Wymondham Rugby Club start their pre-season programme on Saturday with a friendly fixture against the current Eastern Counties champions Shelford.This will be followed by a fixture on Thursday against the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, also known affectionately as The Vikings.

Wymondham Rugby Club start their pre-season programme on Saturday with a friendly fixture against the current Eastern Counties champions Shelford.

This will be followed by a fixture on Thursday against the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, also known affectionately as The Vikings.

Finally the club will visit Holt on the following Saturday when it is expected that the 1st XV, 2nd XV and 3rd XV will be playing.

This Saturday's match against Shelford, who are one of the fancied teams to secure promotion to the National League this season, will be a huge challenge for Wymondham given that there are three leagues between the two clubs.

Shelford, coached by Sam Tovo, formerly of Rugby Lions, who has brought Shelford into London 1 by playing some hard, uncompromising rugby.

Despite being “just a friendly” this will be one of Wymondham's toughest tests of the coming season and could give some inkling into how well they will fair in London League Division Four.

Then on Thursday Wymondham host the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge arm of the Royal Anglian Regiment - The Vikings.

The 1st Battalion have embarked on a short tour of the region, also playing Ipswich YMCA on September 2 and North Walsham.

Wymondham are hoping for a big turnout to welcome The Vikings and the club hopes to make a collection on the evening on behalf of the 1st Anglian Memorial fund.

Saturday squad from: Mitchell W, Loades, Brugger, Sheppard, Brand, Peacock, Holt R, Harris N, Kerridge, Summers L, Morfoot (capt), Hickey S, Pritchard, Coller, Nelson, White, Miller, Penny, Elias T, Hickey L, Wells, Wyatt, Barker, Unstead, Harris A, Harris I, Arbon.