Coney Hill step up to a new level this season with a new head coach and a new captain.

Rhys Oakley heads up the coaching set-up while second row Ryan Stephens will lead the side in South West One West after their Western Counties North title-winning campaign last time out.

It’s a level that Coney Hill have played at before and committee man Simon Baldwin is confident they have what it takes to make a success of it this time around.

Mind you, it’s not going to be easy.

“Lydney have come down and St Ives have come up,” said Baldwin. “Launceston are in the division too so that’s two Cornish trips straight away!

“There are no easy games in this league and I would be very happy if we could finish in mid-table or the top half. We’ve just got to find our feet.

“There are going to be a few teams with far more resources than us but they’ve all got to come to Gloucester… they’ll always receive a warm welcome at The Metz Way!

“What we’ve got to do is make sure we win our home games and try to win a few away.”

The flagship team certainly managed that last season and as well as wrapping up the league they also reached the last four of the RFU Intermediate Cup and the final of the North Gloucestershire Combination Senior Cup.

“If we can show the same attitude as last season we should do okay,” added Baldwin. “We need to have the attitude of let’s go out and give it our all. When we come off the pitch we should have nothing more to give.

“All 18 picked every Saturday have to be up for challenge and if that is the case we’re perfectly capable of doing well in this division.”

Baldwin is delighted that Rhys Oakley has taken on the head coach role. It was revealed earlier in the summer that he has been diagnosed with cancer but Baldwin said: “He’s carrying on in a very professional manner.

“He’s just Rhys Oakley, he just wants to come in and coach the players.”

Oakley, a back row, has enjoyed a stellar career which includes three caps for Wales. He numbers Bristol, Newport Gwent Dragons, Yorkshire Carnegie, CS Bourgoin, Northampton and Birmingham Moseley among his former clubs before joining Hartpury for the start of the last campaign.

And Baldwin is grateful for the support his club receive from Hartpury.

“We have to thank John Barnes and Mark Cornwell,” he said. “Without the continued support of those two guys we wouldn’t be able to achieve what we have achieved.

“They’ve done a great job at Hartpury at integrating them into the local rugby community.”

Oakley, of course, is a big figure at Hartpury and the 37-year-old will certainly have plenty of experience to call on if and when the going gets tough this season. Baldwin expects him to dovetail well with new skipper Stephens.

“Ryan’s been with the club all his life since he was a junior,” said Baldwin. “He’s a good player and will be a good captain providing he can stay on the pitch for 80 minutes!

“Hopefully he’ll starting treating referees as a friend rather than as an enemy!”

And while the rugby structure looks very strong Baldwin is just as keen that those who do so much off the field are given due credit as well.

“Donna Impey and Sophie Barnett do a brilliant job,” he said. “Donna is our bar steward and Sophie is our marketing, administration and sponsorship officer. They make sure the club is full of people drinking!”

On and off the field, it appears that Coney Hill are certainly going places.