Shifting Sands

AT THE HELM . . . Waterhead new head coach Andy Sands (right) and his assistant Ian Ogden.

RUGBY:

AFTER helping Waterhead gain promotion by a string of impressive displays, Andy Sands is now plotting to cement the club’s place in Division One of the National Conference League.

The 33 year old has been handed the reins at Peach Road and can’t wait for the new season to start.

Sands is the brother of last season’s joint coach Paul Geener who, with Jon Perks, guided Waterhead to runner-up spot in Division Two before both men stepped down.

Sands, who had spells at Oldham RL, Rochdale and Blackpool, is confident Waterhead can hold their own at the higher level.

He said: “Some of our attacking play last season was phenomenal — we probably scored more points than anyone else.’

Sands, a former junior player at Waterhead, knows the local game inside out having reached two National Cup finals with Oldham St Anne’s, winning one.

Never one to shirk a challenge, Sands faces a fight to get back on the field in 2013.

He suffered a bad dislocation of the shoulder in the final game of last season, and is booked in for an operation on February 18 to correct the damage.

“How quickly I get back on the field depends on my rehabilitation,” said the vastly experienced Sands, who is welcoming back Danny Knight into the Waterhead fold.