WITHAM Rugby Club were proud to be placed among the cream of England's clubs as they attended a gala event at Twickenham for the 2016 National Rugby Awards.

The Spa Road club had received nominations in two categories at the prestigious awards and had beaten hundreds of clubs from all over the country to make the final shortlists in the Coach of the Year - for coach Adrian Cuthill - and Youth and Mini Section of the Year categories.

And while they didn't win in either, Witham president Nick Redfern said there was plenty of pride at making the final six in both.

He said: "We were shortlisted in the final six for the youth award from 250 nominees and out of 200 for the Coach of the Year category and even though we didn't win, that was huge for us to get that.

"It's only the second year that it has been run at a national level and we have now been finalists in both years so we must be doing something right.

"We are very proud of it and it's a great achievement for the club considering what we've gone through over the last decade.

"Thinking of how close we came to closing the doors at one point, this is a major achievement.

"The firsts had their first league game of the season on Saturday and we also had a second team out playing and the whole place was buzzing.

"People were talking about the developments that we've made and there is a really positive momentum about the place."

Unfortunately, that opening Essex League division one game ended in a heavy defeat for Witham as they were beaten 76-0 by Maldon, but having just stepped up to that level from the Essex Merit Table structure and facing an established Essex League side, Redfern felt it was good experience.

He added: "We've gone up from Essex Merit Table Five to playing Essex League One this year and that's a monumental rise.

"We would really want to be playing in Essex League Two, but there isn't a division two and as we want to play league rugby we have to be at the level we are.

"Maldon are going to be one of the strongest teams and from our perspective, it's a massive learning experience.

"Because of the step up, the standard and intensity was something many of our players hadn't experienced.

"You can't coach that; you can only get it by playing and they now know what is needed to compete at this level.

"The experience will have been invaluable.

"It won't dis-spirit the boys, but they now know the tests ahead and we have to make sure we grow as the season goes on."

Witham's next Essex League division one game is at home against Harwich and Dovercourt on September 24.