NEWENT return to Twickenham for the second time in 12 months on Sunday as they continue their remarkable rise.

The Recreation Ground club take on West Yorkshire side Yarnbury in the RFU Senior Vase final (1pm), a year after winning the Junior Vase at the home of English rugby.

Reaching the showpiece occasion comes not long after they dramatically clinched the Gloucester Premier Division on points difference from Bristol Saracens.

Newent’s fourth promotion in five years means they will play in Western Counties North next season.

Chairman Dennis Hamlen praised what he described as a special group of players as well as the hard work of everyone at the club.

He said: “To get to Twickenham once is amazing but to do it twice in consecutive years is absolutely unbelievable. You have to pinch yourself.

“Everybody who went last year will never forget the afternoon and the reception back in Newent, which stopped the traffic because there were so many people there. If it’s anything like that, it’s going to be a fantastic occasion.

“It’s down to the boys, they are a special team with two great coaches in Andy Addis and Peter Kingston.

“We are lucky we have got such a talented group coming together at the right time.

“The average age of most of them is about 24 so they have still got six to eight years of rugby in front of them.

“All those factors coming together is the reason for the success. We have also got a very committed committee and support in the town.”

Newent booked their place in the final with a last-four 27-20 victory at Harrow, having previously overcome Oxford’s Gosford All Blacks 57-6 and Bristol Saracens 12-11 in the Gloucestershire Senior Vase final.

Hamlen added: “Our team will have a slight edge over Yarnbury in that they played there last year but we don’t know anything about the opposition other than they are a good side.”