CHARD Rugby Club will be plying their trade in the Western Counties North next season.

Following play-off promotion success last term, many club members were hoping to be placed in Western Counties West and coming up against teams from Devon and Cornwall as well as local Somerset rivals Wellington and North Petherton.

But it has now been confirmed that the club will be playing in the North Division with most fixtures in the Bristol, Gloucester and Cheltenham areas.

They will face teams from Barton Hill, Bristol Harlequins, Burnham-on-Sea, who have been moved from the West Division to the North, Cirencester, Gordon League, Hornets, Keynsham, Matson, North Bristol, Old Centralians, Stroud, Whitehall and Yatton.

Fixtures in the 2011-12 season begin on the first Saturday in September.