With Kingswood returning to Gloucester 2 after a 5 season absence, we thought we would give you a team-by-team guide to what we can expect from this season. Today it’s A through K, as we look at the first 6 teams in the league.

Aretians

Last Fixture: 12th March 2011

Result: Kingswood 19 – 8 Aretians

About Aretians: It doesn’t seem that long ago, but it has been 4 years since these 2 teams last met in a competitive fixture. Back then, Joe Jones-Griffiths was laid up in hospital due to a horrific kidney injury sustained in the previous match at Painswick and Dave Tomlin was still unavailable after breaking his ankle in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. The game was a bit of a pig to watch, but Kingswood won thanks to tries from Paul Allen, Steve Ridgeway and Mark O’Connell.

Aretians finished 5th in Gloucester 2 last season and have a team that enjoys a drink in the bar afterwards!

Ashley Down

Last Fixture: 4th January 2014

Result: Kingswood 27 – 13 Ashley Down

About Ashley Down: There was a time when it felt like Kingswood and Ashley Down were playing each other every week, in fact, this reporter recalls a season that featured 2 league and 2 cup fixtures. Always a tough forward battle, Kingswood won the last encounter with a bonus point home victory. Tries coming from Mark Oakley, Damien Crosswell, Andy Watts and Lewis Voisey. Ashley Down finished 7th in Gloucester 2 last season.

Bristol Aeroplane Co.

Last Fixture: 30th January 2010

Result: Kingswood 35 – 0 BAC

About BAC: It’s been 5 years, but memories of that small pitch still haunt some club members to this day. Whether this has changed, we will have to wait and see. In the last fixture back in 2010, it was a 13th straight league victory for Kingswood as tries from Dave Vince, Dean Stephens and 2 each from Damien Crosswell and James Willmott finished off a cracking performance. Some past names appearing in the starting line-up were Steve Trevelyan, Vince Murrell, Robert Lamb and Gareth Pond! BAC finished 9th in Gloucester 2 last season.

Broad Plain

Last Fixture: 9th March 2013

Result: Kingswood 43 – 0 Broad Plain

About Broad Plain: It wasn’t that long ago that Broad Plain were battling it out in Gloucester 1 with Kingswood. The last fixture coming in March 2013 when Kingswood were riding high on a wave of great feeling and this win pulled them out of the relegation zone and into safety. It was a 7 try victory for Kingswood with Nick Coe, Mark Oakley, Lewis Vosiey and 2 each from Dan Hawkins and Paul Ford securing an easy win. Despite being in Gloucester 1 in 2013, Broad Plain just escaped relegation from Gloucester 2 last season by the smallest of margins. Broad Plain finished 10th in Gloucester 2 last season.

Cotham Park

Last Fixture: 8th January 2011

Result: Cotham Park 10 – 29 Kingswood

About Cotham Park: Another team with a pitch on the small side, the last time these 2 teams met was when they had both just been promoted in Gloucester 1. Kingswood won the away match thanks to tries from Damien Crosswell, Lewis Voisey, Joe Jones-Griffiths and 2 from James Willmott. Kingswood went on to secure their highest ever league position, finishing 5th. Sadly for Cotham Park, they were relegated along with Aretians come the end of the season. Final position last season: 8th

Kingswood

Last Fixture: N/A

Result: N/A

About Kingswood: Returned to Gloucester 2 for the first time since 2010 after a disappointing Gloucester 1 campaign that saw them secure only 5 wins all season. However, it was the end of the season that players and fans remember the most. A crisis players meeting cleared the air and the following Saturday, Kingswood shocked league champions Longlevens with a stunning performance and a deserved 20-12 home victory. It was too little, too late for Kingswood, but they finished the season on a high knowing what they need to do next season.

Join us tomorrow as we look at the final 6 sides that Kingswood will face next season.