Ambitious Cinderford Rugby Club have signed three more players as they build up towards the 2017/18 National Two South season.

Two players – tighthead prop Tim Brockett and hooker Nathan Taylor – have joined from last season’s National One champions Hartpury, while back row Harry Hone, who can also play in the second row, has joined from Birmingham Moseley.

All three are in their 20s and director of rugby Paul Morris is hoping for big things from them.
“Tim is a player I was eager to recruit,” he said. “I know him well from my days as a county coach and he is a player and person I respect enormously.

“He is a very good player. At only 28 he still has a lot to offer any team and we are lucky to have him. Last season we struggled with just one recognised tighthead, James Tideswell, on too many occasions.

“With Tim joining James Elliot as our two main tighthead options we believe we have solved that situation. They will work together and will complement each other.

“Tim is a calm and reliable individual and will have a positive influence on our squad. He has a great work ethic and has just completed his first week’s training with us where he has impressed.”

Morris is equally upbeat about the capture of Hone.

“We are delighted to welcome Harry to Dockham Road,” he said. “He is a serious signing and will add real quality and experience to an already good group of back five forwards.

“He will drive up the training standards within the squad and the competition within the squad for a back row slot will be fierce.

“He trains well and sets high standards for himself and others. I am excited by what Harry can bring to Cinderford.”

The acquisition of Taylor has also got Morris purring.

“Nathan has played a lot of good level rugby,” he said. “He will compete with Tom Bozzard and Sam Baker for the hooking berth and that competition will be good for all concerned.

“It is good quality depth in a vital position. He throws in well, scrummages well and is good around the park.

“He is a competitive character who offers additional leadership and we believe he will help to drive up the standards within our group. He is not here to rest on any reputation he has previously gained.”

Brockett is originally from Bristol and played his early senior rugby at Dings Crusaders from 2007-11 and in 2010-11 was part of the Bristol Rugby Academy squad.

He joined Ealing Trailfinders in 2011 and played for the London club for three seasons featuring many times in the Championship.

In 2014 Brockett headed back to the West, joining Hartpury in readiness for their first season in National One. He also became a lecturer at the college at the same time – a role he will continue despite his move to Cinderford.

Brockett featured in Hartpury’s four victories in two seasons against Cinderford during 2014-16 and was part of last season's unbeaten National One-winning squad. He has also represented Gloucestershire at several levels and made his full senior debut in 2010 and earned his county cap for five senior appearances in 2015.

Brockett can also play loosehead and will join Cinderford captain George Porter, Joe Smart, Dino Dallavalle, Jack Williams and another new signing James Elliot as the Foresters strengthen their propping options.

The 24-year-old Hone, meanwhile, is equally comfortable playing at No 8, blindside flanker or second row although he prefers the back row.

He will add serious quality to Cinderford’s back five options. Hone is from Bristol and his father Wayne played for Bristol on numerous occasions.

The younger Hone played all his junior rugby for Avonmouth Old Boys and began his adult rugby with the club. He represented Gloucestershire at several levels including the under-20s and in 2014 made his debut for the senior team against Hertfordshire at Cinderford while still at Avonmouth OBs.

He played in all three of Gloucestershire’s championship games that season and was spotted by Birmingham Moseley and signed for the club that summer when they were still in the Championship.

Hone played several times for Birmingham Moseley in the Championship during the next two seasons including a game against his hometown Bristol in April 2016 at Ashton Gate – a game which also featured current Cinderford flanker Will Keenan at openside for the Midlands club.

Birmingham Moseley were relegated at the end of the 2015-16 season and Hone’s final season with the club was played out in National One.

Hone, an electrician, also featured for the Gloucestershire senior side again in May and played in their wins against Devon and Surrey, scoring the last try of the campaign in the county’s emphatic victory against the Londoners when he also earned his county cap for his fifth senior county appearance.

Taylor, originally from Burton-on-Trent, is a year older than Hone. He played his junior rugby at Burton before heading to Gloucestershire to attend Hartpury College.

He was part of the squad that were crowned National Two South champions in 2014 and was captain of the Hartpury BUCS side that won the BUCS Championship at Twickenham in the same season.

Taylor signed for London Welsh in the summer of 2014 after the club had secured promotion to the Aviva Premiership but his time there was blighted by injury and he re-joined Hartpury in 2016, appearing several times in last season’s National One Championship-winning side.

Taylor also played for Gloucestershire’s senior team in the 2014 county championship when Morris was head coach.