Head Coach Rowland Phillips said, ‘This signing is a huge one for the club, as Patrick is a quality player with experience at the highest level. He will also be coaching the backs, and even in his brief spell of coaching so far, he has shown a lot of maturity and ability in the role. Like any other Coach, I am looking for quality players, and Patrick comes into that category at both scrum half and outside half. He is a Neath man, and is popular with both fellow players and supporters alike. Patrick is also experienced as both and Neath player and Captain so he understands the Neath rugby philosophy’.
The Neath team to play Llandovery on Saturday 6th September 2003, to be played at Church Bank, with kick off at 2.30pm, will be selected from the following squad: –
Backs:
Scrum Half: Ricky Richards (r), Patrick Horgan
Out Half: Chris Anderson, Matthew Jones (r)
Centre: John Leyshon, Wayne Mitchell, Aled Bevan
Wing/ Fullback: Richard Carter, Richard Johnston, Paul Bamsey
Forwards:
Prop: Paul Jones (Captain), Andrew Howells, Ioan
Ohlssen
Hooker: Adam Matthews, Darren Poland
Second Row: Mark Jones, Adam Jones, Ben Davies
Backrow: Rowland Phillips, Steven Phillips, Andrew Llewellyn,
John McPhail
(r) – Regional development players
“Llandovery have an advantage over us at the start of the season in that they have a settled squad” says Phillips. “They will start as clear favourites on Saturday, as it will take time for our players to gel as a team. Even though our aim is clearly to win, we appreciate that it will be difficult. I have a lot of respect for Llandovery, and their achievements last season’
Injury News
The squad currently has a clean bill of health, with no injury worries
Fixture News
Saturdays fixture is followed on Saturday 13th September with an away trip to
The first Neath RFC fixture at the Gnoll is scheduled for Wednesday 17th September against Llanelli, with kick off at