THE hard work starts here. That's the message from club chairman Karl O’Brien and head coach Craig Burrows as the curtain came down on Colchester rugby’s season of success, writes EDWARD MARRIAGE.

With both the club's first and second teams finishing top of their respective leagues to earn promotion, another message could easily be mission accomplished.

National League 2 will be the highest-level Colchester’s first team has ever played at, with the likes of Bury, Canterbury, Henley, Westcombe Park and – the real highlight for supporters – Guernsey lying in wait next season.

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No surprise, then, that O'Brien and Burrows have already started planning, with changes ahead on and off the pitch.

O'Brien said: “As a club we need to think about the changes we’ve got to make to accommodate that step up to National League rugby.

“We’re looking forward to that challenge and relishing it, of course.”

Inevitably, some Colchester stalwarts are ready to call it a day, with front-rower Joe McMillan the first to confirm he’s played his last game for the club.

Scrum-half Yuki Takimura, who has become a firm favourite with supporters in his one season with the club, has also called time on his rugby career.

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O'Brien said: “I think we’ll need to bolster the coaching team a little bit more, certainly need to bolster the playing squad. We’ve already started to do that.

“We can’t quite talk about new signings yet, but they will be forthcoming fairly soon and we’re very encouraged by the people we’re talking to.”

O'Brien also wants to attract more of Colchester’s public to come to the Sports Park to sample what’s on offer, especially given the quality of what lies in store.

He added: “We’re now playing National League rugby and it would be great to get a lot more people watching the rugby.

“Anyone who comes up who hasn’t been before is always extremely impressed with the speed and the pace of the game and it’s a really good spectacle to watch.

“And of course, our facilities are second to none.”