Taunton could be in for a reality check this season in National Two South, after sweeping almost all before them on the way to two successive promotions.

Last season's National Three South champions – they had the title won before losing a game – open up away to Henley Hawks tomorrow.

Director of rugby Lee Waddon has made 11 new signings during the summer and worked hard forging links with Exeter for all-important loan signings as the rigours of the season take their toll in the months ahead.

Taunton went 44 games unbeaten on their way to back-to-back promotions, but Waddon is the first to accept this season is going to be much tougher.

"I haven't mastered the skill of looking into the future and making precise predictions, but the talk is that this year's National Two South campaign will be closer and more fiercely contested than it has been for many years," said Waddon.

"Jersey, with the formidable South Sea Island squad, will be some people's tip for top spot, Ealing and Henley have recruited well and Clifton have assembled a capable set of players. If we can win most of our home games, sneak a few away wins and pick up some bonus points in tight encounters, then we could finish in the top five."

Newton Abbot are in new surroundings this season having won promotion via the play-offs into National Three South West.

The All Whites 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, 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, whose side entertain Chinnor tomorrow.

"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."

Barnstaple, where Danny Thomas is back home as head coach after 10 years spent mostly at Plymouth Albion, are away to Weston in their National Three SW opener.

Exmouth, where former Launceston coach Jon Hill is newly installed, have home advantage against Coney Hill as they aim to learn from the lessons of last season.

The Cockles fought their annual battle against relegation last term and would like to avoid sweating on the last few games.

"We lost too many games by small margins and it would only take a 10-15 per cent improvement to turn those losses into wins and make us more competitive," said director of rugby Chris Wright.