EXCITEMENT tinged with trepidation are the over-riding emotions at Newton Abbot ahead of their National Three South West debut game against Chinnor.

There would be something wrong if players and officials alike weren't excited at the prospect of playing at National League level. No South Devon side has been there before, so it is rightly a source of some pride for the club.

However, Newton have been taken out of their comfort zone and thrust into a world where money talks and teams are peppered with players who have come down from even higher levels of the game.

Phil Burford, the All Whites director of rugby, said having been big boys in South West One would mean nothing now.

"We are about to start on a journey that both is daunting and exciting at the same time," said Burford.

"Exciting, because we set our sights on reaching this level of rugby and now we are there.

"Daunting, because every game we play will be just as tough as the previous one we played.

"We don't just have a hard start to the season, but a hard middle and a hard end as well.

"There are only a few teams in this division that we have played in the last couple of years and all our experiences are we are in for a hard time.

"No one at the club can recall us beating Barnstaple in the last 50 years, when we played Bournemouth in the cup they thrashed us and in my 10 years at the club we have not beaten Exmouth twice in the same season.

"We played Hartpury last season and lost narrowly to them twice – and what I am hearing is they are stronger again.

"That's some serious games, before we get to the established clubs such as Chinnor, Old Patesians and Cleve, who are stalwarts of the division."

Burford is pragmatic about Newton's prospects, but by no stretch of the imagination is he pessimistic.

"Survival is paramount, but we won't be going out to play with that foremost in our minds," said Burford.

"Our intention is to go out and play to win. Our target is mid-table and we need to win matches to achieve it.

"We are also playing for bonus points for the first time, which means there will be something to aim for right to the bitter end in every game. Those points could make a difference if it gets tight near the end of the season."

The bulk of the squad that got Newton promoted last season remains intact, with one or two adjustments.

Nigel Cane, the old Plymouth Albion scrum-half, has retired as player coach and been replaced on the coaching staff by Danny Porte.

As Porte is a prop – and a good one too with Albion and Exeter – Newton have a vacancy at number nine.

Alex Jeffery, signed last season from Westcounty Warriors, is one option while Marc Dibble is another.

Dibble, ex-of Launceston, has rejoined Newton Abbot having been briefly attached to the club last season.

As previously reported, props Tom Channon and Lloyd Radford, as well as flanker Ben Cole, have all arrived from Torquay.

Cole is not available tomorrow while Channon starts his Newton career in the 2nd XV.

Dan Force, newly arrived from Teignmouth, is at a wedding.

Ian Milton is ruled out by a shoulder injury.