Saffron Walden Rugby Club are to start their pre-season on Saturday with a trip to Barking to play in a tournament against teams from Barnet, Westcliff, and Maidstone.

Walden’s first game kicks off at 1.45pm.

On September 5 Walden host two teams from Enfield Ignatians at their Henham ground for games against both first and second teams.

Their league campaign commences on September 19, the day after the start of the Rugby World Cup, when the first team makes the long trip to Holt in north Norfolk.

London 2 North East looks tough with familiar names including Ipswich, Diss and Rochford along with newly-promoted Sudbury and Cantabrigians from Cambridge.

However, a successful summer of pre-season training under new coach Danny Hunter, along with assistant Neil Gaffan, have prepared the teams to face the challenges ahead.

First team captain James Gosden will be ready to go having completed the 100km Road to the Stones Ultramarathon race earlier in the summer.

The 2nds, the Saxons, will participate in warm-up games ahead of their campaign in Eastern Counties 2 which begins with a fixture at Cambridge on September 19.

The 3rds, the Scorpions, kick off the week before with a home game against Wenden.

The club will also run a Colts team for U17/18s and many of these young players are expected to make their way into the first team in the coming years.

Saffron Walden offers rugby for all levels of ability.

Training is on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

For details call Graham Marshall on 01799 501063.