CORNWALL are primed and ready to launch their 2025 Bill Beaumont County Championship campaign this weekend, as they prepare to host reigning champions Kent at Redruth’s Recreation Ground (2pm, Saturday).

The highly-anticipated clash sees Graham Dawe’s side take on a Kent outfit aiming for a third consecutive title, having edged out Yorkshire last year and Lancashire in 2023.

The Black and Golds will be boosted by the return of key players Ben Priddey, Hugh Culverhouse, Edd Pascoe and Alex Ducker, all of whom missed last Saturday’s warm-up fixture against an Exeter Chiefs XV at Sandy Park.

Although the match ended in a defeat for Cornwall, the game served its purpose, offering valuable minutes and insight ahead of the competitive opener.

“It was a good run-out and a decent learning curve for a lot of the players,” said Cornwall team manager, Julian Wilce. “We were under decent pressure for a lot of the game – and that’s often when you learn the most.

“Like any game, there were things we did well and there were things we need to work on. We’ve got two training sessions this week ahead of the weekend, so I think we’ll look to make the most of them and really look to attack the game on Saturday.”

However, Wilce acknowledged Kent will pose a creditable threat for Cornwall in their competition opener.

“It’ll be a tough test for sure,” he added. “Kent have won the competition for the last two seasons and I know they are targeting it again this year. There has not been a lot between either side in the last few years, maybe a point or two, and I think it will be much the same this weekend.

“That said, we’re at home and if the crowd is anything like it was at Exeter at the weekend, that will certainly help.”