In the end Cinderford didn’t need to win at Bury St Edmunds on Saturday, but win they did to clinch the National Two South title in style.

They didn’t need the extra points because their only rivals for the title – Chinnor – were crashing 52-29 at Canterbury in a game they had to win to have any chance of pipping the Forest of Dean club to top spot.

But the fact that his players dug deep and made it 15 wins out of 15 on their travels this season – and 73 points out of 75 – delighted Cinderford director of rugby Paul Morris.

“We were aware of what was going on with Chinnor and it says a lot for the players that they didn’t let that affect them,” he said.

“The Bury St Edmunds tannoy announcer kept telling everyone the score at Canterbury – I think he was hoping we’d take our foot off the pedal!”

Morris admits that Cinderford weren’t at their best in the first half in Suffolk – “We didn’t really get out of third gear,” he said – but they improved after the break even though two tries for the home side swept them into a shock 19-5 lead.
“I couldn’t see where those tries were coming from,” said Morris. “But I’ve always said that while other teams can match the 15 out on the pitch for a period, they can’t match our 20.

“Our bench is very strong and they made a massive impact on Saturday, the changes certainly worked.”

So much so that Cinderford ran in three unanswered tries to ease to a 24-19 victory.

“We were in top gear in the closing stages,” said Morris, “we were absolutely ferocious. We were physically imposing and dominant in every facet.”

And Morris is determined to finish the season on a high when Cinderford host Canterbury on Saturday.

“We don’t want to limp over the line,” he said. “Canterbury are a good side and are another team who like hard ground but we said at the start of the season when we beat them on the opening day that it could be a significant result and so it proved because Chinnor couldn’t match it.

“It will be a party on Saturday and we’ll get presented with the trophy – we’re very, very worthy winners of the league and we’ve gone about it in the right way. There’s been no arrogance, we’ve been very grounded this season.”

And it’s certainly been a remarkable season for Morris, and not just because of Cinderford’s success.

He has looked on from afar with great joy as three of his former clubs – Old Patesians, Cheltenham North and Coney Hill – have all enjoyed great campaigns.

“It’s been a blinding season for me,” he said. “Old Pats and Coney Hill have won their leagues and Cheltenham North are through to a Combination Cup final.

“There are good people at all of those clubs.”

And Morris is just as pleased to see Drybrook win the South West One West title, a title they secured with a 34-10 win at Newent on Saturday.

“What they have done is utterly stunning,” said Morris, “it’s outstanding.”

Cinderford United, meanwhile, travel to Newent on Friday for a place in the Forest of Dean Combination Senior Cup final with the winners meeting Drybrook on Sunday 6th May.