Video interview - Alcester Rugby clinch promotion and look for title win
ALCESTER clinched promotion without even playing on Saturday and director of rugby Tom Burgess, pictured, is confident his players are good enough to wrap up the title as they head to current Counties Two Midlands West (South) leaders Manor Park this weekend.
The Kings Coughton side needed a point from their match with visitors Tenbury to seal promotion but ended up with a maximum five points after their opponents were unable to raise a side, leaving Burgess with mixed emotions.
The Alcester chief, pictured, said: “We’re delighted to be going up, it’s been a long season, but frustrated on how the day has panned put. Everyone was raring to go and we trained well on Thursday.
“The support has been great all year and we have been getting around 150 people but we could have got nearly double that for this game so it’s sad all round.
“We know it is going to be difficult [in the league above] but we’re not going to be there just to make up the numbers. We will be competing. We are not naïve, we know we need to recruit but I still think that the team we have is good enough with anyone from the league above, it is just week in, week out that we need that deeper squad to really earn our place in that league.
“We have been building for a couple of years and post Covid we have gathered a really tight-knit squad. It has been a cracking year with some really good performances. There have been a couple of little blips along the way but next week is the big one when we will hopefully take the top spot.”
Nuneaton-based Manor Park have a two-point lead going into the title decider so it will be winner takes all when they go head-to-head.
And although Burgess, whose father and grandfather both played for the club, is confident his side is good enough to top the table, he knows Saturday’s game is going to be tough.
He said: “It is never easy going to Manor Park; they will be gunning for it as well and they’ve just shifted their vice-presidents day to next weekend so it will be a huge occasion for both teams.
“We have outplayed every team we have played against apart from Old Wheats and we deserve promotion. Hopefully we can now go on and win the league outright. It is a tough place to go, a small pitch and they will have a big crowd but I fully believe that we have enough to not just beat them but beat them well.”
Alcester’s promotion mean they will be in Counties One Midlands West (South) next season, the highest level that the club has played in since the league structure was introduced. This will see them come face-to-face with the likes of Leamington, Ledbury and Kidderminster, together with the second strings from Broadstreet and Bromsgrove.
Alcester’s 2nds are also in action on Saturday when they head to Coventry Welsh 2nds for a Warwickshire League Division Two clash.
