CHIPPENHAM director of rugby John Brown insists his team are under no illusions as to the magnitude of their task as they look to shake off their ‘yo-yo club’ status and establish themselves in the fifth tier of English rugby.

The Allington Field outfit have are back in National League Three South West after flitting between divisions in recent years, last season storming to the South West One East title.

Brown now heads up Chippenham’s coaching set-up, with Shaun Williams, Andy Kyriacou and Jack Howden sharing the load following Danny Thomas departure as head coach last month, with the club yet to decide if they’ll appoint a direct successor.

More immediately, Chippenham have a new campaign to contend with and Brown hopes his team can quickly get to grips with National League Three rugby once again and hold their own this term.

“Danny went a few weeks ago because he needed a break from coaching and our new set-up has thrown up a few extra challenges, as you would expect, but I think we’ve got one of the best coaching set-ups around,” said Brown, who joined Chippenham from Swindon in May.

“We have traditionally been a yo-yo club in recent years but we want to establish ourselves.

“We’re under no illusions - it’s going to be a challenge. The physicality of National League Three is immense and we have to stand up to that, which will be even tougher in the first month of the season because we’ve got some experienced players missing.

“But I’ve been impressed with some of the young talent coming through at the club and there’ll be an opportunity for some people to stake their claim for a place early on.”

Chippenham have recruited centre Owen Waters, who featured for Bath in this summer’s Premiership Rugby Sevens series, as well as centre Sam Palmer, utility back Ben Meaden from Bournemouth and fly-half Cameron Brown from Swindon.

They start their season with a trip to Newton Abbot on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the club have announced a major new sponsorship deal with local lightweight roofing company Metro Tile UK.

The biggest sponsorship deal in Chippenham’s history will allow the club to provide matchday shirts for every player, rather than solely the first XV. For more information about the club, see pitchero.com/clubs/chippenham.