Jack Hennings and Ben Allman will be “massive losses” to Bournemouth Rugby Club according to back rower Ali Bennett.
Versatile forward Allman has brought his second stint at Chapel Gate to an end now the Lions have been promoted to National Two South.
With Bennett’s fellow back rower Hennings also calling it a day, he says they will both be missed next season.
Bennett said: “Size wise, Jack is definitely going to be a massive loss, because he is one of those players who can change a game on his own.
“You can be under the cosh, and then all of a sudden Jack can put in a hit and push the opposition backwards and then suddenly it galvanises everyone.
“It is the same with Ben - he played a few seasons ago and then stopped to have his son and then came back just to prove he could do it one last time at that level.
“He did that and was a massive help for us - he was fantastic this year so he will be a massive loss for us as well especially his chop tackling.
“It is probably down to his low centre of gravity, but the amount of tackles he makes in a game is just unreal.”
Following the Lions’ final match of their successful season, Bennett said the squad all had a big heart-to-heart talk in the changing rooms afterwards.
Emotions were high after the 80-3 Chapel Gate pummelling of basement boys Old Patesians, who were also saying goodbye to Level Five Rugby.
With Bournemouth going in the opposite direction, Bennett said it was the perfect end to a special season which he will look back on fondly for many years.
He added: “There were just a lot of thanks from the guys in that changing rooms chat, from people like Harry, who had been made to feel welcome and it was just special because it is a great group of guys.
“Even the guys who have been there for years and years said it was a special team and a special season.
“It is going to be a fantastic one to look back on when I finally retire and there will be some photos up of it somewhere at home - like in the downstairs loo.
“So we can look back on it and say it was a special season and a lot of the guys said ‘it has not quite sunk in yet because we actually won it at home to Exmouth, which was great and we all celebrated.”