Navan face challenging AIL season opener

The pre-season slog is over and now it's time to put the finishing touches to the preparations for the new rugby campaign. Now the real action starts for Navan and the rest of the teams in the AIL Div 2B. On Saturday the first round of games take place and Navan face a tricky assignment when they travel to take on Sligo. The word is that the Connacht side have had a very good pre-season racking up some impressive wins against Corinthians and Buccaneers. Last season Sligo made their debut in the AIL with a young side that have clearly matured and it seems they will not be push-overs or anything like it this time around. Navan have had a relatively quiet pre-season with last Saturday's 34-22 victory over Boyne one of the few games they have played. In that match a number of new players featured including the new out-half Jose Rodriques. He is said to be a very talented, young out-half from Portugal. Over the past few seasons Navan had tried a number of different players in the pivotal number 10 position with varying degrees of success. According to reports Rodriguez is a player who has the potential to bring a lot of know-how and invention to the role and Navan are hoping that his quick feet and even quicker hands will help to maximise the potential in the back-line. The young Portuguese was actively pursued by Navan and is signed as one of two foreign players they are allowed. The other is Tipiloma Kivalu from Samoa who is a prop and while he remains largely untried yet he too is expected to bring an extra dimension to the Navan cause. Among the players with a more local connection who have been re-signed by Navan include Brian McKeever. He emerged up through the under-age teams before going on to have a spell with Lansdowne. Now back working locally McKeever will be available for selection once more in a Navan jersey and will help to improve the strength of the team. Brian Forristal came back to Navan at the end of last season playing a couple of games from his scrum-half position and along with David Delahunt he will be vying for a starting role in that position. Significantly this season Navan appear to be putting a big emphasis on bringing on young players from their vibrant under-age set up and particularly the academy. Among those likely to feature in the forthcoming campaign are John and David Sheridan. They both played in the second-row against Boyne on Saturday while Killian McCourt could be another to feature prominently on the wing. Eanna Brennan is another who will be looking to make an impact in the senior ranks. This is a big season for Navan and for coach Leon Jordaan. This is his third campaign in charge. Last term Navan finished just above the relegation zone and just below Sligo. This time around he will want Navan to pick up more victories with bonus points than has been the case over the last two seasons. On the rugby website www.KnockOn.ie Navan have been tipped for relegation. Apart from anything else that should be motivation enough to avoid such a fate and prove the doubters wrong. According to club PRO Darra MacNamara Navan have good reason to go into the new season with optimism pointing the emergence of young players onto the senior squad. "With the addition of young players from the u-19s and the Navan academy there appears to be options aplenty for head coach Leon Jordaan," he added. After the trip to Sligo, Navan host Instonians and then it's a home game against neighbours Boyne which should prove to be an intriguing contest. For now though the focus is on Sligo at Strandhill on Saturday.