PLYMOUTH Argaum have added an extra senior side and a new junior team to their set-up following their promotion to the Cornwall/Devon League.

The Bickleigh Down outfit will run three senior teams, a veterans’ side, a colts’ line-up and an under-13 section in 2015/16.

Their second team have entered the Merit Table for the forthcoming campaign, with their new third string taking over the Wanderers’ ‘friendly’ fixtures.

“We got fed up last year of our second team getting let down,” said director of rugby Dave Sansom. “So we decided to join the Merit League. The thirds will take the second team’s spot.

“We have got a big enough squad to do it. The seconds have a full fixture list and the thirds already have 22 fixtures pencilled in.

“It is going to be good competition for the seconds and that can only be good for the whole club.”

Sansom believes Argaum need to have the right building blocks below their first team to make sure they can keep their success over the past couple of years going.

Argaum have claimed consecutive promotions to move from Devon Two to the Cornwall/Devon League.

“It’s all right having a reasonably good side but you have to have blocks behind it,” said Sansom.

“When you go up through the leagues you have to be careful and make sure you have things right below you.”

Sansom is determined that Argaum remain a ‘social’ club off the field but a serious one on it.

Among their other plans for the forthcoming season is to have some advertising hoardings around their main pitch and buy a mini bus so the majority of players can travel together.

“We have a really good committee now,” said Sansom. “We’ve got Nick Hancock as our chairman, Stuart Quarterman as our fixtures secretary and other good people. It really does make a difference.”

Argaum’s rise from the foot of Devon Two to the Cornwall/Devon League has earned them many headlines and even an RFU feature, but can they keep progressing?

“We have got into this league (Cornwall/Devon) and we want to try and make a good fist of it. Hopefully, we won’t be at the bottom.

“We have got a lot of young players who I think are good enough to play in this league and we’ve got experience around them with the likes of Mike Hunt and Tom Holliday.

“Last year we went into Devon One with the expectation of finishing middle of the league and just enjoying ourselves, so you just don’t know.

“The plus side is that I have no idea how most of our opponents play. The only one I know is Plymstock Albion Oaks but they have changed their set-up.

“We have got Honiton away and Hayle at home in our opening two games and they are two good sides and so it should give us a feel for the league.

“The down side this year is how many games we have. I think the leagues should be better balanced. We have gone from 16 league games a season to 26.

“I think there should be a step up but going from 16 to 26 is a bit much.”