LAUNCESTON’S men start their preparations for the upcoming season on Thursday night when they take on Bideford in their first pre-season friendly at Polson Bridge (7.30pm).

The first team are once again gearing up for another season in Regional One South West and could give debuts to George Hillson, Seb Cox, Dom Ellery, Jose Juarez and Zerran Hammond against their North Devon opponents who compete in Counties One Western West.

However with it being the first run out and there still being over a month until the opening league games, it will be a chance to shake off the rust.

Launceston director of rugby Ryan Westren said: “We’re looking forward to putting our work into practice as we move and build towards the start of the league season in September.

We’re playing it over three 25-minute sections. Obviously we’re not expecting perfection and expect some mistakes, but we we want to see understanding and discipline in the detail of what we’ve been training over the past six or seven weeks.”

That is the first of four pre-season games lined up.

They welcome National League Two (West) outfit Redruth next Friday (August 16) before exciting challenges away at last year’s Regional One South West champions Devonport Services (August 22) and neighbours Okehampton (August 31) who have a fine record against the Cornishmen.

Unfortunately for supporters of both clubs there is no league derby this year after Oke’s relegation.

The club have also announced that six of last year’s Colts squad – Tyler Westlake, Callum Johns, Thomas Walton, Harvey Bashford, Thomas Hargreaves and Harri Jones – are joining the senior squad.

They are also joined by fly-half Mitch Acres and winger Cohen Larson who have arrived having turned out for Bude Seconds last season.

All will hope to impress the coaches in the coming weeks as they build up to the new season.