BUDE will visit Bideford on the opening day of the Counties One Western West season that gets underway on Saturday, September 2.

The two sides hadn’t met in league rugby for several years before last season where the North Devon outfit took victories in both.

Bude survived by the skin of their teeth in finishing third from bottom, although no side were relegated in the end as Falmouth will once again remain in the division despite failing to win all year.

The Seasiders will hope for further improvement in a league which has seen Cullompton and Topsham go up and Tavistock and St Ives come up as champions from Counties Two Devon and Counties Two Cornwall respectively.

Bude’s first outing at home is on Saturday, September 9 when last year’s third-place side Pirates Amateurs make the long trip up to Bencoolen Meadow.

Bude then have two games they will target as they visit Penryn and welcome Plymstock Albion Oaks, before the final game in September sees them head to Falmouth.

There are just two games in October.

Tiverton-based Wiveliscombe head to North Cornwall on October 14 before an away trip to Kingsbridge a week later.

Tavistock head to Bencoolen Meadow on November 4 with St Ives away on December 2 the final game of the first half of the season.

Bude end the season as they started with Bideford providing the opposition on April 6 where they hope they will be more than safe.

See next week’s paper for a full fixture list.