ENGLAND rugby star Ben Morgan believes Dursley’s senior side are benefiting from the club’s successful youth system.

Dursley are hoping to gain promotion for the first time since Morgan helped them reach Gloucester One five years ago when they travel to Bristol to take on Kingswood in their final game of the season on Saturday.

Morgan went onto join Cinderford before making a name for himself at the Scarlets, but some of his former youth team-mates and many others from younger age groupsform the backbone of the current first team.

On a break from international duty before the Six Nations, Morgan watched Dursley win 29-21 at Ashley Down in January and he was impressed by what he saw.

“Anytime I can I go there and see the guys. It’s nice to do that when I’ve got the time,” said Gloucester-bound No 8 Morgan.

“They are playing really well and that’s down to a lot of things, so it was nice to come back and watch that.

“Dursley is a great youth club and there are a lot of guys staying on and playing with the seniors.”

Dursley need a win to have a chance of finishing in one of the top two promotion spots currently filled by Painswick and Brockworth, who meet each other this weekend.

However, victory alone may not be enough as Brockworth can afford to lose if they win a rearranged game game against Cheltenham Saracens, while fourth-placed Newent, on the same points as Dursley, could finish above them if they manage to get a bonus point win.

Dursley’s cause has not been helped by the new bonus point system brought in this season, as no team in Gloucester One has won more games than them (15) and they would already be promoted under the old rules.