New Bishop’s Stortford captain Will Rogers to lead by example in 2024-25 National 1 season

Will Rogers says Bishop’s Stortford have “unfinished business” as he prepares to lead the side as captain.

The Australian back row, who is going into his third season at Silver Leys, has been handed the armband following the retirement of James Ayrton.

And the new skipper wants his side to learn the lessons from last season’s relegation battle and challenge for a top-six finish in National 1 again - something they achieved in his first campaign.

“Just like after any season, at the end of the day you’re looking at the table,” said Rogers, 27, reflecting on last term.

“There were a lot of games we definitely should have won and were capable of winning, but we just weren’t fine tuned for that 80-minute performance.

“We were in a lot of the games. Yes there were a couple of blowouts, but last year wasn’t a write-off and it did give us a good foundation to build into this pre-season.

“We’ve recruited well by thinking out of the box and exploiting all our contacts.

“I think it’s a good group and we should hopefully be able to build on last year and try to finish in the top six.”

Rogers is delighted to have been named as Ayrton’s successor having worked alongside the inside centre as one of his vice-captains last season.

And he is aiming to take a leaf out of his calm former colleague’s book in order to be with his troops for every 80 minutes.

“I’m very excited. We’ve got a good group this year and I’m looking forward to working with the boys I’ve got around me and TC [head coach Tom Coleman] again this year,” said Rogers

“James was very good and I’ve picked up a lot of things he did well.

“He was very good at keeping calm under pressure and that’s definitely something I will look at improving this year. I got a few yellow cards last year that I wasn’t too impressed with.”

Rogers’ vice-captains this term will be long-serving openside flanker Ollie Jones - who is set to make his 100th first-team appearance in Saturday’s opening game against Leicester Lions - and scrum-half Chris Bolton.

He believes they will work well together as a trio, with all of their different attributes complementing each other.

“Me and my VCs are going to try to set good examples, lead from the front and hopefully we can have a good season,” said Rogers. “I’ve got faith in the calls they’ll make as VCs.

“Jonesy’s very disciplined - he’s in the gym every morning of the week - and he’ll bring that discipline and strong-head side. Chris has a got a rugby brain and he doesn’t like people taking the p***.

“I think they’re two really good leaders who both gel really well in the group and the other boys look up to them. It’s going to be awesome working with them.”

Rogers feels very much at home in Stortford and hopes to be at Silver Leys for many more years. He is engaged to an English girl, Georgia, and his parents are set to come over from Australia to visit during this season.

“I definitely see myself being here for a little while yet. I love it here and it’s a second home now,” he said.

“It would be nice to tick off a few milestones and it feels like we’ve got some unfinished business.

“Stortford’s such a great club and the community’s so good behind it, so the rugby team just needs to give back a little bit.”