LAUNCESTON Rugby Club joint head coach Ian Goldsmith hailed a ‘wonderful start’ to pre-season following the first session of the 2025/26 season on Thursday night.

Last year’s campaign was, on the whole, a successful one as the first team finished fifth in Regional One South West, while the seconds – better known as the Castles – secured a much-needed promotion from Counties Three Cornwall.

With six new signings made and the likes of George Bone returning from a year off, the omens are looking good as Goldsmith enthused afterwards.

He told the Post: “Tonight was a wonderful start and we had really, really good numbers, well over 40 and that bodes well for the season.”

The first team welcome Topsham in Regional One South West in their opener on Saturday, September 6, while the Castles visit Liskeard-Looe, and Goldsmith explained what happens between now and the big kick-off.

He said: “Essentially we break it down into three blocks, the first is usually five or six sessions which is about getting the players conditioned, and lots of conditioned games which is about getting the ball back in the hands and getting the lungs burning, legs aching and miles in the legs as it were.

“The second block is looking at the collision area and getting bones and the bodies used to hitting things, and the third part which is where the games start is fine-tuning things such as our patterns and testing ourselves against what we’ve got lined up which is some really good, combative opposition.”

Launceston will take both teams down to Perranporth on Friday, August 15 before two exciting tests.

They face one-league lower Wadebridge in the rearranged Cornwall Cup final at the Camels on August 23, before tackling old rivals Okehampton at Polson Bridge seven days later on a day where the Colts, Castles, CABs and ladies are all in action for the second staging of the Borders Cup.

Goldsmith said: “The Wadebridge game means pre-season will be a bit different as we’ll have to be more selective, but the week before everybody will get a game as we’ve got Perranporth and Pirates Ams, so therefore we can make sure everyone gets some really good game-time.

“Then we’ve got the Borders Cup with all the squads playing which will be a fantastic day.”

Goldsmith also admitted the Cornwall Cup final should be hugely beneficial.

He said: “The Wadebridge game makes our pre-season a little bit more tasty than usual because there’s something on it.

“Obviously it wasn’t done at the end of last season, but we’ll take a competitive game as we know that’ll help us prepare for Topsham.”

Launceston also got their first look at new signings George Harris and Ben Hancock who both did the dreaded Bronco test, which was won by winger Ollie Bebbington, while there were some conditioned games.

Goldsmith admitted a bigger squad was imperative, concluding: “We’ve looked at adding to the depth. We identified, certainly towards the second half of last season that the squad depth wasn’t where it needed to be.

“Yes we ended up fifth, but it could have been a lot better if we had that depth in the squad, so we’re really pleased.

“We’ve also retained virtually everyone and we are hopeful of getting a couple more interesting names and players signed up for the season.”