A NEW constitution, improved communications and the prospect of promotion were all on the agenda as Taunton Rugby Club supporters had the chance to quiz officials and coaches on Wednesday evening.

Steve Collard arranged the open forum in response to the array of comments made online when your County Gazette reported the news that he had assumed control of the club’s finances.

Collard – whose Commsplus firm sponsor the stadium at Hyde Park – fielded questions alongside head coach Tony Yapp, forwards coach Chris Brown and Under-23s coach Julian Graham, who until this summer had been the junior co-ordinator and Colts coach.

In an unusual start, Collard began by reading out the usernames of those who had left comments on the Gazette story in order to establish how many were present at the meeting – responses were not forthcoming.

He then outlined his belief in the need for change in the structure at the top of the club, with a new constitution in the process of being drafted and due to be put before members for a vote in the coming months – specific details are being finalised.

As the meeting went on, a vast majority of questions included reference to the club website and how Taunton go about communicating with members and supporters.

The club stressed a desire to improve on this front, with a new website in the process of being built and set to be unveiled soon into the new season, while they will also look to enhance their social media output.

A similarly recurring theme was the need to bridge the divide between the Titans – the club’s senior first XV playing in National 2 South – and the junior sections of the club.

Several ideas were floated from the floor, including offering free entry to junior players and discounted entry for parents for certain matches and ‘Super Saturdays’ similar to those run at Exeter Chiefs, whereby players who are injured or not involved in the matchday squad run coaching sessions for youngsters prior to first team matches.

Collard ruled out the first – for this season at least – on the grounds that there had been too many freebies and discounts handed out in recent years. Brown and Yapp addressed the second by explaining how it can be difficult to persuade players, who work full-time jobs during the week, to give up their weekends when they are not involved – this also applies to Sundays, when the juniors train and play, as this is the only day off of the week for many senior players.

There was a mutual agreement from both junior and senior coaches to aim to do more and improve relations going forward, however, with further meetings between the two camps set to take place in order to strengthen the ‘one club’ ethos.

With regard to on-pitch matters, Yapp and Brown insisted the financial difference between competing at their current level and the next division up, National 1, would be manageable, in the process dismissing any concerns that the club ‘could not afford to go up’.

Expanding on this, both coaches stressed the need to ‘build a team rather than buy one’, ensuring that there would not need to be a high turnover of players in the event of promotion.

Both believe the squad in place for this season is capable of challenging for such honours - Taunton have retained the vast majority of last season’s side and made some valuable additions, with a big name signing to be announced next week.

Taunton Titans begin their National 2 South season at home to Worthing on Saturday, September 1.