TAUNTON Titans have announced the first of their new signings, ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Max Heathman has joined from Cardiff Met RFC, to provide another option for head coach Tony Yapp as the club prepares for life at National 1 level.

The 22-year-old forward can play any position in the back row, and also has experience of playing for Caldicot and Hartpury.

Heathman will provide competition for the forwards who have signed up to stay with the Titans, having helped them win promotion last season.

The players who have agreed to stay are as follows:

Forwards - Connor Baker, Gary Carpenter, Isaac Dalton, Andy England, Chris Francis, George Gosling, Sonny Haines, Brett Harvey, Ben Oliphant-Thompson, Stuart Persey, Sam Prior, Alex Rodd, Charlie Samways, Will Siddle, Alex Spurdle, Ratu Vakalutukali, Charlie Williams, Aaron Wilman

Backs - Jack Arnott, Sam Baker, Connor Banks, Shai Bonnick, Oli Down, Toby East, Freddie Fraser, Jermaine Jones, James Keay, Gary Kingdom, Nick Mason, Oliver Massy-Birch, Tom Popham, Aron Struminski, Lewis Webb

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WIVELISCOMBE Rugby Club has announced that Neil Clark will take over the role of head coach for the 2020/21 season.

He follows in the footsteps of Peter and Brian Stone, the coaches who progressed Wivey’s 1st XV from the foot of Somerset Premier to Western Counties West level rugby.

Clark played as a hooker for Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Launceston, as well as Oyonnax in France, gaining experience at Premiership and Top 14 level across a career that spanned from 1999 to 2014.

In a statement announcing the appointment, Wiveliscombe RFC said: “Since retiring through injury, Neil has been involved with coaching locally at Taunton School and North Petherton.

“His experience will only help continue the club’s development both on and off the field, and it’s clear from discussions with Neil how passionate he is about the game in general and taking Wivey forward.”