AN “ABSOLUTELY delighted” Adam Hook is targeting a mid-table finish in East League Division 1 next season after his Ross High RFC side secured promotion from East 2 on Saturday.

A big win at Hawick Linden (see page 44 for report) secured Ross High’s immediate return to East 1 following relegation last season.

Head coach Hook was delighted with his side’s achievement and told Courier Sport: “Promotion was the target we set ourselves at the start of the season so it’s great to have done it.

“With Barnton coming down [the club formed last summer after a split between Royal High and Corstorphine] we knew there was no guarantee so it’s great to be going back up.”

Barnton are the only side to have inflicted league defeat on the Tranent outfit this term and Hook praised his young squad for their efforts.

He added: “We’ve had a lot of guys coming back and we’ve got a young squad but the guys have been brilliant.

“My brother Ryan has come back to the club, James Peel and Ryan Strachan have been excellent – Ryan [Strachan] especially as captain, his leadership has been really important for us.

“It’s just a great squad and the average age is about 21 so they’re improving all the time.”

Hook, 27, who took on the coaching role at the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury, added: “If you look at our run in the [BT Edinburgh] Shield, we beat Linlithgow and Forrester and they’re both mid-table teams [in East 1] so we’re confident we’ll be able to compete.

“We’ll hopefully get a few boys in that will help but we’re confident in the squad we’ve got.”

And he revealed he plans to return to the field next season.

“I had surgery and I’ve done all the rehab, and I’ve been joining in with a bit of training,” said Hook, who works for Edinburgh engineering company Leonardo’s.

“All being well, I’ll be taking on a player/coach role next season, but we’re still working on trying to persuade Ross [Watters, forwards coach] and Mark Urwin to continue helping us out next season.”

Ross High are five points clear of Barnton at the top of the table, and Hook admits their next target is to win the league, although the Capital side have two games in hand.