Joel Bond has one eye on the future even though in rugby terms he is starting to get on a bit.

The Tewkesbury Rugby Club captain hits the big ‘three-O’ tomorrow but is part of a progressive leadership group that is trying to revive the Gloucester Two club.

It wasn’t so long ago that Tewkesbury were holding their own in Gloucester Premier – back row Bond can remember those days well – and the aim is to steer the club back to that level in the years to come.

“That’s where a club like Tewkesbury should be playing,” said Bond, who has been around the game long enough to know that although a realistic target, it won’t happen overnight.

“We’re turning the corner, I wouldn’t say that we’ve turned the corner. It is tough at the moment and we’ve had quite a few injuries that haven’t helped.”

Bond is in his 10th season with the club – it’s his first as captain – and is focused not just on the next three weeks and three months but the next three years as well.

“We’re not just concerned about the here and now,” said Bond, “we’re thinking ahead to three years’ time and where we want to be.

“We want to be bringing through players under-25, they’re the future of the club.”

And it’s not just words, the club are putting plans in place to help make that happen.

“We’re working much more with the youth set-up,” explained Bond. “The under-16s and Colts both train with the seniors now. We don’t want to be strangers to them.

“We realise that it can be a bit daunting when they see some of the older players around the club. They look at us and think that we’re big scary blokes but we’re not, we’re rugby players just like them.

“We play tag rugby with them and they learn our calls and it all helps to make it easier when they move into senior rugby.”

One of those youngsters who has made the big step up is Bond’s brother Brodie Cook.

Cook turned 17 in October last year and has quickly come of age. He was one of the motivating factors in Bond taking on the club captaincy.

“I didn’t play much last season,” Bond admitted but once Brodie was 17 I thought, ‘I’ll commit, it’s time to step up’.

“I got myself fitter and took on the captaincy; I wanted to play in the same team as him.

“I’ve got four sisters so to have a brother is amazing!”

And the two have been working very closely on the field with Cook playing at openside and Bond, who usually plays at 7, switching to no 8.

So who is the better player?

“He’ll say he is and I’ll say I am,” laughed Bond, before adding, “he is going to be very good.

“He played for the Gloucester Academy and he’s in the current county squad which is not something I ever managed.”

Bond learned his rugby at Tewkesbury School and then played for Bredon Buzzards and Cheltenham Colts – where is was captain – before joining Tewkesbury.

He’s halfway through his season as captain, a campaign which has coincided with him becoming a dad for the first time – partner Charlotte Baker gave birth to Maddison in the summer.

So how long does he plan to continue as captain?

“I’m not sure,” he said. “It’s a big commitment.”

What? The captaincy or fatherhood?

“Both,” he laughed.