NEW Saltash head coach Lewis Wells feels the frustrations of narrowly missing out on promotion for the past two seasons will be driving the team forward in 2024-25.

Wells has officially been appointed as the Ashes head coach this summer after been heavily involved in coaching for the last couple of years.

Steve Down will continue as director of rugby, with Steve ‘Albert’ Hall as first team manager and Matt Jones staying in his role as an assistant coach and looking after the second team.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Wells, on his new role.

“Steve’s going to be director of rugby and is still going to be doing a bit of coaching, but he’s mainly going to be dealing with game-day stuff as I will still be playing.

“Our scores speak for themselves; the guys are very good at rugby, so they don’t need too much coaching as such, just guidance.

“We just need to try and push some of the very young, skilful players that we’ve got in the right direction.”

The Ashes have finished second in Counties Two Cornwall for the last two season, just missing out on the title and promotion by the smallest of margins.

They only lost one league game in 2022-23 season and finished with 96 points as they were just edged out for the title by St Ives.

Then last season they scored an impressive 103 points from their 22 league games, scoring four tries in every single match, but still missed out, with Redruth II just pipping them.

“It has been really heart-breaking,” said Wells. “But in a way it’s also been good as the young lads that we have at the club have now had the opportunity to blood into men’s rugby in two very successful seasons.

“There’s been a bit of ‘pick yourself up and dust yourself off’ and this season the young lads have matured as players and they are very keen to get going again.

“We are very fortunate at our place as nearly every single player bar one or maybe two, have come through our youth set-up. We are very lucky to have such good quality.

“It’s just a case of keeping the lads together and trying to get the job done.”

Despite narrowly missing out on promotion, Wells is confident most of the team want to stay.

“Guys are so encouraged to push the team forward that they want to stick together rather than go somewhere else and that’s really good,” said Wells.

“Maz (James Moriarty) as club captain has created a really good environment at the club and I think it has gained a bit of interest and there’s a possibility of a few older heads coming back and that’s mainly due to the club’s ethos and the way we are playing.”

He added: “The season upcoming is looking great. We might be gaining a few players – we normally pick up one or two and have a few colts come up – and we do have a good starting point, that’s for sure.”

Saltash, who won the Cornwall Clubs’ Cup for a second season running in May, will start their 2024-45 campaign with an away trip to St Just on September 7 before hosting Bodmin at home the following week.