Amazing to finish in top spot, says Smith

DINGS Crusaders secured promotion to National League 1 last weekend for the first time in the club’s history with a 69-7 win over Redruth.

The club still have one game to play next weekend at home to Camborne, but the celebrations have already started.

Dings captain Matt Smith told The Rugby Paper: “It was quite overwhelming at the time! It’s nice to see all the hard work the boys have put in over this season and over the years I’ve been at the club rewarded. It’s been great to see us develop year on year. It was hard finishing second last year, but now, getting that first spot is an amazing feeling for all the boys.”

Centre Smith, right, has led his side to an impressive 20-game unbeaten streak and says their success is down to the culture they have formed in the club.

He said: “The core culture has shone through, all playing for each other. I think that’s what makes any good team: making sure we’re all playing for each other and all sailing in the right direction.”

After finishing second in the league last season, this title charge has been far from simple.

Despite the unbeaten streak, Dings were second behind Luctonians for a long stretch but they suffered a a tight loss to Clifton and then again to Chester, so Dings were able to enter pole position and close out promotion with a game to play.

Smith added: “We were up to Loughborough and had an earlier kickoff so we were all glued to social media trying to work out if Clifton were going to win. And then there were huge celebrations on the bus back. They lost again the week after putting the ball firmly in our court, but we still knew we had a job to do.” Next season will be Dings’ first time in the third tier and it will bring with it long away days and tough opponents. Smith and his side have clear ambitions for their first season in the new league. “Staying up is the first goal, but I think we have a strong enough squad to then compete in National One with a few boys having experience at that level already, and we are only going to build on the depth of the squad going forward,” said Smith.

“Most of us are staying, so keeping the core group of guys, ensuring we are playing, and building that culture are the most important things. If you’ve got a culture where everybody wants to play for each other, then results tend to look after themselves.

“We know it’s going to be a step up, with some challenging fixtures, but we’re excited for the challenge.”