The feelgood factor is returning to Coney Hill Rugby Club as they look to make it five wins out of five on Saturday.

Cirencester are the visitors to Metz Way for a Counties 2 Gloucestershire North clash against opponents who are the only unbeaten team remaining in the 12-strong division.

They’ve also scored more points than anyone else – 167 – even though they’ve played a game fewer than most of the other teams.

“We’ve made a fantastic start,” said secretary Amy Dunn. “Ryan Barnett has returned as head coach and a lot of new players have come on board.

“We’ve managed to get a 2^nd team out as well, it’s been absolutely fantastic.”

Their start has been all the more impressive because before the current campaign, Coney Hill had endured a number of tough seasons that saw them slide down the divisions.

That was obviously a very difficult time for a club who were established way back in 1947 but Dunn, who has been involved with the club for 14 years and has been secretary for seven or eight, believes the good times are returning.

“Ryan Barnett coming back has been very important, he’s Coney Hill through and through,” she said. “He won’t take the credit – he says it’s all about the club and the players – but he’s made us disciplined. He doesn’t take any messing, if you don’t train, you don’t play.”

The club train on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Dunn continued: “There’s a real momentum at the club. The attitude has changed dramatically, it’s a different club, it’s fantastic.”

One of the players reaping the benefits of the club’s upturn in fortunes is Dunn’s son Kai Turner, an outside centre.

Now 21, he’s come through the club’s juniors – he started in the under-10s – and made his debut for the first-team at the age of 17, and his mum said: “It’s brilliant for him, this is the first season that he’s seeing some great rugby being played.”

Dunn says there’s a buzz about the club off the field as well as on it, so what are the aims for this season?

“To finish on top of the table, I guess that’s the aim,” said Dunn. “Hopefully the momentum we’ve built up continues and we can attract new players.”    

They’ve already attracted quite a few, of course, although Ryan Barnett says that the core of Coney Hill’s 1^st XV from last season remains intact.

“What we’re trying to do is create an environment which helps their self-belief and confidence,” he said. “We had a good pre-season and the numbers were good but it’s still very early days.”

One of the ‘new’ faces at the club is hooker Tom Anderson, who has returned to Coney Hill after a spell with National League Dings Crusaders.

He has taken on the role of player/forwards coach and Barnett said: “He’s brought a bit of quality on the field, and off the field he’s brought an energy and a lot of new ideas.”

And Barnett, a former head coach at Spartans, is also very grateful for the backing he has received from the club as a whole.

“We’ve got a new rugby committee who have been great, they’ve got a good number of younger people on it and they’ve been very supportive,” he said.

Cirencester travel to third-placed Coney Hill in ninth spot having won one and lost four of their opening five games.

Coney Hill could go top on Saturday if other results work in their favour. Leaders Gordon League host fifth-placed Brockworth while Smiths, who are second, travel to Hucclecote, who are five places below them.

Gordon League are two points ahead of Coney Hill and Smiths have a one point advantage, both have played five games.