MAKE no mistake we'll be the side that everyone wants to beat this season.

We enter the Allied Dunbar Premiership as the new boys playing some of the great names in English rugby.

They'll see the investment made in the club and there will be a fair degree of envy around so every game will be a battle.

Last season we were able to play some exciting rugby against some of the lesser sides, but when we go away this season every team is capable of beating us.

This will be a year of progression and promotion is everybody's aim, but we will look for stability whatever the results.

It will be a tough campaign and the expectation is very high.

The movement in the transfer market has been incredible with a huge number of players available to us, but we've deliberately stuck primarily with the squad who won last season's championship.

They deserve the opportunity to perform at the higher level and they've all worked hard in pre-season training.

Confident

I'm confident we can more than compete although the players will find the game is played at a different pace.

And just as the pre-season games against Swansea and Bedford showed, errors cost points in the Premiership and we will have to be focused.

The trick is to make sure we don't get too up tight about things and enjoy playing and enjoy our rugby as that's when we will play at our best.

Sometimes we will have to fight for our results but there is still satisfaction from battling through to win a game.

This season foul play will see players spending ten minutes in a sin bin and I agree with the new rules provided they are used sensibly.

It gives referees a lot of licence to have an affect on games but I don't see a problem if the rule is used properly and it's a positive statement for the game of rugby.

Having said that, if the cards start flying about against our players it will probably be best if I'm sat at least seven rows back in the stand!

On Saturday our league season starts at home to Coventry -- a club who have been making news all summer with their off-field financial problems.

They now look to have sorted themselves out and as I've discussed with our captain, Bruce Fenley, the state of the club finances has no effect how good the players are.

Coventry have a history of competing at the very highest level of the game and we're a side they will be looking to beat.

Thursday, September 3, 1998.