PLAYER coach of Okehampton Rugby Football Club Gaz Evans and his team are already looking forward to the new 2015-16 rugby season with preparations getting underway tonight (July 2) with the first session of pre-season training.

A good number of players have kept things ticking over through the close season with touch rugby and light fitness sessions on Thursday evenings at the club.

Evans is aiming to hit the season running with all three of the club's senior teams – first, second and third — and Colts XV is looking for good starts in order to achieve momentum towards challenging for the top positions in their respective leagues and merit tables.

Club spokesman Ross Medlyn told the Times: 'A vital part of the player continuity at Okehampton RFC has been involving the Colts as much as possible in the senior ranks, especially training sessions. Throughout the summer months this has been extended to the Under 15 and U16 teams who have relished the touch rugby sessions with the senior lads.

'This policy will be extended into the full pre-season programme with the lads breaking off closer to the season as their own team runs develop. It is hoped that this policy will help provide a seamless transition from the junior ranks to the senior ranks when the lads' time comes.

'The new season will see a good "crop' from last season's successful Colts team progress into the senior sides and Evans looks forward to them challenging the "establishment" for their places.

'Good numbers are expected from the "off" in order to ensure a strong challenge is mounted for the season ahead with the Western Counties West League expected to be more challenging than ever.'