Alex Kelsall prepares to lead new-look Diss side into 2024/25 Counties 1 Eastern Counties London & SE Division season

Diss Rugby Club head coach Alex Kelsall has said his new-look side ‘can’t wait to get stuck into the season’ as they prepare for their curtain-raiser at Ely on Saturday (3pm).

Kelsall, who was appointed as Clive Bell’s successor in June, will look to improve on Diss’ eighth-placed finished in Counties 1 Eastern Counties London & SE Division last term, and his journey at the helm starts at an Ely side who finished sixth last campaign.

The Tigers won both fixtures over Diss last season, defeating the Mackenders outfit 44-16 and 42-10.

“Ely have always been a really strong outfit, they’re very, very good at home, they have the ability to shut down and stop teams from playing the way they want to,” said Kelso.

“That is a really good game for us to start with. Whether we can run our gameplan and run it under this serious defensive pressure will be quite a challenge.

“I’m looking forward to it incredibly and I know the boys are absolutely buzzing. They can’t wait to get their boots on and get stuck into the season.”

The RFU Advanced Level 3 qualified coach spent his youth playing at Diss.

He joined the club when he was 13 years old and made his debut for the first team at 17, before moving to university where he won the National Colts Cup with Bedford Blues Academy.

“I’m just super excited. Not only have I been able to come back and positively impact on the club I was at as a junior, but the boys have reacted so well to what I’m trying to bring in, in pretty much every single training session,” said Kelsall.

“I’m 100 per cent sure that every single game I’m going to have a massive smile on my face, knowing that I’ve got a Diss badge on my chest and we’re doing exactly the right things to progress and get the wins for the club, and get the club what they deserve; they deserve wins.”

Meanwhile, Diss II host Thetford in the opening game of their Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North campaign on Saturday (3pm).

The Mackenders outfit were reprieved from relegation following their bottom-of-the-table finish.