fly-half Sam Morley is a crucial player for the Londoners and a great deal of their hopes rest on his shoulders.
Plymouth Albion were the surprise package last year finishing fourth having flirted with relegation previously. Former Georgian international Ramz Rukhadze has appeared in the last two Dream Teams and his work at scrum time is integral. Plymouth are are at home to Sale FC who went from title contenders in 2022/23 to relegation candidates last term, beating the drop by only three points and will be hoping to steer well clear this time around.
Birmingham Moseley finished fifth in a very encouraging campaign for director of rugby Adam Balding and their first meeting of the new season sees them come up against newly promoted National Two West winners Dings Crusaders.
Stean Williams’ side fought it out with Luctonians before pulling away and have used their links with Premiership academies Bristol Bears and Bath to recruit a bulk of new young talent.
Leicester Lions survived by the skin of their teeth in their first season in the third tier and travel to Bishop’s Stortford, who also struggled finishing one place and two points above their opponents.
