SOMERSET Rebels have announced two more riders ahead of their return to the Championship in 2019.

Costs have forced the Rebels to drop out of the Premiership, with the reasoning explained at Tuesday night's fans forum.

READ MORE: Rebels drop down to Championship

The new-look Rebels team will feature Nico Covatti and Chris Harris next season, to be joined by Australian ACU-licenced Rory Schlein, who will spearhead the Somerset attack.

The Darwin-born, two-time Elite league champion will be the club's new number one, the 34-year-old once again linking up with his 2018 Ipswich team-mate Covatti.

May said: "I believe that we have a golden boy in Rory and he will do us proud.

"He is vastly experienced and I know for sure that he will be keen to keep hold of the number one tag at the club, although with Chris Harris as a team-mate he knows that he will be kept on his toes throughout the season."

Schlein began his British career back in 2001, just one season after Somerset Speedway was launched and has been an ever-present on these shores since.

Between 2004 and 2007 he won four South Australian State titles and has been a four-time league champion.

Covatti, Harris and Schlein have been joined by 16-year-old Dorset skidder Anders Rowe.

The Weymouth-born youngster has ridden for Kent in the National League for the past two seasons, where he built an average in excess of seven points last season, finished 10th in the British Under-19 Championship at Ipswich and only missed out on qualification to the Under-21 final by a single point.

His inclusion in the Rebels side will pitch him in the reserves berth, with May commenting: "With only a 38-point limit to work with this year, most teams will be setting their stalls out with youngsters at reserve and that should make it fascinating to see how Anders adapts in his first season in the Championship.

"He is really keen to come, and being a fairly local lad as he lives in Swindon, hopefully that will attract a bit of interest too."

The rest of the team is still to be announced, though May has said that contracts have been offered for the remaining three berths.