It’s been a traumatic time for Cockermouth rugby union club with the death of popular president David Coulthard, their demotion to the Cumbria League in RFU reorganisation and the decision by coach Chris Wright to stand down.

The main talking point in local rugby union circles has been RFU League reorganisation. Just how badly has it affected Cockermouth?
The decision had a huge demoralising effect on the senior squad at the club and a knock-on effect to the club’s junior pathway who aspire to produce players capable of North West/East rugby. Success isn’t instant and this squad had worked hard since 2014 to gain the promotion and play a higher standard of rugby. However as always, chair Jeff Peet soon got us all back on track and regrouped, ready for the 2022-23 season and all the positives it will bring across the club.

Cockermouth had looked to be a club on the up, what happened when you asked about appealing the decision to relegate you?
Although we gratefully received a visit from the RFU president Jeff Blackett on his visit to Cumbria, who listened to our views and understood the club’s position we have had no direct communication from the RFU at any level, including no response to our letter of appeal in terms of acknowledging receipt or response to our claims.

How many teams were you running at the club, and will you be able to maintain those levels in 2022/23?
As always, we will continue to offer rugby at every age group from four upwards and hope our elders of the game still manage to run out in either 1sts, 2nds or social rugby opportunities.

Under the great work of Stephen Reed, Matt Lynch, Adrian Metcalf and Kathryn Reed, parents and players we are delighted to re-launch our Colts’ rugby for the first time since 2014. Also, thorough the dedicated long-term work of Phil Sutton we hope our girl’s rugby can continue its increasing numbers this season.

Your captain Sam Wilson is joining Penrith. Is there now a danger now you will lose other good players?
There was always a danger of other players making that decision of joining other clubs to play rugby at the level they desired while in their prime.

Sam Wilson joined Penrith very openly, and fair play to their coach Dave Preston for having a chat with us early and he goes with the club’s best wishes.

Fortunately, the other group of players have decided to commit to the Wasps for the 2022-23 season and its great news and we look forward to watching them this year.

You are standing down as head coach but that had nothing to do with reorganisation. Are you able to say why and what role you will now be filling at the club?
I have shared this with the players and ultimately, I am involved with senior men’s rugby to win which takes weekly commitment in both training and match days and I pride myself on trying to ensure my commitment is consistent to this.

I felt it was becoming unfair on my family and businesses to keep this commitment when at amateur level this buy-in isn’t always there.

Also, for the fantastic club players like Adam Brough, James Hunter and John Irving to name a few, these lads have only been coached by me at senior rugby and its time for them to learn other aspects of the game from other coaches.

My main role for this season will be working on the facility development plan to attract funding to develop our site for primarily rugby use but also other users such as school holiday sports coaching, netball, tennis and fitness sessions.

Which brings us onto an obvious follow-up. How is the club progressing towards appointing a new coach?
The club is progressing well with the coaches in place and look forward to launching the 2022-2023 season on Wednesday 13th July at 6.30pm at the club.

Wednesday rugby will take place every week and a Monday session will take place at the brilliant Lake District Barbell facility in Cockermouth.

We look forward to welcoming existing player and new players of any ability or new to the game.

Are there any plans to develop and improve facilities at Strawberry How in the short or long term?
Yes, we are working through a facility development with great success at present

We have installed a new outdoor fitness training area, including a small all-weather training area which is open to the public and getting great use thanks to the local community and Sport England the crowd-funding platform.

We have invested huge amounts into the 1st team rugby pitch and have also started on the second team pitch.

The next phase is to find £65,000 to resurface the Multi Use Games Area which has recently had new floodlights installed by C Lynch Electricals and funded by Sellafield Ltd social impact funds.

If I can throw in a plug – please email cockermouthwasps@gmail.com if you’re interested in supporting our plans in anyway.

Jeff Peet won a new trophy at the club in memory of former captain and president David Coulthard. Just tell us why he was such a deserving winner?
This question deserves an article on its own but in short Jeff Peet’s dedication to the club and how he picked up the pieces from when Grassmoor Sports Complex was running as a business and went bust in 2004, is remarkable.

The club is run successfully by a very small group of volunteers with Jeff at the helm. Over time they have ensured the facility operates on a weekly basis, ensured rugby union remains a big part of Cockermouth and will be in place for the next generation of players.

David Coulthard’s award is about the spirit of rugby and dedication to Cockermouth RUFC and Jeff was a very deserved winner.

Can you just remind us of your own playing and coaching career which I believe straddles both codes?
From an early age I enjoyed both rugby union and league and played/coached both where ever possible.

I played for Cockermouth RU/RL as a junior and represented Cumbria at all ages; was selected for the North of England 18’s and 21’s and was an England U19’s trialist.

I played one season for Workington Town Academy before moving to Warrington (University) and playing for Sale Sharks Academy for two enjoyable years which included the chance to play at Twickenham in the Middlesex 7s.

At senior level I played for Cockermouth in 1999 before moving to Sale Sharks. While at Sale I got the opportunity to play for Lymm.

Unfortunately, I didn’t gain a contract at Sale at the end of the Academy so signed as a part-time professional for Manchester under former Sale players Dave Baldwin and Josh Baxendale.

I had a desire to earn a full-time contract but unfortunately in February 2003, whilst playing against Worcester at Sixways, I dislocated my neck in two places and it required extensive surgery.

In discussion with the surgeon, it was agreed the end of my playing days – sort of.

So, I started coaching early doors but within mostly RL, coaching my best mates at Broughton Red Rose (couldn’t resist playing) to a top of the division side, County Champions in 2006 and working on the RL Performance Pathway.

This progressed to head coach with the successful West Cumbria Under-18s and assistant coach at Workington Town Academy.

I was then fortunate to get a coaching role at Whitehaven RL working under brilliant coaches, the late Ged Stokes, Les Ashe, Gary Hewer and David Seeds and with David Smith, G Burns and Dave Farrell as team manager.

After a tough first season I was proud to lead the Academy with very talented local players to be reserve team league winners and grand final champions versus Featherstone.

The next progression was the opportunity to become a first team coach but a redundancy and my family situation meant I had to turn down the role and brought a natural end to this coaching journey.

In 2013/14 I was delighted to rejoin Cockermouth Wasps in a coaching and off-field role to help with the development of the club.

I didn’t quite hit the 10-year plan but had a great time in achieving what we did and look forward to the continued development of the club in whatever roles I do in the future.

This opportunity also landed me with the forward coaching role for Cumbria Men’s Senior squad and a fantastic programme in 2019 alongside Dan Bowman, James Gough and Gary Hewer.

Finally, what do you feel generally is the state of rugby union in Cumbria?
Cumbria has a fantastic network of volunteers who ensure the game can be played at all levels and abilities.

It is very important we don’t neglect senior men’s rugby and work hard to ensure every club maintains their teams but also great to see clubs working hard on establishing girls/women rugby, touch rugby and walking rugby.

Ultimately society has changed in terms of time available but hopefully club administrators, coaches and players can keep working together to find solutions and putting in the consistent time required to make rugby union the great sport it is on and off the field.

Hopefully the counties top sides can keep progressing in the league ladder to ensure our most talented players have that opportunity.

The RFU supports as many clubs as possible who reach Level 6 to stay there and progress and hugely important that Level 7, Cumbria League 1 and Level 8, League 2 are supported to be competitive leagues and allow players from all over Cumbria to participate in rugby union.

It is great news to see Cockermouth and Wigton RUFC have colts for the 2022-23 season alongside clubs such as Penrith, Carlisle and Keswick so hopefully this continues and very importantly a Cumbria Colts league can be operated leading to the reestablishment of a Cumbria Under-20s side.

While on about player development, hopefully Newcastle Falcons can continue to support the area and provide professional pathways to Newcastle, until one day Cumbria is given the opportunity for a professional side!

#upthewasps