AN appeal has gone out to local rugby players to come back to the pitch for Cardigan RFC. With the new season starting this weekend, the town rugby club has only a small nucleus of experienced team members.

Many excellent local rugby players are refusing to commit themselves to the team.

Club chairman Jon Lewis, in an exclusive statement to the Tivy-Side, said: "Cardigan Rugby Club are experiencing difficulties in filling some key positions in the squad for the coming season. "The loss of players to division one clubs, due to the reorganisation of Welsh rugby, is a blow, but there are excellent local players out there who, for one reason or another, are not committing themselves to play for their town.

"Without naming names, I am calling upon those players to come forward and say 'count me in'.

"This situation is frustrating as there is a very strong nucleus of experienced players as well as some extremely promising youngsters who have worked hard since early July to get themselves ready for division two rugby - the highest standard that we have ever been involved in.

"The rugby club is a major source of pride to this town and also to the 140 young players in the junior and youth sections, a lot of whom will make the grade in the future.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the players who have remained loyal to Clwb Rygbi Aberteifi."

o The first game of the season is Felinfoel away next Saturday. The bus leaves the rugby club at 11.30am. All supporters welcome.