DEFENDING champions Ilkley have a very strong squad available for the finals of the Secure Trading 24/7 at Bath on Saturday, July 28.

The trouble is that they haven't got there yet and will have to take a weakened squad to the Northern regional finals at West Park Leeds on Saturday.

"Ben Magee tweaked a shoulder in a qualifier at Olney last Saturday and about five or six others are unavailable," said a frustrated Ilkley head coach Rhys Morgan.

"People are on holiday etc but that is the way of the world."

Having won previous sevens tournaments this summer at Rascals (Bowden), Wetherby and Caldy, Morgan took his squad to Olney last weekend and were four points down to Coventry in the final.

Morgan added: "Then Ben was injured and a couple of 50-50 decisions went against us, and these things decided it in their favour, but the lads did well to reach the final.

"By doing so we also qualified for the Southern finals, but we passed on that as we are already through to the Northern finals.

"Part of my focus is sorting things out for our sevens on Saturday, July 7, but I am getting coaches ringing me up saying 'Four players have dropped out' or 'Three players have dropped out' or 'Two players have dropped out'."

North Premier side Ilkley may not have a player-coach at the moment, but they have strengthened their back-room staff by acquiring Gary Dempsey from Yorkshire Carnegie as strength and conditioning coach.

Dempsey has also worked with the Scottish Rugby Union, Glasgow Warriors, England Rugby League and Bradford Bulls.

Morgan added: "We would like to fill our player-coach role as quickly as possible and, ideally it would be a back, but with Jimmy Lowes coming on board as well and me pulling my boots on again to help out, we aren't that badly off."

Pre-season training was going to start tonight, but with England playing Belgium in the World Cup, the close-season work will now begin next Tuesday at the club (7pm).