Pre-season, a props nightmare!

Just a matter of weeks until the new season begins which means the dreaded pre-season has arrived. Just take a trip down to Stradey and you'll see the squad being put therough their paces by the new coaching team, particularly Brad Harrington and Ryan Campbell, who specialise in fitness coaching and conditioning.

Players are being tested to their limits with much of the training seemingly developed from old fashioned methods, such as continually beating a large tyre with a sledgehammer, dragging weights around and pretty much doing anything energetic until your body gives up! It's also quite encouraging to see a prop (Kees Meeuws) apparently enjoying the training.

Conditioning will no doubt be quite a major factor in the outcome of the season, as it always is, however the added twist this time around is the introduction of ELV's, something Mr Harrington has experienced in the Super 14. Meanwhile the conditioning of the squad will be under close scrutiny for all with one of the alleged criticisms of previous coach Phil Davies being that the squad were possibly losing to much bulk after the fitness programmes.

Now that the first games at Bath and Wasps are fast approaching, it gives us fans a chance, or excuse rather, to go and visit Bath and London (well, Wycombe). Tickets are now available from the Bath and Wasps ticket lines with advanced booking discounts also available.