Over 24 players have now re-signed for Fylde ahead of the 2022-23 season. The next trio to be announced is made up of prop Matt Ashcroft, back Ben Turner and flanker Ben O’Ryan. With the start of pre-season training set for Tuesday, 28th June, the next fortnight will see the gradual release of further news of re-signed and new players.
MATT ASHCROFT
Powerful prop Matt Ashcroft has had a gradual introduction to National League rugby since leaving Kirkham Grammar. After Adam Lewis’ temporary retirement at the end of the aborted 2019-20 season, Matt played an influential role in a group of five young prop forwards who were rotated through last season, plus Adam Lewis who returned to the action.
Matt followed the path of his elder brother Nick, playing rugby at Standish High School before moving to KGS for 6th Form study. The 22 year old made his debut against Sheffield Tigers at the Woodlands in September 2018. Over two seasons he’s made 50 1st XV appearances.
Matt, 6’3″ and 110kg, usually a tight-head prop, is a big presence in tight and loose exchanges, and is very mobile. The latter characteristic was demonstrated perfectly in March against Sheffield Tigers at the Woodlands. His startling 40m race to the line was selected as N2N’s ‘Try of the Week’ by the National League.
His leadership potential was recognised by skippering Lancashire U’20s in the 2019-20 season and he has also made the North U’20s squad.
BEN TURNER
Ben, 22, attended St Joseph’s High School in Bolton and grew up learning his rugby skills through playing at school and at club level for Bolton Rugby Club. He studied at Myerscough College and along the way represented Lancashire U18s and 20s, and trialled for North England counties. He joined the University of Bath and played for the University in positions from fly-half to full back and wing.
Ben linked up to the Club in the summer of 2021 through joining the coaching staff of the Fylde Rugby Community Foundation under the direction of Head of Community Coaching Phill Mills. As a by-product, he also joined the Club as a player.
He made his 1st XV debut on the left wing against Wharfedale in October. In fact, this was his senior league rugby debut, full stop. He had a sound game against the Green Machine. In the 69th minute Fylde were attacking and just outside the Wharfe 22m line. Greg Smith launched a delightful long chip kick to the left corner and Ben took it on the full and dived into the corner for a superb try.
In all last season he made 16 1st XV appearances, either on the wing or at fullback, and scored five tries.
BEN O’RYAN
Flanker Ben O’Ryan played for Blackburn RU until he was 16 and later attended Myerscough College where one of his lecturers was former Fylde head coach Warren Spragg.
Ben, who is 6ft 1” and weighs 100kg, then spent three seasons with the Ballymena club across the Irish Sea and one with GPS in Queensland before joining Fylde ahead of the 2018-19 season. He has played representative rugby for Lancashire and Irish Exiles Under-18s and for Ulster U19 and U20.
In all he’s made 61 1st XV appearances for the Woodlands club in three seasons and had a sabbatical period in 2019-20 on loan at Rossendale.
He is particularly effective in defence, especially at the tackle breakdown, and links well with the back line in attack.