New coach Brooks brought in as Maids aim to bounce back after relegation

MAIDENHEAD Rugby Club’s promotion campaign for next season stepped up a gear this week, with a major reshuffle in the coaching set-up.
Last year’s head of rugby and 1st team manager Simon Edwards has moved upstairs to take over from Grahame Fisher as the club’s chief executive.
Fisher moves sideways to take over the role of commercial manager, but the biggest news of the week was the appointment of a new coach.
Edwards said: “Tony Brooks has been brought in as head coach.
“He’s a big signing for us, as he was our first choice right from the start.
“He’s looking forward to the challenge and will have the club’s full support.”
Brooks certainly has an impressive rugby pedigree, having been awarded a Cambridge Blue, before going on to captain Rosslyn Park and win an international cap for England A.
And, along with Brooks, comes a whole new approach to the way Maidenhead train and play, as the new coach will have the relative luxury of two assistant coaches and a fitness coach.
Edwards said: “I never had that when I was in the job and it was a real nightmare.
“I just hope my experience of trying to run a side without much help is a lesson learned.”
Edwards was also delighted to have landed himself an active role within the club and has wasted no time in setting up a new rugby committee to oversee Maidenhead’s renaissance.
He said:” I was asked if I would take the job six to eight weeks ago.
“I had no plans to leave the club and I wasn’t going off to coach elsewhere, so I said yes. I decided I wanted to be part of the new set-up.”
There was also good news on the player front this week, as the club announced that fearsome Samoan No.8 Ray Malesala has agreed to stay with the club for another season.
Edwards said: “It’s all happening. We have retained the services of Ray Malesala and we are actively recruiting new players. We are also trying to form partnerships with local universities and have been going out talking to them.
“As far as I’m concerned we are going to bounce back very, very quickly. We don’t intend to stay in South West 2 for long.”
Amazingly, preparations for next season begin on May 30, when all players are expected to attend fitness assessments at the club.