A NEW era for Ellesmere Port RUFC begins on Saturday.
Promoted Port kick off their South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two campaign at home to Douglas in what will be new head coach Steve Dorrington’s first league game in charge since returning to his hometown club.
Dorrington, from Great Sutton, is determined to replicate the success he has enjoyed throughout his career now he is back with Ellesmere Port.
“We will be aiming to bring as a higher level of rugby as possible to the town,” said Dorrington, who had a brief spell as player-coach of the Port in the 2001-02 season.
“The club is thriving and it is a good time to be here. We have a very good junior section and we want to keep producing players for the first team.
“But when they do come through they will want to play at a high as standard as they can. We don’t want them leaving to go elsewhere – we want them to play for this club and to do that we will have to progress.”
Although fiercely ambitious, Dorrington’s mantra for the season will be to take one game at a time.
A county championship winner with Cheshire as a player and as a coach, he watched under-strength Port lose 27-24 at league rivals Dukinfield in the Cheshire Bowl quarter-finals on Saturday.
Dorrington described his team’s start to the game as ‘appalling’, but he was left hugely encouraged by the way they fought back with tries from James Callaghan (2), Adam Prach and Pete Doyle.
Dorrington has appointed Poland international Prach as his captain after being impressed by his attitude and leadership qualities in pre-season.
Dorrington, a former New Brighton head coach and Chester director of rugby, has also strengthened the squad with a string of new additions including Army players based at Dale Barracks in Chester.
Port, who won 16 successive matches to win promotion from Division Three last season, will face three Isle of Man-based sides in 2011-12 – Douglas, Vagabonds and Ramsey.
Saturday’s clash at home to Douglas gets under way at 3pm at Whitby Sports and Social Club.
