TAMAR Saracens will begin their preparations for their debut season in the Cornwall/Devon League on Tuesday night when they return to training.

The Devon One champions are hoping they can hit the ground running in the higher league, where they will find themselves up fellow Plymouth Combination sides Saltash, Tavistock, Plymstock Albion Oaks and Tamar Saracens.

“A top half finish is the target,” revealed coach Stuart Busfield, who is hoping his side can copy Argaum, who managed that last season after back-to-back promotions like Saracens.

The Parkway-based club have announced that Tim Rogers will be their new backs and strength and conditioning lead.

“Tim’s been playing for us on and off, but he’s had issues with his back and so has stopped playing,” said Busfield. “But he’s got a lot of experience with strength and conditioning. He goes around a lot of clubs offering advice. We’ll also work Pete Bruce at Elite Fitness again.

“We know we need to go up a level again after getting promotion.”

Busfield added: “We’re lucky we have not lost any players and four or five guys have said they are going to come and join us for pre-season.”

Saracens have had guest sessions in the past from Wales prop Aaron Jarvis and they hope when he is back in England from Clermont Auvergne he will pop down to the club again. They are also hoping England Counties forward Dan Williams might also do some guess sessions with them as well.

The Ernesettle side are also looking at the possibility of getting a third team going next season.

They have arranged a pre-season friendly with Devonport Services on Friday, August 12, at the Rectory and they are exploring the possibility of playing Gloucestershire side Widden as well. Widdon narrowly knocked them out of the RFU Junior Vase last season.

“We want some good pre-season games,” said Busfield. “The match against Devonport Services should be interesting. We are trying to build links with them and the plan is to make a night out of that pre-season fixture.”

Saracens will begin life in the Cornwall/Devon League with a home match against fellow new boys Lanner on September 3. They will then travel to Paignton before entertaining Penryn.

Their first derby match will come October 1 when they host Argaum before travelling to Plymstock Albion Oaks the following week and then entertaining Saltash the Saturday after that.