Stroud Rugby Club are hoping to make it a super six on Saturday.

And there has to be every chance that the Western Counties North leaders, who have won their first five league games, will bank another bonus-point win because they are hosting bottom-of-the-table Coney Hill.

The Gloucester club, for so long one of the stronger teams in the region, have endured a very tough past 13-and-a-half months, a period that included relegation from South West One West at the end of last season.

They have struggled again this time around and are still looking for their first win after losing their opening five games.

Stroud’s supporters won’t be taking victory for granted, of course, but it’s fair to say that there is a real feelgood factor around Fromehall Park at the moment.

“It’s a good time to be at the club,” said Stroud president Russ Hillier. “We’re flying, we’re playing some good rugby and it’s enjoyable to watch.”

And the worrying thing for their rivals is that despite racking up five bonus-point wins and scoring 227 points in the process, Hillier believes there is much more to come.

“We’ve not been able to put out our strongest side because of injuries and unavailabilities,” he said. “Given that, we must be pleased with what we’ve done so far this season.”

Stroud’s form in 2019/20 is a continuation of their improved showing last season when they finished fourth in what is a very competitive division.

“We’ve got a nucleus of players who have been with the club for quite a while,” said Hillier, who is in his 19th season as president of the club. “A lot of them have been here since their school days. They enjoy playing with each other and it shows.”

There are plenty of tough tests to come, of course, with a couple of massive back-to-back games at the end of this month and the beginning of next – they entertain Matson on 26th October and travel to Midsomer Norton 14 days later.

Both those clubs finished above Stroud last season and they are sure to be involved in the final shake-up this time around.

But second-placed Midsomer Norton have already lost one game and Matson two – Stroud have five-point and eight-point advantages over them respectively – and Hillier is clear about the club’s target this season.

“Promotion is something we want,” he said. “It’s something the players really want which is the main thing. If you’re not out there trying to win games, you’re not playing to your potential.”