GARY PHILLIPS, the new head coach at Enfield Ignatians RFC, brings plenty of experience to his new role, and the former player initially got to grips with the adult game following a two-year stint in charge of the Tabard ladies’ team.

The lure of becoming head coach at Hatfield subsequently proved too hard to resist, and he crowned his first season in charge at a club which he had turned out for in his playing days by guiding them to success at Hertfordshire Merit Table level.

He said: “We threatened to go through the season unbeaten until suffering our only two losses in the final three games of the campaign.”

A subsequent opportunity to become Director of Rugby at UCS Rugby arose (the side will be crossing swords with Enfield Ignatians in Herts-Middlesex Counties Two this season), and he seized it with both hands although clearly the timing was unfortunate.

He added: “It was the season in which Covid kicked in and, besides, a lot of players were retiring.”

Not one to stand still or back away from a challenge, the post Covid period has yielded a more bountiful harvest, this time at the helm of King’s Cross Steelers – the East London-based side which flies the flag for the gay community.

He said: “During my time in charge King Cross Steelers won the Bingham Cup which is a rough equivalent of the Rugby World Cup for the Gay Community in Ottawa (Ontario), Canada.
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This was some achievement as no British or European side for that matter had ever won this tournament. Yet we beat the Australians (Sydney) in the semi-final before winning the final by beating New York.”

The sharp analytical skills honed from his IT Programme management background have already identified the problems which need addressing, and now for the hard part: implementing solutions in what is essentially a journey into the unknown.

Driving standards on and off the field, but having fun along the way, will be key to the turnaround, as are reviving the fortunes of the club’s second team, who played only sporadically last season, as is placing greater emphasis on social media,

He said: “In depth conversations have taken place with the players and they seem to be enjoying themselves. For example, we will be making greater use of social media to drive numbers in training for example.

“We also need the second team to playing regularly but are probably a season or two away from that happening. However, in the interim, we’ve had conversations with Old Grammarians with a view to pooling our resources in this area.”

There will be a greater emphasis, too, regarding consistency of selection. He explained: “One of the things we’re looking at is the availability of 66 per cent of the playing pool being available from week one to week two.

In a sense the question of what EIRFC are seeking to achieve in terms of league position is premature. However, Gary does not shy away from it.

“Obviously, we aim to do as well as we can. A par season would be a mid-table finish and, anything above, would be an above par season.”

Still, club and coach are very much of the foothills of their rugby journey and, by way of preparation for the league opener against Hampstead in September, they are due to [lay a local Derby against Old Grammarians on August 31. Interesting times ahead.