Royal Wootton Bassett’s recent national recognition is reward for more than just the efforts of the first team, says coach Alan Low.

Earlier this week the club were named the RFU’s February Level 6 Team of the Month having won all of their four games to maintain their grip on second place in South West One East.

That February sequence was wrapped up with an important 15-10 at third-placed Banbury.

Though the award is handed out on the basis of the first team’s results, Low was quick to point out it wouldn’t have been possible without the whole club set-up.

“It came as a bit of a shock on Tuesday when the guys saw that going into training,” he said.

“For the whole club it’s a fantastic award. The work that’s gone in not just in the first team but the whole club has been fantastic.

“To say we’re operating at the level we are, one division off the old national leagues, with essentially a home-grown squad with what was at the start of the season 15/16 (homegrown) players, that’s not happened overnight.

“It’s taken a long time to create that conveyor belt and the culture in the club. The first team wouldn’t be there without the seconds and the thirds pushing everybody.

“It’s a whole club effort and a huge accolade for the guys that have put the hard work in over the last few seasons.”

Bassett will set out this weekend to continue their winning run against Buckingham.

Saturday’s visitors sit mid-table in the division but, in their first season since promotion, have caused plenty of stirs, including a thumping 42-13 victory over Oxford Harlequins at the weekend.

Earlier in the season they pushed Bassett close, but the Wiltshire side came home with a 17-15 win.

“Buckingham were fresh up into the league this season and for us, it was a really tough day at the office going down there,” Low said.

“Their results have shown they’re winning an awful lot of games at home.

“The score at the weekend was probably the shock result in the league where they put 40-odd points on Oxford Harlequins who are in fourth and have been going well.

“A real wary one for us, they’ve got a strong kicking game that we’re aware of so we’re going to have to be at our mettle this weekend.”

In Southern Counties South this weekend, Swindon host Combe Down, while Swindon College Old Boys welcome table toppers Grove.