THE countdown to the most exciting and challenging season in the 100-year history of Colchester Rugby Club is well underway, as the first team prepare for life in the fourth tier of the English game, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

Since gaining promotion to National 2 back in March, the coaches and committee have been working non-stop to get everything ready, both on and off the pitch.

“I think we’re all ready,” said chairman Karl O’Brien, who together with head coach Craig Burrows has been busy throughout the summer recruiting new players and re-signing members of the existing squad.

With four extra league matches in National 2, and five players on the replacements bench compared with three last season, there is clearly a need for a bigger pool of players.

Most of last season’s first team regulars have re-committed, though notable departures include James Mitchell and Matt Edison, who have retired, Chris Lewis, who has left for work reasons and South African pair Jimmy Mpailane and Jayden Boshoff who will be playing elsewhere, mainly due to visa complications.

Lewis Jeffery, twin brother of fellow prop Callum, returns to the club after a spell at Bury.

Other recruits to the forwards include ex-Ipswich and Bury prop Leroy O’Neil, second rows Alex Grey (Pontypool and Wales 7s), Alex Hales (Shelford) and Joe Brock, who arrives from Diss. Flanker Sean Bundy has signed from Old Albanians.

Amongst the new arrivals in the back division are wing/full-back Mike Stanway, who has spent five seasons at Bury, fly-half/centre Will Dorasamy signed from Cambridge and Fin Creighton, a scrumhalf who has played for Cambridge, Bury and Shelford.

“I’m a big fan of local talent,” said Burrows. “Some of the boys we’ve got joining us are local boys and I really think they’ve got it in them to step up and perform at the higher level.”

Given Burrows estimates he has spoken to nearly 200 potential recruits in the past few months, expect further signings between now and the first league match, at Canterbury on September 7.

Before that, the team have two pre-season warm-up matches, at home to Oundle on Saturday (August 17) and at Tonbridge Juddians on August 24.

The latter match will be particularly informative, given the Kent side are in the same league as Colchester and the teams meet “for real” in Colchester’s first home match on September 14.

“Craig has been working really hard off-season,” said Karl. “We’ve recruited well but carefully, being choosy with the right people and the right attitude to come into the club.”

Craig has also boosted his coaching team with the arrival of fellow South African Brad James, a hooker who played at a high level with the likes of Blackheath and Old Albanians. Brad will be working alongside Mikey Haywood, who made such a difference last season.

Off the pitch, promotion requires enhanced medical facilities, professional referees and touch judges and an additional fourth official on the touchline, along with a whole new level of admin and form-filling, all of which has to be paid for by the club.

“We’re fortunate because we’ve got such a new facility here, but these requirements are still costing us several thousand pounds,” said Karl.

“In line with all the other Nat 2 clubs, we will introduce a charging structure for home matches, so supporters will see a few more barriers as we make entry to the club a bit more official.”

But the welcome will be the same as ever, and the pre-match lunches are already selling well, with some fully booked.

This season’s league is the highest-level Colchester have ever played at, and no-one is under-estimating the scale of the challenge which lies ahead. But coach and chairman are in buoyant mood.

“The level of confidence going into this league should be amazing because we’ve just come off a really good season,” said Craig.

“We are capable of playing nice rugby and putting some good results out.”

It’s a view echoed by Karl.

He said: “We go out every game to win. On our day, if we perform, I think we can surprise a few people.”