Cornish Pirates

Birmingham & Solihull

Damson Park will be the new home for Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club for the 2010/11 season onwards, thanks to an exciting new ground share agreement with Solihull Moors Football Club.

The Bees, who maintained their RFU Championship status by winning their final game of the season have signed a three year agreement with Solihull Moors which will see both teams sharing the Football Club's Damson Park facilities.

Located on Damson Parkway immediately adjacent to the Land Rover site, Damson Park is less than 2 miles from Solihull town centre and 3 miles from the Bees' former home at Sharmans Cross Road.

Preparations are already underway which will see both Blue Square North Conference football and Championship rugby being played at Solihull Moors FC's ground for the start of the 2010/11 season.

We're naturally going to have to make a few adjustments to accommodate the Bees, but we are confident that everything will be ready for the start of the new season" said Solihull Moors Chairman Nigel Collins.

We are looking forward to having famous rugby sides like Moseley, Worcester and Bristol here at Damson Park, as well as our traditional football rivals" he added.

The arrangement will be beneficial to both clubs, bringing added revenue and making Damson Park a major venue for both top class soccer and rugby in the Solihull area.

Speaking at a Supporters' Forum event last night attended by well over 200 fans, Bees' Chairman Paul Davidson said,

This is a new and exciting chapter for everyone involved at Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club and we look forward to making Damson Park, with the excellent facilities that it has to offer, our new home."

Bees' first home game ain the RFU Championship at Damson Park will be against Nottingham on the first weekend in September.

Bristol

Chief executive Steve Gorvett has confirmed that he has held talks with his counterpart at Bath, Nick Blofeld, over a potential player-sharing agreement but has denied that Bristol are about to become a feeder club for the Premiership side.

Cash-strapped Bristol are trying to regroup and rebuild after failing to secure promotion back to the Premiership at the first attempt. Pay-cuts and the departures of several key players have forced Gorvett and his management team to consider all available options as they prepare for another season in the Championship.

He told the Bristol Evening Post: “We would certainly not be a feeder club for Bath, no way. But I think it is fair to say that, to develop the strength of rugby in the West Country, Bath are as keen as us on getting Bristol back into the Premiership."

Full story www.thisisbristol.co.uk/bristolrfc

Doncaster Knights

The Knights have signed 22 year-old prop Dan Frazier from Harlequins on a year-long loan deal.

Frazier, a product of the Quins Academy, has been a regular face in the Quins A- League side over the last season and has also been a replacement for the senior side.

London Welsh

Former England international Phil Greening is the new head coach at Old Deer Park after Danny Wilson headed west this week to become the assistant coach at Magners League side Newport Gwent Dragons.

Wilson had been tipped by some to lead the Exiles on a major push for Premiership rugby in the next year but shocked the Welsh hierarchy by handing in his resignation.

He told the Richmond & Twickenham Times: “I have always held the belief that if you get an opportunity to join a club at a higher level you have to take it.

Playing regional rugby and being involved in the Heineken Cup is a massive attraction for me. Newport have a lot of young, talented Welsh players coming through the ranks and I am really excited about being involved in that process.”

He continued: “It all happened very quickly and only came to light over the last week or so. They approached me and it is great to be recognised for the work I have done at London Welsh.

Even so, I have a large emotional attachment to the club and it was really difficult to leave that behind. But these jobs do not come along very often and I had to take it.”

Full story www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk

London Welsh have also ended weeks of speculation by confirming that centre Hudson Tonga`uiha has joined the club from Doncaster Knights.

Nottingham

Dave Marshall has put pen to paper this week to sign his first professional rugby contract ahead of Nottingham's 2010/11 campaign.

The youngster made his first XV debut off the bench in Nottingham's defeat to Plymouth Albion at Brickfields in October, previously plying his trade with local club Paviors RFC.

His first start came against Cornish Pirates in what was a tough game for the Green & Whites but Director of Rugby Glenn Delaney believes there is more to come from the ex-Nottingham High School pupil.

He said: "He had an outstanding first year stepping up to this level. Dave is a product of the Nottingham Rugby Academy and has been guided through that process by John Widdowson and Dave Andrews.

He has made all the right steps to show that he has developed significantly towards his goal of playing professional rugby with Nottingham.

It is really satisfying to be able to offer the first professional terms to a young player - especially one who has come through our system in the way that Dave has. "A lot of credit must go to Paviors RFC in terms of the work they have done with him as a young player.

The news of him signing on with us should show other young guys in the NLD area that there is professional rugby right on their doorstep and it is possible to make that step up."

Nottingham skipper Craig Hammond has urged the club to do all it can to keep director of rugby Glenn Delaney at Meadow Lane.

Delaney has been in charge at the Green and Whites for five years but has earned a solid reputation in that time which has fuelled speculation that he will move on imminently to bigger and better things.

Hammond told the Nottingham Evening Post: “It's good having Glenn here every year. He's an up-and-coming coach. What is he, 37 or 38, and he's got a bag of knowledge. I'm sure he wants to go up too.

The likes of Glenn and Simon Beatham have done so much for this club to get us to where we are. They've working pretty hard.

He deserves success and I'm sure he would love to take us up into the Premiership.

His heart is in Nottingham but you never know what can happen and the struggles we've had in the last few years haven't helped."

Full story www.thisisnottingham.co.uk

Plymouth Albion

Albion report back for pre-season this weekend but numbers are expected to be somewhat depleted with the squad line-up for the new season still to be finalised.

The Herald reports that only Sam Hocking, a close season capture from Polson Bridge, will represent the new arrivals at Brickfields with Canadian duo of Aaron Carpenter and Tyler Hotson away on international duty.

Grham Dawe told the paper: “Some players have been playing all through May and so they need a longer break. A few others are away and some are working.

But we just want to get as many people back as soon as we can and do some hard work with them.

This time of the year is about getting up to speed condition-wise.

We'll get people back and give them specific weight programmes and develop their aerobic base over the next three or so week."

Full story www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/

Worcester Warriors

Jake Abbott has pledged his services to the Sixways club for another season by signing a new one-year deal.

The 22 year-old has been at the club since he was six and has developed into a key member of the England 7`s squad.

He told the club website:

“It is a new start for us all under Richard Hill with some fresh faces coming in. I'm sure the team dynamics will work well and we will now knuckle down for pre-season to make sure we hit the floor running in the Championship.

I have heard a lot of great things about Richard (Hill) and I'm still young with much to offer and a massive challenge ahead of me. He has spoken about wanting people here who will give everything for the shirt and bring a real work ethic - I feel I can do just that.

I know it will be a real battle for a place. Pat Sanderson is a talisman for the Warriors, James Collins is a fantastic player and Neil Best can play right across the back row. But rugby is all about competition and trying to push yourself if you want to be the best.

The Championship will be a stern test for us, but hopefully I can get more games and really put my hand up next season. This is the season to prove to the players and our supporters what I am about and get more game time."

Exeter Chiefs

Former Exeter Chiefs full-back Emyr Lewis has retired from professional rugby after being released by the club last week

www.thisisexeter.co.uk

Coventry

Relegated Coventry have retained the services of Mike Walls and Kurt Johnson as they face up to life in National One

www.coventrytelegraph.net