Blackheath captain Billy Harding says the club is chomping at the bit

Based at Well Hall, Blackheath secured their return to English rugby’s second tier by beating London Scottish 27-7 in the Champ Accession Final in May, capping a season that also saw Harding rewrite the club’s try-scoring record with 49.

Not since 1999 have the world’s oldest rugby club, founded in 1858, played in the Elior Champ, a remarkable rise for a side that had been playing in National Two just three years ago.

And Harding says the emotion of promotion has carried through the summer, with Blackheath now determined to make their mark at the higher level.

“We saw how much it meant to people at the end of last season, especially that promotion game against London Scottish, it meant so much to people,” explained the 33-year-old hooker.

“You could see people who had supported the club their whole lives in tears at the end of that game, and we’ve taken that excitement all the way through the off-season.

“We’re very excited to get started. There are some guys who’ve never played in the Championship before as well, and it means a ton to them.”

Blackheath kick off their season in Elior Champ Rugby’s curtain raiser as they travel to Lady Bay to face Nottingham on Friday 18 September, with their first trip in front of their own supporters coming against Caldy a week later.

Teams will also get the opportunity to feature on free-to-air TV and reach new audiences this campaign after a deal was reached with Hearst Networks (BLAZE) to show games on Sundays, with Blackheath’s home clash with Doncaster Knights on Sunday 4 October one of the games selected.

And with the successful introduction of the Play-offs, and reintroduction of relegation to National League 1 last season, from which Blackheath benefited, the Elior Champ is hoping to build on that success.

But Club - their nickname that goes back to the 19th century - are also determined not to spend the new campaign living in the shadow of last season’s success, and Harding insists the team must show the rest of the division they can compete having stepped up a level.

“It’s a whole new challenge,” he continued. “We’ve got to draw a line in the sand from last season and really prove to everyone that we deserve to be at this level."

There is plenty for the Blackheath’s players to look forward to, with Club set to renew old rivalries and visit some of the most historic grounds in the league, with Bedford’s Goldington Road high on the list for Harding.

But after becoming the club’s most prolific single season try scorer, Harding hopes to once again contribute both in attack as well as in defence.

“The big thing this year is staying up and winning,” he added. “Hopefully I can snag a few more and keep it rolling. We want to be the most successful Blackheath side ever, whether that’s this season, next season, or the season after.

“We’ve got our goals set there and we know we want to get it as a squad. It’s a pretty exciting challenge.”

Played by professional and semi-professional players, Elior Champ Rugby provides a ‘Proving Ground’ for future stars. Watch every game live on Clubber TV and free-to-air on BLAZE on Sunday afternoons.