NEW coach Louie Tonkin has expressed his delight as retaining the core of the Pontypool squad for next season's Swalec Championship campaign, writes Chris Kirwan.

Pooler have announced that 23 players who helped them finish fifth last term have penned deals to stay for a promotion push in 2015/16.

Captain and hooker Ben Parry, who represented the Barbarians last November, has signed up along with fellow forwards Rob Nash, James Edwards, Ryan Harford, Garin Harris, Jamie Jeune, Ben Sparks, Matthew Thomas, Jordan Williams and Lee Williams.

Joe Blackmore, Nathan Brooks, Mike Burke, David Davies, Clayton Gullis, Dan Haile, Tom Hancock, Josh Hurley, Chris Laing, Sam Mills, Aaron Quick, Marc Thorley and Rhodri Usher will once again line up in the backs.

"It is hugely exciting to have such a strong base of players continuing with the club for next season," said Tonkin, who has arrived from Carmarthen Quins.

"The continuity that this will present moving forward offers us strength and was something that was vitally important to us as a coaching group.

"It is a testament to the hard work that has been performed both on and off the field by the management during the previous two seasons and I am very excited to work with a great group of players moving forward.

"With some positive additions in key areas of the squad, I am confident that we will be in a very strong position come September."

Last month it was confirmed that forwards coach Leighton Jones, backs coach Stuart Lawrence and team manager Shaun Rees are staying on to work under Tonkin and Pooler are poised to announce a first batch of signings tomorrow.

Championship clubs with A licenses –Pontypool, Swansea and RGC 1404 last season – will be monitoring Principality Premiership developments closely this summer to see if the top flight of club rugby will be expanded in 2016/17.