LOCK Adam Brown will captain Newport RFC again this season – and believes the Black and Ambers can build on a promising campaign to challenge for silverware.

The 28-year-old has become a leading figure at the heart of the Rodney Parade side’s pack and has made 114 appearances for his hometown club.

Brown, who played 10 times for the Dragons before moving to London Welsh, helped the Black and Ambers finish sixth in the Principality Premiership last season after taking over the captaincy.

After finishing bottom of the pile in 2014/15 when only saved from relegation by Bargoed not having the criteria for promotion, they dramatically increased their try count and challenged for the play-offs to give the second rower reason for optimism.

“I'm delighted to be named captain for a second season at Newport and feel very proud to do so,” said Brown.

“I believe we are building a great squad here with a good mixture of youth and experience and I firmly believe we are in a better place to challenge for silverware this year.

“It is very exciting to be involved with the team at this time. We had a good season last year and made great strides forward.

“If I'm honest think we probably over-achieved which is a great credit to the hard work the lads put in throughout the year but I believe the youth and inexperience of challenging for silverware possibly led to our fall out of the title race at the end.”

Newport have warmed up for the new season with defeats in hard-fought encounters with Rosslyn Park and Coventry and a win in a fixture against Hartridge to celebrate the opening of new facilities at Llanwern School.

Brown believes the signs are promising for the Black and Ambers to build on last year with a good start essential if they are to be in the top half of the table before the revamped, 16-team league splits into two in January.

“We have recruited very well in the summer by bringing in some great players who have vast amounts of Welsh premiership experience and this will hopefully complement our enthusiasm and attacking intent we showed last year and further add to competition for places within the squad,” he said.

“Looking at the season and how the league is different this year, our main aim firstly has to be to finish in the top half of the table at the midway point.”

Newport open their season against their biggest rivals Cardiff on Friday, September 2 in the capital (kick-off 7.15pm) before they host Bedwas on Sunday, September 11 on the weekend of the popular annual Rodney Parade Beer Festival.

The event, which is on the ‘cabbage patch’, is being held to coincide with the Dragons’ clash with Zebre on the Friday and Newport County’s home meeting with Cheltenham on the Saturday afternoon.