RELEGATED Upton are preparing for the new Midlands Four West (South) campaign with a rebuilding programme.

The Old Street outfit have suffered their second drop in three years and are now looking to stabilise for the next few seasons.

Head coach Stuart Brooks has left for Droitwich, with Oli Banwell returning as director of rugby three years after stepping down to concentrate on his young family.

Banwell will be assisted by long-standing players Dan Keyte and Rob Heeley to focus on the backs and forwards respectively.

All three are PE teachers by trade and hope their skills will allow them to focus on getting the basics right.

This is one of the areas Banwell said needs to be highlighted as well as getting the fun back into playing for Upton.

He said: “We have come down to one of the lower leagues in the Midlands and lost a lot of players, not just over this summer but in the past three summers.

“Most of those players have gone on to improve themselves and we wish them all the success.

“We have become a bit of a development club for the bigger sides in the area, like Malvern, Worcester Wanderers and Old Halesonians, and we are proud of that.

“With the players we have left, we need to focus on playing simple yet effective rugby, but more than anything, the focus this year will be enjoyment.

“However, the biggest amount of enjoyment comes from winning so we have to make sure we are competitive.”

Assistant coach Heeley said: “We want people to play rugby for Upton who know what playing for a local, rural side means.

“That is we play for free, for fun and we all muck in together. I urge anyone who fancies that sort of environment to get in contact or come and see what it is like.”

Heeley added: “That’s not to say we don’t take things seriously. We train hard and try to make sure that we look like a top rugby club while maintaining and developing the core values of rugby.”

Upton start with a pre-season friendly on Friday, August 21, under the floodlights at Evesham.

Their first competitive game is on Saturday, September 5, when they travel to Aldridge in the North Midlands Vase.

Their league season begins on Saturday, September 12, at Atherstone with their first home game against Birmingham Civil Service on Saturday, September 19.

Training goes through the summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm until 9pm.