GKIPA Championship - 2014/5 Season Preview

It's never easy trying to sift out the spin from the din of the close season. As players and coaches come and go (there's a new figurehead at Headingley), the PR teams and diehards big 'em up or mitigate the departures, so it's hard to see if there's a comprehensive re-vamp or a minor re-shuffle - or whether it will actually work. The friendlies have thrown out all kinds of conflicting messages (and no small amount of injuries in our case).

While the summer break has thankfully not given rise to any new stories of financial turmoil, there is still a broad spectrum of budgets in our league - and likewise ambition. Worcester, a little more humble than last time around, will of course be aiming to bounce straight back to the AP. With the money men behind them and Andy Robinson still at the helm, Bristol will once again be aiming for the top (and hoping to dodge the banana skins come the play-offs). The team formerly known as Leeds, have kept a really low profile with little game time and an eleventh hour appointment of Gary Mercer -  but they surely can't be ruled out of any promotion race. Rotherham look to have consolidated on their successful campaign of last year and claimed a brace of quality scalps in the friendlies.

In the mid-table Scottish have continued to recruit and will certainly be trying to capitalise on last year's progress up the table. The Pirates are still enmeshed in the search for a bright shiny new home and have a tricky transition away from their long-time funder ahead. It looks like damage limitation at the Mennaye. Bedford and Nottingham, two former stalwarts of the C'ship, had a torrid time last year and will certainly be hoping to put that behind them. How easily things kick in remains to be seen.

Jersey (or their fans) are never short of self-belief, but have dabbled with relegation in both seasons at Level 2. When almost 3 000 turn out for a PSF, you have to take them seriously, but they need to demonstrate real progression if they are to survive long term. There is building work afoot at Billesley Common. Almost the embodiment of the community rugby club, this is a serious statment of intent to remain and prosper at in the C'ship. Doncaster have returned to our league at the first time of asking. A favourite away venue for many, they will be welcomed back - perhaps warily by us as they have also done well against quality opposition pre-season.

Which leaves Albion...

Off the field, the sadly redundant North Terrace has been levelled and we now have shiny new posts of the highest quality. After multiple vists from HQ staff, Plymouth has been given a huge boost by it's selection as a RWC 2015 base. Namibia will use facilities around the city including the Brickfields, Marjons and the RN pitch. 

Following a season which promised much, but ended up delivering little, the jury is to a degree, still out on James Shanahan. Clearly, there was a step change in tactics and thinking last year, but all too often the execution on-field was lacking. Notwithstanding, the "nearly men" managed to amass a healthy stash of BPs to assure a modest improvement in the standings. Quarter finalists in the B&I was a creditable achievement, but the faithful will be keen to see clear further upwards movement in the table this year.

The Old Guard has departed and ambitious youngsters like Dan Mugford have chosen to move on. They are replaced by arrivals from a variety of sources. Shanners (after a successful tour of Georgia with England Counties as temporary Head Coach) obviously has no trouble sourcing new talent, including more DRs from the Chiefs. A captain with excellent pedigree has been appointed. On the  down side, the pre-season has bought a worrying toll in terms of injuries - Declan Cusack sidelined for months is a major setback. Bar Bristol's eight try romp, the results to date in the PSFs have been positive - it just remains to be seen how well the team will perform when the league battle is joined. Bring it on!