Spalding RFC skipper Luke Turner is hoping to put a tricky season behind him as his side bid to make a winning start to the new Midlands Two East (South) campaign on Saturday.
Town take on Huntingdon at the Memorial Field (3pm) as they prepare for another season against familiar rivals.
For Turner, he’s been re-elected as captain following a summer that has seen him return to training following a knee operation to hopefully cure the injury that blighted his first year in the role.
Turner will be aided by a group of experienced vice-captains in the form of George Brown, Ash Piccaver and Adam Sutcliffe, who will help to help lead and guide the young squad’s new players through the season.
Indeed, the Elephants will be hoping to improve on last season as they ended up finishing in the lower reaches of a division that benefitted from no relegation.
“With the really hot weather we’ve had this summer along with the very hard ground conditions, pre-season training has been challenging,” said Turner. “But the players are now all eager to get started.
“We’ve had good preparation and last Tuesday night had a good drills session with Stamford and Boston clubs coming over under floodlights at the New Ground.
“We need a fast start to challenge near the top, so are looking forward to our normal good home support on Saturday to encourage a winning start.”
This season, the RFU have have brought forward the opening league matches to the first Saturday in September, as oposed to the last Saturday previously.
Following the Huntingdon game, Town will travel to Luton on September 10, then host Melton Mowbray on the and visist Northampton BBOB.
Meanwhile, Spalding are running a Colts side in the NLD Colts League this season.
This is designed to transition players from youth to adult rugby and is open to players aged between 16 and 17-years-old.
Coaches Jon Holland and Tom Duce said: “This is the first time we will have run a Colts team playing league rugby on a Saturday.
“We are looking forward to the squad building on last season’s success.
“The Colts are training alongside the seniors on Thursday evenings so they get to share their experience and knowledge, which will be really beneficial for their development and performances in games.
“We are aiming to build the squad so new players are always welcomed just get in touch with us or come down for a evening training session.”
The season also starts for the Mini and Juniors, on Sunday morning.
They will be meeting at the club’s New Ground from 10am, with squads at every age group from under-6s upwards in training.
Mini and Junior Co-ordinator, Peppa Saunders, is looking forward to a busy start for the youth players, with around 150 boys and girls expected.
There will also be a big welcome of any newcomers who would like to give rugby a go.
