THE NEW rugby season in Co. Carlow got under way last week on continues this (Tuesday) evening, at Oak Park under new coach Johnny Burns, and neighbours Tullow welcoming 19 players to Blackgates to prepare under Padraig Brennan and Mark Cody with Sean O'Brien also in the wings.

The Carlow club issues a welcome to all who wish to play and will have training every Tuesday and Thursday after that and with the possibility of Wednesdays also in the run-up to the first action, the Gorey Sevens on Friday.

The club will host French club As-long-bridge on August 23 (7pm) and Monkstown on August 28.

Co. Carlow will be without lock Damien Carley who is to return for another stint in Australia while another second row Wes Whitten moved to Portarlington as coach, replacing Burns who had a very successful last season at Lea Road. Richie Whyte is believed to be heading for the US.

Gordon Roe who was on the senior team management last season is the new coach in Birr.

Back as a junior club after 13 terms in the AIL, Co. Carlow will depend on local talent as they tune up for the Leinster Junior l Division 1 (matches on Saturdays), that competition opening with a home fixture against Coolmine on September 18; the first of nine league games before Christmas.

Carlow begin their South East League campaign when hosing Gorey on September 3 and are home to New Ross the following week.

Coach Burns ran more than 20 players through fitness and skill sessions last week but was missing several players who were involved in the Carlow Crusaders Rugby League team to have played the Leinster final on Saturday.

"It's difficult to know how we'll so as I have not seen all the players yet," adding that the players are enthusiastic and positive and included several under 19s.

Co. Carlow has taken the decision to stay local as much as possible for players with chairman of selectors Harry Sothern who says: "We're a community club again and won't be tempted to go to the highways and byways as in the past, not that we could afford it anyway."

He is delighted at the outstanding success of the recent Tag Rugby competitions which promises to have a knock-on plus for the club.

A club survey of those who competed (male and female) over the series drew more than 100 replies with 80 per cent anxious to be further involved in the club, more than 20 males willing to become players and between 30 and 40 willing to contribute as committee members.

Tullow will apparently struggle for some time with a number of their players still involved with neighbouring GAA clubs which could leave them a tad uncompetitive for their opening match with Enniscorthy. They did not lose an opened home to the Co. Wexford foe for nine seasons until last year and they are not anxious for a repeat.

Tullow team manager Mark Cody expects to have the same suspects again this season but front row Louis Kilcoyne is heading to Australia for three months after the opening league game which will keep him out of frame until almost the New Year.

"It's hard to know how we'll be fixed immediately but with no new players it's a big ask to expect the same lads year in and year out. It's hard to know how we'll do in he short-term because we don't really know who we'll have, but I expect they'll all be back eventually."

They still expect to retain Kiato Bloomfield but may lose Donal Haskins to the retirement sideline, "although he tells us that every year" quips Mark.

- PAUL DONAGHY