John Ireland (left) will be Argaum’s first team skipper for 2017/18 with Calum Mills (right) their vice-captain

PLYMOUTH Argaum have confirmed their new first team and club captains ahead of Friday night’s pre-season 10s outing at the Rectory.

John Ireland will be the Cornwall/Devon League’s first team skipper for the 2017/18 campaign, with Calum Mills as his understudy, while Dan Smith has been appointed Argaum’s club captain.

Ireland has proved his versatility at Bickleigh Down since joining the club in 2015. He has played in the back-row and in the backs, but hopes to make centre his position this coming campaign.

Front-rower Smith has been at Argaum since 2004 and has become a real clubman as well as the pack leader.

Argaum will take on Devonport Services and Tamar Saracens in the 10s event on Friday (7pm).

It will follow the same format as last week’s three-club 10s fixture between Services, Tavistock and Old Techs.

Argaum are likely to be missing players due to the MTV event and holidays, but are just happy for an early run out.

They played a 10s event at the Rectory last year.

“It’s our first warm-up game,” said club secretary and spokesman Stuart Quarterman. “We have been training all the way through the summer.

“But we won’t be reading anything into Friday. It’s just about getting bodies on the pitch.

“We did the 10s last year and it was quite positive. It is just good to stretch the legs.”

There has been quite a bit of change at Bickleigh Down this summer.

As well as new captains, the Roborough-based club also have a new coaching set-up.

Mark Sullivan is their new director of rugby and he will be assisted by Mark Albiston, Mills and Tom Holliday.

The club have put Mills through his level two coaching qualification and all of the coaches have all been promoted from within the club.

“We are trying to do things in a sustainably way at the club,” said Quarterman.

“We have got a new coaching team and judging by numbers at training it is going well.”

Argaum have had some new players joining them. One of them – William Lloyd – is set to feature on Friday.

Lloyd had played at university in Wales but had been out of the game for a couple of years, but was persuaded to take it up again through Argaum’s ‘Return to Rugby’ programme.