GLOUCESTERSHIRE All Golds general manager Pat Evans says that a new club in Bristol is exactly the right move and that the right decision was taken to merge both Oxford and the All Golds.
On the decision he said: “It is a positive step forward in the long term, I think a rugby club should be giving something back to the game. Also with clubs coming into the league now like Toronto and with Bradford dropping down this move just seemed sensible.
“Some people are obviously a bit disjointed about the decision but I believe it is the right one. It will be great to have a club in Bristol where there is lots of potential, and if done right, where education is involved and other factors then it could become big in Bristol like the Wolfpack has been in Canada.
“It isn’t just about money at Toronto, it’s about social media, fan engagement, adding education, it is truly massive and unique and if we can create that in Bristol it will only help the game.”
Evans revealed that both clubs did have the opportunity to carry on in their respective area’s. However both clubs chose to merge and create a new club in Bristol, Evans also batted away any suggestion that both Oxford and Gloucester had been left without a rugby league team.
He said: “Both sides agreed this was the best course of action and so have taken that step. People were involved in the decision making from both sides, it wasn’t a case that the clubs couldn’t continue in their current states, because they could have.
“The people involved just decided that this was what was needed for the area, and to base a team in the biggest city in the region, which will attract attention was the best thing to do.
“There will still be community clubs in both the Oxford and Gloucester area’s and so if people want to play the game their is still that opportunity there.”
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