KENDAL’s season has been underpinned by the emergence of several younger players with Director of Rugby Steve Whitehead keen to highlight the performance of loosehead prop Glen Chesher.

After suffering a serious ankle injury and missing the majority of last season, Chesher has returned to the fold and disrupted the Mint Bridge side’s familiar front row line-up.

Starting Kendal’s last seven games at loosehead, including Saturday’s clash at Liverpool St. Helens, Whitehead believes this season was the perfect time to blood the next generation.

“Chesh was playing some great rugby before breaking his ankle and he’s very much getting back into form - I thought he was fantastic at the weekend and absolutely destroyed his man,” he said.

“It’s definitely pleasing to see a young lad coming through to take over the mantle and it’s a big thing coming back from injury and Chesh is working hard and seeing the results.

“We’re looking to secure the club’s future and this year has been about consolidation and development and there have been many occasions we could perhaps have fielded a different side.
“It’s a constant balancing act but you’ve got to prepare and develop the squad and that is what this year has been about – although there is definitely a compromise as you go along.

“You ask a lot of these lads in terms of training and commitment and they need to see you’re backing them and there’s a future for them.”

Billy Coxon has clocked up more than 430 appearances in a Kendal shirt having been a mainstay in the Kendal pack for the best part of a decade.

And Whitehead believes the desire of Coxon to assist Chesher in his progression and in turn help Kendal shape their future is a distinct measure of the man.

“It’s a mark of Billy that in his penultimate years he is standing aside to help the young lads come through,” added Whitehead.

“Alongside Richard Harryman he is quite capable of being the best prop in the league above but Billy’s attitude is he’ll help bring Chesh through.

“It’s his intention to play when and where needed next year and assist Chesh in reaching his full potential.”