BASINGSTOKE RFC will be looking to get their London South West Two campaign off to the best possible start when they travel to Weybridge Vandals on Saturday.

Stoke suffered relegation last season, but in Gareth Hatherley-Hurford, they have a new man in charge as they look to make a fresh start and climb back up the rugby ranks.

Basingstoke RFC’s chairman of playing Steve Parker is very excited about the campaign ahead and really feels the club is moving in the right direction.

He said: “Rome was not built in a day, but the signs are very good. Gareth has been working hard with the guys and they are enjoying their rugby.

“There has been a lot more structure about our play during pre-season and I am really looking forward to the campaign.”

Basingstoke have added a number of new faces to their squad for the new season, including Fraser Parris and Tom Allen.

Parris is a Southampton University student who can play at either at fly-half or centre. No 8 Allen joins from High Wycombe and brings a wealth of experience to the side.

Stoke open their London South West Two campaign with what looks like a tricky trip to Weybridge Vandals.

The Surrey side finished seventh in London South West Two last season and won exactly half of their 22 league games. This was after they finished 10th the year before.

As a result, the opening game should give Stoke some indication as to what life will be like in this new division, the club having been relegated at the end of the last campaign.

A lot of the players who played last season are back, with Dave Byett set to return in October.

Stoke have also been boosted by the return of Robbie Northcote from injury and he will give extra experience to the back row division.

As well as new head coach Gareth Hatherley-Hurford, Basingstoke have also appointed a new backs coach in Mark Fricker, who has joined them from one of the club’s South West Two rivals, Effingham and Leatherhead.

Basingstoke RFC chairman of playing Steve Parker said: “The two new coaches are doing really well and everyone is buying into what they doing right across all the teams.

“We are getting about 50 players to training which is a very good sign.

“We want to do things properly and build the right foundation, which is what we are doing.”

Looking ahead to the game at Weybridge, Parker said: “We do not know much about Weybridge, but at the moment I think it is important we play our own game.

“I think once the league gets going it will break into little sections of two or three teams, as was the case last season.”

Parker said: “We had a tough year last season, but now it is time to start again and there is a better atmosphere around this club than there has been for many years.

“We are going forward and everyone is 110 per cent behind the new coaches, so I feel the future is very bright.”