As records go, it’s one of the more impressive ones… 37 games played, 37 wins.

That remarkable record belongs to Matson Rugby Club, a record that has taken in league and cup matches and one that has stretched over more than 18 months.

This season they have won all nine of their league games in the newly formed Regional 2 Severn and they hold a nine-point advantage over nearest challengers Thornbury after winning 26-3 at Chosen Hill on Saturday.

And after winning the old Western Counties North last season with the perfect playing record of played 24, won 24, the club would love to match that in the 11-strong Regional 2 Severn this time around.

And captain Tom Porter is, as you’d expect, in upbeat mood.

“A lot of us are born and bred Matson, we play for each other,” he told The Local Answer.

“It’s always been like that but now we’re a bit more disciplined, we’ve got a lot more control.

“You can’t give the referees back chat because they send you backwards, we’ve learned to keep our mouths shut.”

But while they are letting their rugby do the talking on the field, the club have certainly had plenty to shout about off the field because as well as last season’s runaway league success, they also won the North Gloucestershire Combination Senior Cup.

Porter, who took over as captain from the long-serving John Hennessy, was a big part of that double success, of course, but he has been forced to take a watching brief so far this season after having surgery on his knee in the summer.

“I snapped my cruciate ligament, I’m hoping to be back in February,” said the no 8. “I’m in the gym and I feel pretty much ready to play now, I’m running around but I know it’s a waiting game.”

He’s remained very much involved – he’s at training on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as on matchdays – and he certainly likes what he’s seeing on a Saturday afternoon.

“We’re a good all-round team, we’ve got some real good backs,” the 29-year-old said. “We’ve never been the biggest pack but our scrum and line-out has been unstoppable.

“We played Chippenham recently, they were much bigger than us but we pushed them all over the pitch.”

Second row Mike Barton has been captain in Porter’s absence and Porter added: “He’s doing a great job, the boys listen to him, he’s leading from the front.”

So will Porter regain the captaincy when he’s fit again?

“I might have to fight him for it,” he laughed.

Matson’s next league is at Gordano on Saturday 26^th November.