MORALE is at an all time high in the Swindon College Old Boys camp as they prepare for a derby match with Cricklade in the Dorset & Wilts 1st XV Vase.

College have made a flying start to the season after progressing through the first stage of the cup beating Westbury, before securing back-to-back league wins against Chipping Norton and Chesham which left them top of the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier Division.

Now head coach Mark Lea must prepare his side to host Dorset & Wilts 1 North outfit Cricklade in a competition he has targeted to produce silverware this season.

“The morale in the club is on a real high at the moment,” said Lea.

“We took an opportunity to have a players meeting on Tuesday at Next Generation and we had 40 players turn up.

“The two coaches delivered a presentation on what we had done well this season and where we could have done better and we allowed the players to have their say.

“It was a really good meeting and everyone left the room with an even more positive mindset than before.

“Cricklade are a good side and have a good coach in Simon Howse, who has a good reputation locally and a lot of my players know him.

“It is a derby I suppose and we know they will be well organised outfit and it will be quite difficult.

“It is a cup we are targeting as much as we are the league, so this is a chance to progress.”

The first XV had last weekend off which gave the seconds a chance to stake a claim for a step up and they made the most of it rolling over Sutton Benger 40-18.

The win was so convincing that College were able to change their entire front eight in the second half and as a result hooker Adam Davies and winger Dan Cooper have been handed a place on the bench for this weekend’s cup game.

“The seconds won their first game in 15 which is fantastic and has just added to morale,” added Lea.

“What we are trying to do is recognise players that perform well in the second team and bring them up to the first team squad to give them a chance.”