WISBECH Rugby Club captain Tom Long has challenged his side to start their season in style on Saturday - by beating bitter rivals West Norfolk.

Long - who began playing as a junior at West Norfolk - will lead Wisbech out at Harecroft Road for the opening game of their campaign in the Greene King IPA Eastern Counties Division One.

Wisbech crashed out of London North-East Division Three in April after a rollercoaster of a season saw them relegated by just a point. But Long has urged the club to rally together and push for a quickfire promotion.

“The easiest way out of this league is to win it,” he said. “That’s what everybody is focused on achieving. It doesn’t matter who we play - we want to win.

“If we could get one over on West Norfolk in the first match of the season then it would be fantastic.

“In the last couple of years we’ve had a bit more success than them and they will have a lot to prove.”

Wisbech warmed up for the derby clash with a pre-season tour to Canterbury and a comfortable 27-10 victory over Hitchin last weekend. Saturday’s game kicks off at 3pm.

The second team, who opened their league campaign with a 36-7 win over Watton at the weekend, travel to Crusaders II on Saturday.