New gym facility will help Havant RFC chase ‘marginal gains’ and improve sustainability

The auction, held in Victoria last February, raised almost £50,000 for the highest-ranked Hampshire club in English rugby union.

That money has been ploughed into creating a new gym, changing rooms and a physio’s room at Havant’s Hooks Lane HQ.

The club have purchased the ‘Galley’ - basically an old maintenance hut - from Havant Borough Council on a long lease. And, according to former chairman Jon Mangnall, have ‘turned a tired old building into a great changing space.

‘We have also now created an amazing gym facility to allow our players to improve their strength and conditioning and provide the best foundations for success on the pitch.’

Mangnall added: ‘When I took over as chairman 13 years ago, we were pretty much bankrupt - paying players and chasing the dream.

‘We decided a while ago that we wanted to be a sustainable club - not in a green sense, but in the way we built ourselves.

‘We have some great sponsors, but we don’t want to rely on them.

‘We’re proud of what we’ve got. We have 500 kids here every Sunday, and I’d say 80 per cent of the first team squad started off here or are from local clubs.

‘Most of the clubs at our level pay players, but paying £50 or £100 a week … that’s not what it’s about for us. None of our players are paid.’

Havant head coach Will Knight was present at an official opening ceremony conducted by former RFU president Jeff Blackett, who played a handful of games for Havant in the 1970s.

‘It’s a pretty special facility for a club at our level. It’s a phenomenal facility,’ enthused Knight.

‘It’s part of what you get as a Havant player - free access to the gym, that’s pretty significant given what some people pay to be a gym member.

‘It’s all about driving standards. We are very demanding of our players in terms of what we expect on a Saturday, so it’s only right we support them with regards to what they can achieve with their fitness and conditioning.

‘It’s another marginal gain that can help give us an edge.’

Havant also use video analysts and have this season invested in GPS technology for their players to wear during games.

‘Videoing games is one thing, what you do with it is another,’ said Knight. ‘That’s something we’re looking to develop with Portsmouth University. It’s about getting data that you can use to ask questions and making us more professional.

‘It’s all about marginal gains. We are always looking to attract players from other local clubs and beyond. Our promise to them all is that we will try and make them a better player.

‘If that means playing the rest of your career at Havant, then brilliant. But if it means you move on and upwards, that’s fine as well.’