DEVIZES are hoping to build on a strong conclusion to last season as they plot their route to promotion from Southern Counties South this term.

The Saddlebacks won their final four league matches in March and April and kick off their campaign with a trip to county rivals Trowbridge on Saturday.

Buoyed by a decent end to last season - with an emphatic win over promoted Midsomer Norton - Devizes go into the season with a new skipper in the form of former Hartpury College and Corsham number eight Josh Gould.

Gould was top try scorer last season and pivotal to the side’s fourth-placed finish.

Dorset & Wilts coach John Kimberly continues as head coach for a seventh season, alongside assistant coach and club legend James Gaiger.

Several players return after a couple of seasons, when Devizes had their best-ever placed finish of seventh in South West One East, with experienced hooker John Angell and winger James Last back at the Chivers Ground.

The addition of adaptable hooker/flanker Ben Wilkinson to the first team squad, plus promotion of youth from the Colts section in the form of Harrison Wall should add strength and depth.

Saddlebacks hooker Seb Hutchings said: “It’s an exciting season for the club both on and off the field.

“The lads will be looking to push for the top two this season but it will not be easy given the quality of the opposition in the league.

“We’ve had some hard-fought battles with most of the sides in the league over the past few seasons, so we know it’s not going to be easy.

“There were a few matches last season where we let ourselves down as a team and did not do ourselves or the supporters justice and in the end we were a bit lucky to finish fourth.

“We finished last season strongly though, which bodes well for this season and, with a few returning and new faces into the club, we feel like we can do something special like we did back in 2012/2013 when we won the Southern Counties South title.’’ The club has also invested a new on-site club gym, with Dave Whatling arriving as club treasurer.

Marlborough will be looking to build on their mid-table finish from last season, but face a tough baptism to the new campaign as they travel to North Dorset for their opener on Saturday.