HENLEY Hawks head coach Pete Davies has praised his players for their “emotional investment” in the club’s championship-winning campaign.

National League 2 South champions Hawks won the league by nine points after sealing an immediate return to National League 1 more than a month ago.

Davies has rewarded his players by keeping 20 of them for next year’s campaign, including captain Dave Clements.

Tom West and Connor Murphy will also stay at the club, while remaining dual registered with Wasps and London Irish respectively.

Davies said: “It is an incredibly tough league and it takes a certain group of boys to get out of it – guys who have an emotional investment in the club, the town and the supporters.

“Talent is one thing, but togetherness and sticking with each other through thick and thin is the ingredient that gets you out of sticky situations.

“They have invested emotionally in the club and I can’t thank the players enough.”

He continued: “It has been an absolute pleasure working with this group.

“We made a pledge that we would not only get promoted, but we would do a better job in League 1 next time and maintain our status.

“Getting promoted was never a question – it was our destiny and I am proud of the players.”

Tim Coghlan will leave the club as he is relocating to Bristol, while Jake O’Leary and George Eastwell are going to university.

HENLEY’S RETAINED LIST

Philpott, Manning, Woodward, Clements, Payne, Stapley, Hirskyj Douglas, Bruce, Comben, Pierrepoint, Randall, Owen, Allen, Hall, Gardner, Andre, Perry, Jackson, West, Murphy.