OLD ALBANIAN Rugby Club has announced that Andy Holloway will take over from James Shanahan as head coach with immediate effect.

Holloway spent last season as the team’s specialist scrum half coach under Shanahan so the club is hoping for a seamless change to the regime

Holloway said: “The second year in a new league is normally more difficult than the first because most of your opponents have had the opportunity to take a close look at how you play. You are no longer an unknown quantity.”

“We may want to add even more variety to an already varied playing style to combat this. There will certainly not be wholesale changes.”

The father-of-one has plenty of playing experience at National One and above having spent several years with Bedford Blues. He was subsequently player-coach at Southend. He also teamed up with Shanahan last season on the coaching staff at Cambridge University and both men have an expansive approach to the game. He is very keen to start helping Albanians to develop their impressive start in National One.

Also announced at the AGM was the appointment of Rory Davis as Chairman. He paid tribute to Nick Hallett who held the post for the previous twelve months. Bruce Millar is to take the role of Director of Rugby.