Barking duo on trial with Guinness Premiership side Saracens

15 July 2010

OUT TO IMPRESS... Dave Vincent will play for Saracens in a rugby sevens tournament.

By IAIN LIDDLE

BARKING rugby starlets Dave Vincent and Jack Gash are training with Guinness Premiership powerhouse Saracens this week in an attempt to win professional contracts with the club.

The Gale Lane side have already lost two players to full-time deals this season, with former skipper Adam Kwasnicki and teenage prodigy Craig Ratford having signed with London Scottish, who also play in National One.

Now, two more stars of last year's promotion-winning side also hope to fulfil their dreams of playing full-time rugby.

"They've gone down there to join in Saracens' pre-season training for a week and I believe Dave Vincent is playing in a sevens competition on Friday," said Barking coach and former England international Alex Codling.

"I think it's obviously an opportunity for them.

"Jack's had an opportunity before at Premiership level with London Irish in their academy and Dave is very keen to play as high as he can.

"It's an opportunity for them to have a look at him and for him to get a feel of a professional environment.

"For the boys who have a desire to play at a higher level it's an opportunity to get some exposure and spend some time with Saracens."

Meanwhile, Barking's pre-season preparations have received a boost with the formation of a partnership between the club and both LDG Fitness Centres in Havering, which the coach believes is an example of the ongoing good work being done behind the scenes.

"We've had a good couple of weeks of training and everything is moving forward," said Codling.

"We've just agreed a partnership with LDG Gyms in Chadwell Heath and in Romford so we've been using a lot of those at the weekends.

"That's been hugely beneficial. The boys have been doing their strength training and their conditioning training down there."

"Without question (preparations are more advanced than in previous years). We're a long way ahead.

"We've obviously started a bit behind with the way things panned out towards the end of the season, but certainly there's been a huge amount of hard work and there's a lot of good things happening off the field, which will hopefully complement what's happening on it.