Verulamians Rugby Club have spent the weekend sprucing up their Cotlandswick home as they prepare for what they could be another successful season.

An army of volunteers, from chairman Ian Graham to the youngest mini, helped as part of the RFU-backed NatWest Rugby Force weekend.

It saw various jobs such as maintenance to the fabric of the clubhouse to de-weeding the perimeter.

They will be hoping to replicate their Herts Middlesex Division One title-winning season of last year and have managed to maintain the nucleus of last year’s squad.

One change sees Sam Perry take over as coach from Sam Townsend.

He said: “The upcoming season is really exciting for me personally and the team as a whole. We’ve had some new faces down at pre-season training already so word must be spreading of the amazing strides the Vees has made in the last few seasons.”

Training has begun in earnest down at Cotlandswick on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the club have announced pre-season friendlies against Watford and Fullerian 2nds.

Their season gets underway properly with a trip to Datchworth on September 9 with the first home game against rivals St Albans a week later.