WHO could forget the passion and drama that brought the curtain down on the last rugby season?

Bromsgrove First XV's nail-biting 25-24 victory against Malvern to apparently keep them safe, an achievement cruelly taken away when they became one of five teams relegated from Midlands One.

And Droitwich Spa First XV's incredible 17-8 success, the eight-point winning margin required to propel them to Midlands Three West (South).

Now it's time to do it all over again.

This Saturday sees the start of the new season with Bromsgrove facing Hereford at Finstall Park and Droitwich travelling to Old Leamingtonians.

It is Bromsgrove's first campaign under the guidance of new coach Dean Ball and captain Dave Clark.

"We will have a point to prove," Ball said. "Obviously we will have opposition teams thinking that we are going to be a strong team. It's up to us to show them that we are."

Bromsgrove were promoted from Midlands Two (West) as champions two seasons ago and they expect to be up there again.

Ball, aged 32, added: "I know the players well enough to realise that our first aim would certainly be to be a competitive promotion-winning side aiming to be a top three side.

"It would be very disappointing if we were not in the top three for the whole of the season."

A mixed close season has seen Bromsgrove welcome back former skipper Ross Baxter from Kidderminster along with Danny Malin, James Lloyd-Jones and Cameron Waghorn. Ian Bailey misses the campaign to go travelling.

As for Spa, this is the highest they have ever been and director of rugby, Julian Bailey, is making no secret of the enormity of the task ahead.

"We are under no illusion that the teams we are going to face are good strong sides" he said. "We will be the underdogs. It's a huge step up from where we were last season and we have upped the training to prepare the lads better for it.

"I would be happy to consolidate our position in the league but there's no reason we can't do well in this league provided we come across with the right attitude."

In the close season the Glyn Mitchell Memorial Ground club appointed New Zealander Nick Irwin captain and last season's skipper Simon Mountjoy as vice captain.

Neil Evans is staying on as head coach and Mark Edwards and Ashley Jones have been drafted in as extra coaches.

Bruce Thomas and John Fidoe join the fold while Rob McClean has retired with an arm injury. Prop Ade Spencer is also deciding on his future.