Winger Alex Kelsall is one of Diss's most promising home-grown players

Diss Rugby Club have been named team of the year for 2008/09 by Rugby World magazine.

The club were champions of London Two North this season, with a team mostly made of home-grown talent.

Rugby World deputy editor Alan Pearey said: "Their first team includes only one non-local player, testimony to how much they do for youth development.

"They're the only club in Norfolk and Suffolk to run four senior teams. And they promote rugby within schools."

He added: "The number of children you see there at weekends is no accident.

"And all these efforts are generating a local team that is flourishing."

Diss will play in their highest ever league next season. But Pearey thinks that the club will be doing well to earn promotion for the third year in a row.

"Whenever you go up you probably look to consolidate at that level," he said. "The key thing with Diss is that what they're doing is giving them a supply line of players.

"I think any club that does that will always be healthy."

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