BURNHAM-ON-SEA fly-half Tim Piper said it was "a bit of a relief" to have his side's promotion to Western Counties rugby confirmed on Friday.

The Stags were dominant in Somerset Premier this season - winning 21 out of 22 league games - but the season's premature end due to coronavirus left their fate uncertain.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) did, however, confirm on Friday that Burnham are going up as champions.

Piper told the Weekly News: “It was a bit of a relief, as we’d been left in limbo.

“But we said ‘what will be will be’, as there’s more pressing things going on in the world at the moment.

“When the RFU said we were going up, there were a few beers being drunk on video!

“In the current climate, the BASC Ground has not done so well, so the idea is to have a proper celebration with all the players, families and sponsors there to help them.

“It’s fully deserved - a lot of players have grown up and matured into their positions since we were last in Western Counties rugby.”

It is yet to be confirmed whether the Stags will be playing in Western Counties North or Western Counties West next season, but Piper said: “From looking at the leagues and who’s gone up and gone down, it looks like there’s space in Western Counties West.

“There are fewer Cornish teams there now, so travelling-wise it would be much the same as Western Counties North.

"The initial reaction from the lads was 'bring it on' - we feel we have unfinished business [at that level]."