The Bournemouth pre-season schedule will put them in the best possible position for when National Two South begins in September.
That is the view of Director Of Rugby Will Croker who has lined up a series of testing matches for his charges for the new campaign in August.
The South West Premier champions hope to carry on where they left off by facing Bournville, Wimborne, Old Elthamians and participating in the Redingensians Rams’ tournament.
Croker said: “As we approach the season, we have got three weekends in August with the first one against Bournville, which I believe will be a live training session first followed by a match on August the third.
“We then have Wimborne First team coming to play us on the Friday night (the 16th) and then we are also taking a squad up to the Redingensians Rams’ tournament which is being played in Reading with Pontypridd, Chinnor and Esher with Reading and ourselves.
“Then in the final game we are taking our first and second team to Old Elthamians, who finished second in National One last year, and it will be a huge challenge for us but one I believe will put us in the best possible position to face Taunton the following week.”
As Croker mentions, The Lions begin the new campaign at Taunton on September 7, who ended last season in fifth place with 19 wins in 30 games.
They then welcome last year’s ninth placed finishers Worthing to Chapel Gate the following Saturday in their first run out in front of their own fans.
The opening month is then rounded off with a trip to Henley seven days later and finally the visit of Tonbridge Juddians on September 28.
With experienced trio Joe Tarrant, Jack Hennings and Andy Spikings all taking steps back from rugby, Croker says he is pleased with the young bucks coming through the ranks.
He added: “Pre-season training started for us in the first week of July, and we have been absolutely delighted with the numbers we have seen.
“Whilst we have not gone on a vast recruitment drive after the end of last season, we have identified a couple of areas which we want to strengthen.
“Fortunately, we have been able to bring in those guys in those positions, and of course there was always going to be a huge hole in the squad seeing Joe Tarrant, Jack Hennings and Andy Spikings all retire and it is great to see we have so much young talent coming through which will hopefully fill that gap.”