Banbury Bulls make their earliest ever start to a competitive season when they entertain powerful Cornish side Truro in a RFU Senior Cup qualifying round tie at Bodicote Park on Saturday (August 25, 3pm).

Will Brooks will captain Banbury against Truro tomorrowBanbury qualified for this competition - formerly known as the Tetley's Bitter Cup - by reaching the final of last season's Oxfordshire Cup where they lost to Henley.

The Bulls, under new skipper Will Brooks, will be relying mainly on the same squad, as new signing Henley winger Andy Noyce is unavailable.

One new face is Gareth Edwards, a winger from Welsh club Tumble, who has impressed in the pre-season preparations.

The game against Truro will be a tough opener for the Bulls. But after impressive performances in warm-up games against a full-strength Rugby Lions, and a victory in the Stratford-on-Avon tournament, they will not lack confidence.

But the early start to the campaign has thrown them somewhat. As the tie was originally due to be played a week later, several players are still on holiday.

Following a decision to allow Zurich Premier Division clubs to make a later entry into English club rugby's premier knock-out comeptition, the RFU had to tack another round on at the start.

So the winners of tomorrow's tie will not be able to rest on their laurels as they are away to either Stroud or Dorchester in the next round just seven days later.

**Banbury (v Truro, home, 3): Cartmell, Edwards, Viggers, Purnell, Lalanne, Harrison, Hurst, Hobley, Brown, Lawrence, Hughes, Chatterton, Cummings, Brooks (capt), Cockerton, Taylor, Cartwright, Ferguson, Ingham, Burbidge, Phipps.