9:56am Wednesday 23rd June 2010
By Steve Carroll
BUILDING work to transform the changing rooms at Pocklington RUFC is expected to start in the next few weeks after the club secured vital cash from the Rugby Football Union.
Members attending the Percy Road-based club’s annual general meeting were told the RFU have agreed financial support which will allow the Pocklington Rugby Forward development project to move to the next stage.
Club officials have received an email from the Twickenham-based governing body saying that £150,000 has been agreed as a combination of grants and interest free loans.
As soon as a confirmation letter is received and contracts are signed, the club will start building works – although fundraising efforts will continue to reach the appeal target.
The Rugby Forward project will see everything demolished behind the current clubhouse to build six new changing rooms, a physio treatment room, referees’ rooms and an upstairs weights and fitness gym.
Meanwhile, Pock have begun their preparations for the 2010/11 season by starting pre-season training. Sessions will continue every Tuesday and Thursday to the start of the season and players should meet at Percy Road at 6.45pm.
The club also have a new captain with 26-year-old Matt Webber, brother of London Wasps and England hooker Rob, taking over from John-Paul Kelly.
Webber, an England Universities cap in 2005, already has considerable experience of captaincy having led Loughborough University to victory in the British University championship final at Twickenham in 2006. He went on to play for Blackheath and Hull before rejoining Pocklington midway through last season.
Tim Clappison, Pock director of rugby, said: “Matt committing to the captaincy is good news, both for his leadership and playing experience at higher levels.
“We also owe a massive thank-you to John-Paul who has done a tremendous job in difficult circumstances over the past three years, especially bringing through so many young and inexperienced players to be key first-teamers.”
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