Longlevens have made a pretty decent start to the new Gloucester Premier campaign.

They are up among the leaders in the 12-strong division, but it’s not just their flagship team that are looking good because they are also setting the standard in other areas of the great game that is rugby.

That’s because the club are one of the trailblazers when it comes to mixed ability rugby, a form of the game that encourages anyone and everyone to pick up a ball and run with it.

Darren Nestola is one of the driving forces at Longlevens pushing mixed ability rugby forward, supported by the likes of Ally Donaldson (head coach), Zach Fisher (backs coach), Elliot Fortey (forwards coach) and Jim Jervis (forwards coach).

And between them they are clearly doing something right because there are 45 to 50 players at Longlevens aged 18 to 58 involved in this relatively new concept.

“It’s rugby with a few adaptations,” Nestola said. “It allows people to play rugby with various conditions, whether they be mental or physical, but it’s also for able-bodied players.

“It’s for anyone 18 and over – male or female – and it really does cater for anyone; players who want to return to the game, vets, those who have never played the game and want to give it a go. It covers all bases, it offers complete inclusion.”

So what are the adaptations?

“Scrums are passive,” explained Nestola, who is lead mixed ability rugby coach at Longlevens . “And those who can’t take contact for whatever reason – work, disability – wear a bib and instead of a tackle they take a touch. Apart from that it’s all guns blazing rugby.”

Mixed ability rugby is now in its fifth year at Longlevens and Nestola, a former centre with Gordon League and St Julian’s High School Old Boys in Newport, has been coaching the group for the past three years.

And it clearly is a team effort at the club.

“Chris Yorke, who is emigrating to Australia this year, has played a massive part in all things inclusive at the club,” said Nestola.

“And his successor as chairman, Rich Bennett, is carrying on the legacy he will leave behind.”

And it’s some legacy.

“The nearest club we play is in Worcester,” said Nestola. “We travel to Llanelli, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. But we don’t just travel to Wales, we go up and down the UK to play like-minded clubs.”

They have a captain too – Jair Fountain – and Nestola says this new development in the sport is a win-win for everyone.

“It’s absolutely huge, quite apart from for the players themselves,” he said. “I don’t think people have realised all the benefits. We’ve had six or seven players go on to play for the club’s 3rds or 2nds, it’s a natural step for the able-bodied players.

“Then there’s the financial benefits. With a 45-strong membership the clubhouse is buzzing, it’s how it should be.”

Nestola is a big part of that, of course. He still plays for Longlevens vets even though he is well into his 40s, and also plays for charity teams Eggchasers and Scotty’s Little Soldiers.

So how did Nestola get involved in mixed ability rugby?

“I was invited along to Longlevens by one of the players,”  he explained. “He said they needed a backs coach. I went to the first session and I was hooked, I loved the camaraderie.

“It was a chance to make a difference, it was old school in its values. Everyone was welcoming and everyone had a smile on their face.”

And those smiles are set to get even wider next year.

“Longlevens are representing the South West in the Mixed Ability World Cup in Cork in June,” said Nestola, who is also a full-time coach in local SEN schools and a franchise owner for Rugby Tots covering Cirencester and Stroud.

“We’re taking a 30-strong playing squad and there will be 15 support staff and supporters. We’ll be playing a team from Wales and one from Argentina.”

And they should be well prepared because they already train every Wednesday and play on average two games a month.

And Nestola believes the future is very bright for mixed ability rugby.

“I think you will see a team in Cheltenham and one in Cirencester,” he said. “In future I think there will be leagues, I can see it taking off and booming. We’ve already got a world cup and what I’d really like is for it to become part of the Paralympics.”

There’s every chance that might happen, of course, and Nestola has another reason for wanting to drive mixed ability rugby forward.

“My son Khyan loves to help out with the sessions at Longlevens,” he said. “He represents Longlevens under-8s at the moment and hopefully I’ll be able to play mixed ability rugby with him when he’s older, my hamstrings permitting!”