COBRA have targeted an immediate return to the top tier this season.

The Meifod club weer relegated from the first division last season and while welcoming a renewal of rivalries with local sides the club has ambitions to reclaim its lost status as the region’s leading light.

Hywel Jones has taken over the captaincy with Iwan Vaughan stepping aside while Jack Jukes has taken up the vice captaincy.

Jones said: “Our aim for the season is to get promotion back to division one.

“We would also like a good cup run in both the North Wales competition and the Swalec competition. It would be great to end the season having achieved promotion and with some silverware while playing an attacking and exciting brand of rugby.”

The club has retained all of last season’s squad while adding flanker Chris Morris and centres Rich Roberts and Dan Williams while second row Tom Horne also returns to the fold after an absence of several years.

Jones added: “Their is a great feeling in the camp at the minute and the boys can't wait to get started.

“After a few years of long trips to north Wales the boys are really looking forward to getting stuck into the local derbies against Llanidloes, Newtown and Welshpool.

“We start the season at home to Welshpool on September 9 with our match against Llanidloes this weekend postponed as our second row Lloyd Bright is getting married that day.”