Cinderford Rugby Club have signed three new players in readiness for next season.

The 2016/17 campaign may only just have ended but director of rugby Paul Morris has wasted little time in adding to a squad that he hopes will compete for the National Two South title next season.

The new signings – centre Jack Hayes, from Rotherham, tighthead prop James Elliot, from Birmingham Moseley, and wing Kai Little, who has just finished his studies at Hartpury College – will all report for pre-season training when the rest of the squad return on Tuesday 27th June.

Morris is pleased with his new captures.

“Jack Hayes is a good player and a great age,” he said. “He’s only 26 and he’s a Matson boy who is coming back to retrain as an electrician.

“He’s been on a full-time contract at Rotherham and can play on the wing or in the centre but we see him as a centre. He’s a great signing for us.”

Morris knows Hayes – the son of well-known former Matson back row Aggsy Hayes – from the days when he was in charge of Gloucestershire’s under-20s and Hayes should have few problems settling in at Cinderford because his sister Jenna marries club captain George Porter in a couple of weeks.

Elliot, meanwhile, is coming in as a direct replacement for James Tideswell, who is moving in the opposite direction to join Birmingham Moseley.

“In effect it’s a straight swap,” said Morris. “James Tideswell is moving for geographic reasons and James Elliot lives in Gloucester.

“He’s an ex-Hartpury boy and has played for Old Centralians and also had a season with Rotherham. He’s another who is a good age.”

Little has already made his mark on Cinderford, scoring a try for Hartpury College when the teams met in a National One clash in November 2015.

“He’s had a bad knee injury since then but he played a few games for Hartpury Bucs at the end of the season and is now fully fit,” said Morris.

“I was impressed with his attitude during the negotiations and Mark Cornwell tells me he is a good player which is good enough for me.”

Morris is also delighted that the club have successfully completed negotiations with Gloucester that will allow them to again have access to some of the Premiership club’s academy players next season.

“It’s a good deal for both parties,” said Morris. “Obviously we get their players but I think we’re good for them in terms of developing them as players.

“We get the younger academy players just starting their pro careers and the relationship between us is good for Cinderford if for no other reason than the fact that everyone at Cinderford; supporters, players, staff are all Gloucester fans. We love having them at our club.

“Four of their players – Henry Walker, Ciaron Knight, Alex Seville and Joe Mullis – are off to the Under-20 World Cup later this month and between them they must have played nearly 50 games for Cinderford in the season just gone.

“We’ve played a part in their development and that’s why we dual register them. It’s good that the relationship between the clubs is continuing.”