Andy Shorney has been elected as the president of the Somerset County Rugby Football Union for the next two years.

Andy Shorney has been elected as the president of the Somerset County Rugby Football Union for the next two years following the recent annual meeting, taking over the reigns from predecessor Des Chalmers.

Shorney, who lives in North Somerset, was secretary for 11 years until last summer when he did not seek re-election as well as seven years as the county’s representative on the Rugby Football Union Council.

“It is a great honour to have been elected by the clubs and individual members to be the new president,” said Shorney. “I will be combining this with my existing duties on the RFU Council where I believe I can make a valuable contribution.

“I would like to thank Des for the tremendous work that he has done over the past two years as president and the 10 months where, as chairman, he led the county at a difficult time following the tragic death of the president David Smith.”

As well as his numerous years on the administrative side of the game, Shorney played rugby for 20 years and gained representative honours for Somerset and the British Police, captaining both.

Shorney added: “In excess of 40 years of rugby experience, both on and off the field, has provided me with an excellent all-round knowledge of the game and, in recent times, the RFU as an organisation.

“I would like to encourage clubs in the county to recognise their volunteers who help make the game possible. Volunteers are one of the most valuable assets of a rugby organisation.

“They offer time, effort and expertise, and deserve to be recognised and rewarded for their hard work. Encouraging these traditions at clubs and at county levels helps maintain the ethos of the game we love.”