SALISBURY RFC have parted company with double promotion winner Dan Jeffries.

The head coach has resigned from his post just five weeks after winning the South West 1 (East) play-off final against Thornbury.

It means the Castle Road outfit will start their National League 3 South West journey with returning Neil Loader.

Jeffries, the deputy head teacher at Wyvern College, has been snapped up by Trowbridge, replacing former Bath and England forward Steve Ojomoh, who stepped down at the end of last season after the club were demoted to Southern Counties South.

Ironically, that was the division in which Jeffries started at Salisbury two years ago, where he won back-to-back promotions to South West 1 (East) before National League 3 South West. Both of which were on home soil in dramatic play-off finals.

He said: “Work and family commitments have meant that I could not continue with Salisbury in National Three next season, therefore I have been looking for the opportunity to continue coaching in local rugby.

"Trowbridge are a quality club, with the best facilities and infrastructure in the county. "The squad is well established and I believe that we have an opportunity to enable this squad and the club as a whole to achieve its potential.

"Winning is a culture and a habit and I know we can bring that habit back to the club."

Salisbury RFC will begin and end the 2016/17 campaign against the same side.

They open their account on September 3 at home to Bournemouth and close it away on April 22.

Other sides they face in a hugely-competitive league are Bromsgrove, Lydney, Camborne, Cleve, Ivybridge, Hornets, Launceston, Dings Crusaders, Newton Abbot, Brixham, Old Redcliffians and Bracknell.