There’s something stirring in the Forest.

Whisper it quietly, but the good times appear to be returning for Berry Hill Rugby Club.

After a couple of difficult seasons the club are riding high in Gloucester One and things are looking good at a club that next year will celebrate their 125th anniversary.

“Yes, we’re doing alright at the moment,” said Adey Powles, who coaches alongside Mike Stubbs.

“We had a couple of tough years and have had to rebuild the team. We’ve got some new young lads and a few additions and whatever level you’re playing, if you’re winning everybody is happy.”

They certainly are and none more so than Powles who is Berry Hill through and through.

So too is Lee Osborne, who like Powles is a former player. These days he’s the club secretary and he said: “They’re looking a good team. We’ve got some good experienced players – Ben Lewis, Andy Wright and Michael Griffiths – and we’ve got some good youngsters like Danny Harris and Joe Lewis.

“Hopefully the club can keep moving forward with coaches Adey Powles and Mike Stubbs.”

The now 50-year-old Powles was a prop for Gloucester in the late 90s but although proud of his time at Kingsholm, he is keen, like Osborne, to look forward and not back.

Powles coaches the forwards and Stubbs looks after the backs and Powles added: “Some of the youngsters are doing very well. We’ve got quite a lot better organised, we’re training better and they’re all playing well together.

“We’d love to get into Gloucester Premier next season. Longer term we’d like to get into Western Counties North but that’s not going to happen overnight, we’re a village team. The Western Counties League is our realistic target but you need a special bunch of players to make that happen.”

That special bunch may already be at the club because there are plenty of juniors coming through the ranks.

“We’ve got age group teams from under-6s through to under-16s except for the under-15s,” said Powles, “and we’ve got eight or nine players from our under-14s in the Gloucester development squad.”

Powles has a particular interest in that age group because his son Jake plays for them.

“He’s a scrum-half,” chuckled Powles. “He’s a bit quicker than I was, he must get that from his mum!”