WELLINGTON Rugby Club has a new chairman following Friday’s annual meeting, writes Mike Brewer.

Last year’s chairman Phil Braddick decided to step down and John Dunbar was voted in as his replacement. Phil was thanked for all his work over the past year and has agreed to take up the role of vice chairman to assist John.

John is Wellington Rugby Club through and through. Having played at junior and colts level he progressed into the senior ranks and made more than 350 1st xv appearances over 16 seasons, captaining the club in the early 1980s.

Since he retired from playing he has been involved in coaching firstly the Colts who won the Somerset Cup under his stewardship and then four successful years coaching the senior teams.

More recently he has been back coaching the Colts together with Allyn Chetland and in four seasons they won the Somerset league twice and the county cup once.

John has also coached at Wellington school for a number of years, but has now stepped away from coaching altogether and will concentrate on steering a steady course at the helm of the club.

Meanwhile Wellington will be without the services of half back Will Brewer who has torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament for the second time in two years and will need reconstructive surgery which will see him out for the season.