RUGBY: Thornbury head coach Rob Higgitt calls on his side to step up next season

The club came agonisingly close to promotion in April, losing a play-off for a place in the National League structure with Salisbury by just two points.

They reached that play-off by finishing second in the table behind champions Camborne which was their highest ever league position.

Now, as the squad get back together following the summer break, Higgitt will have the bulk of his players to call upon.

And he declared: “It starts again now and there is a desire from the boys to go one better than last season.”

But Higgitt warned fans not to expect Thornbury to come out of the blocks with all guns blazing in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Although the squad have kept themselves in shape during their two-months downtime from rugby, it is all about getting match fitness and game plans right in the opening weeks.

“We were on a good run last season but it will take us a while to get on it again,” said the coach. “Everyone in the league are taking strides forwards so we cannot stand still but have to push on.”

Thornbury have, though, lost the services of try-machine Jak Evans who has got a job in the Hampshire region.

Higgitt added: “He will probably find a club down there to play for.”

However, Thornbury have seen a couple of new players from the Chippenham area turn up for training.

So the head coach and his management team will be gearing the squad up for the start of the next season in training and via three friendly matches. One is against tough National League Three South West outfit Dings Crusaders, another is against Gloucester-based Tribute South West One East team Old Centralians plus one other fixture to be arranged.

Those matches are preparation to meet Kingsbridge at home in the league on September 3 as the campaign gets underway.

Yet already Higgitt is happy with the early signs. “It is taking shape,” he said. “We have a young group of lads and they have stayed in good shape over the summer.”