Grove coach Nathan Brooks feels his side are already showing championship-winning form in Southern Counties North.

The Cane Lane club went top after demolishing Bicester 72-0 on Saturday and Brooks said they were not even at full strength.

“I knew in pre-season that we had a good side and it is great that it is translating into results,” said Brooks.

“The competition for places at training is really fierce.

“Ben Nicholl and Nick Sevier coming back have really made a difference, but they are fitting into the whole team ethos.

“I think we would probably have beaten last season’s champions Buckingham with the team we have now.”

Nicholl and Sevier have returned after a season at Oxford Harlequins, Grove have a new captain in Steve Maryon, and signings such as John Barrett have already made their mark.

But Brooks stressed the key so far has been their level of team play.

He said: “We have got the depth now so that we had four or five players out against Bicester, but still had people who came in and did well.

“That level of performance is one that would have beaten most sides in this league, if not all.

“It is good to get a performance like that, especially at home.

“Bicester have competed this season. To ‘nil’ a side like them is pretty impressive.”

Meanwhile, one player busier than most on Saturday was Grove’s injured hooker Jimmy Wallbridge.

Wallbridge is running the club’s new ‘Twitter’ website, which provides score updates throughout matches.

With no fewer than 12 tries being scored, he must have spent most of the match texting away.

Grove have not got huge numbers of ‘followers’ yet, but to discover how they are getting on, you can visit http://twitter.com/groverfc

Also on the Grove front, Will MacKenzie plays his fourth and final match for the club on Saturday, but he has already made a big impression.

The scrum half returns to Auckland after taking on Swindon – and coach Nathan Brooks admits he will be hard to replace.

“He has scored four tries in three league games so far and I can honestly say he is a complete lunatic.

“But he has had a huge impact at the club with his character and ability.”