The arrival of a Wales international player has given Canterbury Rugby Club a massive boost ahead of their 80th anniversary season which opens against Lydney at Merton Lane on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

Matthew Robinson, who won four caps for Wales on the wing and has played for Swansea and French side Pau, has signed for the club.

The one disappointment is that Robinson, who is taking up a teaching post at Kent College, will not be unveiled in Saturday’s opener as he is busy completing arrangements for his move to the city from Hertfordshire.

His arrival gives head coach Danny Vaughan options in both wing and centre positions and helps compensate for the loss of South African Gert De Kock, who has dropped four divisions to join Tonbridge Juddians.

Despite Robinson’s absence, the squad will not be short of fresh faces after a heavy recruitment drive over the summer.

Among those competing for places in Saturday’s National 2 South clash will be New Zealander Peter Kelly, number eight Matt Sheen – a former Widnes Vikings Rugby League player, prop Jimmy Stanford, who joined from Blackheath, and centre Neil Brown, who was formerly with Ealing and the Wasps and Leeds Academies.

Also in the mix is former Mounts Bay and Cornwall full-back Ollie Faulkner and Vaughan will be looking closely at the potential of Shaun Brown who has league experience with Whitstable.

The Canterbury squad is also relatively free from injury after three pre-season games with only lock Matt Lister (jaw) definitely sidelined.

There are changes off the field with Army Under-21 coach Wayne Bernard becoming Danny Vaughan’s right hand man. Andy Pratt, who has retired from playing is now overseeing the club’s development side, assisted by manager Billy Davis and Joe Connolly.