MARTIN Lloyd hopes the addition of some continental talent can lead Swindon College Old Boys back into Southern Counties North at the first attempt.

College finished second from bottom last term and have had to drop down to Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier for the 2016/17 campaign.

However, director of rugby Lloyd is keen to be fighting it out at the right end of the table this term and is eager to see whether the recruitment of French and Romanian players to the squad can help his side achieve that.

“Pre-season has been good, I think we have lost two players to Chippenham but we have picked up some quite noticeable players from local clubs too,” said Lloyd.

“We have picked up a couple of Romanian lads as well that were working with one of the guys. Both played at a really high standard in Romania and were are looking to sign another as well, so it’s looking really, really healthy.

“We have picked up a French prop as well and obviously being the international club that we are, we tend to attract more of a cross-section of European players.

“We just want to do the best that we possibly can and if that means going back up again and fighting it out again in the league above, then that’s what we will do.

“We have belief in ourselves. We know our rightful place is in the league above but we will have to work hard for it.”

College are already playing catch-up, however, as their scheduled season opener last weekend was called off following the withdrawal of opponents Alchester from the league.

They instead get under way on Saturday, when they play host to Abingdon and Lloyd is keen to make a fast start.

Lloyd added: “We have had a couple of pre-season games and everything has been going well. We were really looking forward to the game against Alchester only to find out they had pulled out of the league.

“We were bitterly disappointed with last season and it was the early point of the season that really did for us.

“It was close by the end but we had five points deducted for an illegible player and that cost us dear, as did one or two close results. We had some high-scoring games that we were within two or three points of winning.

“That’s the way it goes but you make your own luck and you can’t afford to dwell on it.”

Supermarine will be looking to put the disappointment of last weekend’s season opening defeat at home to Chippenham 2nd in Dorset & Wilts One North behind them when they travel to Corsham.