DEAL & Betteshanger Rugby Club coach Dave Robbins believes the long-awaited return of Adam Michael can help the Lions achieve a top-five finish in London 2 South East this season.

The talented three-quarter has been missing from the Lions' line-up for the best part of two seasons, initially because he went travelling and then because of a knee operation last November.

Robbins has indicated how much Michael's return means to the side by making him captain for the coming season.

The coach said: "Apart from being a very good player, Adam is a good organiser and he gets the other lads going as well. It's great to have him back."

But Michael will not be playing in his customary scrum-half position.

Instead he will operating at inside centre, with Robbins explaining: "Ollie Schofield did very well at scrum-half last season, so I am going keep Ollie there and put Adam in the centre alongside Anthony Hart, and having those two together will stiffen up our defence."

Last season, Robbins' first full campaign in charge, was a tough one for the Lions and they only avoided relegation by one point. "Right from the start of the season we seemed to have six or seven injuries every week," Robbins said, " and we just didn't have the strength in depth to cope with that.

"But this year we are going to have some very good youngsters coming through into senior rugby from our successful under-17 side of last season.

"Some of them will be pushing for a 1st XV place which is good because we need more competition for places in certain areas."

One obvious problem area for Robbins is at full-back following the departure of one of the Lions' most experienced performers, Martin Robinson.

He has joined ambitious Kent 1 outfit Sheppey along with Peter King, who was the Lions' backs coach last season.

But Robbins believes that the Lions, with the return of Michael and wing Luke Armstrong, who also missed much of last season, have enough talent to make up for the loss of Robinson and King.

He said: "I am really looking forward to this season, and I will be disappointed if we don't finish in the top five."

Lions open their pre-season campaign with a trip to Beckenham on Saturday.

Their first league game will be away to Aylesford Bulls, who have come down from London 1 South, on September 11.