CHIPPENHAM start the season with a new coach and new skipper as they try to bury the disappointment of missing out on promotion last season.

An excellent South West Two East campaign saw them finish second in the table behind Marlow sending them into a winner-takes-all clash with Forest of Dean side Berry Hill.

But their attempt to send departing coach Pete Beazer off in style failed in heartbreaking fashion as Hill won 20-5 at Allington Field and claimed the prized promotion slot into South West One.

Chippenham consoled themselves by demolishing Walcot 39-10 to win the Bath Combination Cup for the first time.

But with new coach Dorset & WIlts RFU development officer Matt Sheppard now at the helm, they have every intention attacking the top prize again.

Last season's leading league try scorer Rupert Crockett has been handed the captaincy and former Blackheath fly-half Riz Ridsdel plus prop Wesley Newson have arrived to bolster an already-strong squad.

Yet the backbone of the squad remains, with Sheppard insisting only the direction of the coaching has changed.

'Myself and the coaching staff have wanted to maintain Chippenham's style of attacking rugby, while introducing more options elsewhere,'' said Sheppard.

"We've built on what the players are good at and so far the results have been very good.''

Chippenham took on Berry Hill in a friendly again last week and, while it ended in another defeat, the positives were there.

"Our defence was fantastic in that game, Berry Hill never broke through us and only scored from close-range lineouts.

"When we got the ball we looked dangerous, but we're being realistic.

"Swanage, Dorchester and Maidenhead have all come down and Oxford Harlequins come up and they are strong sides.

"It will be difficult but I'd like to think we can get a top three finish.''

The club's second string will continue to play in the Bristol Combination Merit Table under new captain, stalwart Kenny Brown.

For the first time, the club's third team under the captaincy of Nick Burroughs will enter into the league action as part of the Bath Combination Merit Table.

The club's Development squad also enjoyed great success last season and have ambitions to make a clean sweep of both the Under 18 Dorset & Wilts and Under 19 Bristol Combination leagues.