“We’re not in this league to make up the numbers”: Oundle eye impact in National Two East
After a historic unbeaten season and a Cup triumph at Twickenham, Oundle are gearing up for their biggest challenge yet – life in National Two East. (Photo Credit: Leo Wilkinson Photography)
But for coach Andy Key, reaching Level Four isn’t mission complete.
“We very quickly acknowledge victories in sport, but then it’s on to the next thing,” Key tells National League Rugby. “We’ve been promoted into National Two, the highest this club has ever been and it was an amazing feat for the side last season to create the history we did, but the mindset is already forward-looking. We’re excited, but we’re also determined.”
And it’s that sort of mentality that sums up the club’s latest step in their recent rise.
Last season’s Regional 1 South East campaign was pretty much flawless. Oundle not only went unbeaten, but they also won all 22 of their matches with just a single point dropped across the year. They scored over 1,000 points while conceding an average of only 9.7 points per game.
Throw in a Papa John’s Community Cup success against Huddersfield in the mid-May sunshine at Allianz Stadium, and you wouldn’t blame the Northamptonshire outfit if they were still on cloud nine.
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But within the club, there’s an understanding that progression is there to be built upon.
“We know we’re going into a higher standard,” Key says. “We know the kind of teams we’ll face – clubs like London Welsh, who were in the Premiership not that long ago. Esher, Dorking, Barnes, that’s hugely exciting for everyone here, but we’re not in this league to make up the numbers. You have to have plans on the table that are about challenging you and driving you.”
A glance at Oundle’s squad from last season makes it easy to see why Key – who brings coaching experience from his time in the Premiership with Leeds Tykes (formerly Leeds Carnegie) as well as Rotherham Titans – isn’t shying away from the challenge.
Championship experience stands out in the form of Kieran Frost and Anthony Maka (both from Cambridge), along with Joe Bercis (Ampthill). Meanwhile, new additions like back-rower Jac Arthur from Bedford Blues gives you even more of a reason to sit up and take notice.
But Key is quick to stress Oundle’s rise over the last 11 years – from the bottom rung of the ladder to National League Rugby – has been methodical and has been driven by planning, player development, and culture.
Their second XV have recently joined the league structure, adding internal competition and depth, while an emphasis on bringing young players through the ranks is something Key – whose role focuses on mentoring coaches and developing players – is passionate about.
“We’ve got a structure internally,” Key, who was head coach of Leicester Lions in 2016/17, says. “It’s about developing the next tier of youngsters. We’ve got a pathway and a transition programme that’s starting to come to fruition, and we’re starting to see one or two young lads around 19, 20 that are starting to demonstrate and show they have the capability.
“Nearly every home game, we’ll have six or eight players in the squad who’ve come through the club. Just look at the Snelling brothers, for example. Grant and Toby have been with the club since day dot and their father Graham is a founder of the club, and was part of building the club so there is so much nice history, and it’s a really tight, friendly club, and it’s enjoyable to be around.
“Retaining 95 to 98 per cent of last season’s group gives us real continuity and we’ve brought in a couple of additions who will strengthen us further. We aren’t throwing huge amounts of whatever at the programme, but what we do bring is lots of energy, lots of commitment and that hopefully starts to build success.”
That identity, combined with Championship and National League Rugby experience, could prove to be a strong recipe for Oundle.
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Alongside some of the aforementioned names, former Leicester Lions fly-half Ben Young played a key role in last season’s success while ever-present centre Harry Winch – who hasn’t missed a game for the last three seasons – is a prime example of the commitment and continuity at the heart of Occupation Road.
And away from the playing personnel, Director of Rugby Alykhan Kachra has been instrumental: “Ali’s done an amazing job in bringing in and inviting players, but you know, we’ve still got to show that we’re a team and a club that wants to develop players,” Key, who is entering his fourth season at Oundle, says.
“Players like to come into the club knowing that they’re going to have an opportunity to play, to play an exciting brand of rugby, but also knowing that it’s a club that actually looks after the community and looks after the families. I think we’ve got that balance really right, and it’s nice to be a part of.
“Knowing the challenges that we’ve got in front of us, it’s just great to see the players embracing it.”
After four seasons at Level 5, the time for Oundle’s next challenge is rapidly approaching. It’s just over eight weeks until their National Two East adventure begins in front of their home crowd against Havant while September also includes a trip down to Bury St Edmunds, a visit to Guernsey and a clash against London Welsh.
“You know, that’s the whole sort of show, isn’t it?” Key says enthusiastically. “We’re going to get challenged, we know that, and we’re embracing that. In pre-season training at the moment, although we’ve only been back a couple of weeks, it’s already starting to set down that there are going to be challenges, and don’t expect what we achieved last year just to come naturally.
“We recognise that and we’re not that silly. We want to be here. We want to stay here.
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“The likes of Aly and the rest of the board and so on, they are very realistic about what we are capable of. Look, we still have ambitions as a club to go, perhaps, one league further, but at this point, we’re not naïve.
“We’re really challenging the players to make sure they understand that to get success, you have to really work hard on it. We have some fantastic leaders in the group to make sure that the standards are being adhered to that we set as coaches so we’re not going to be frightened, but we understand what challenge is going to come our way.”
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