Head coach Matt Corker admits Canterbury Rugby Club have started seasons too slowly in recent years - as they aim to put that right.

They begin their National League 2 East campaign at Sevenoaks this Saturday.

Corker thinks their pre-season has put them in a strong position but it’s now about what happens when the competitive action starts.

“We’ve started way too slowly in the last two seasons,” said Corker, who has gone past the three-year anniversary since he joined Canterbury.

“You’re probably bored of me saying that we’re focusing on fitness but, when I see the lads out there, running around, you can see how that hard work has really paid off. That’s definitely been something that we’re focusing on.

“Going into the first few weeks, I’m looking forward to seeing the contrast from last season and seeing how it impacts our ability to play. We’re very happy so far.

“The group looks in good shape - but we know talk is cheap and it’s all about that first game against Sevenoaks.

“That’s when we’ll find out where we really are.”

It’s been a busy close season for Canterbury.

Corker explained: “I think the whole target for the off-season was to recruit enough players so that we would have enough to have competition in pretty much every position. We’re pretty much there with that.

“It’s been good in that respect. Being able to keep hold of all-bar-one of the squad from last season, and then adding some extra talent, it’s been really exciting.

“We’ve also managed to keep hold of quite a few of our graduating colts from last season. It’s really nice to see that development pathway building.”

There’s plenty of new faces to get familiar with at Canterbury.

On his summer signings, Corker admitted: “There’s quite a lot!

“Lewis Hollidge has joined us. He was on loan from Blackheath and has come over full-time to us now, which is exciting. Garry Jones has come over from Australia.

“Alfie Orris has joined us from Medway, he’s a really exciting winger who had a great season with Kent as well. I think he just looks really excited to challenge himself.

“This is the first time he’s played National 2 and he just looks ready for the challenge.

“Then, there’s Morgan Dayes and Pierce Holland. Pierce is a loosehead and Morgan is a No.13 winger who joins us from Ampthill. He sort of came through the Academy at Ampthill. They’re both really settling in nicely.

“We’ve had three players who were actually in Australia. Last week was their first week back. They were with us last season but they went to Australia to play a season.

“They were the Scots - Cameron Murray and Cameron Macmillan - and Eoin O’Donoghue. It’s good to have them back in the group.

“That’s, obviously, added another three really quality players.”

Some of Canterbury’s squad have been away to South Africa this summer with Kent - where they worked with newly-appointed director of rugby Taff Gwilliam.

He started his role with Canterbury last month after he stepped down as Medway’s long-serving head coach.

“It’s going really well,” Corker said.

“He’s sort of occupied a strategic role for us and there was definitely space for someone to come in and sort of take a step back from a lot of the day-to-day stuff, so that we can get out ahead of things on a recruitment front.

“He’s brought some great players over with him from Medway.

“He’s getting stuck into lots of different areas of the club.

“I think us being able to have someone in that capacity with Taff’s experience is really going to move the club forward.”

There’s certainly an interesting start to the season for Canterbury who, after visiting Sevenoaks, play another Kent rival in Tonbridge Juddians at Merton Lane a week later.

They lost 44-35 last September at home to Tonbridge and 26-17 at Sevenoaks the following month.

Corker said: “The league is pretty full with local derbies and we get them pretty regularly - and those are two of the biggest! Westcombe Park is probably the third.

“But Sevenoaks away, when we went down there, we put in a really poor performance last season. That’s definitely something which sticks in our minds that we need to give a much better account of ourselves this year.

“The same with Tonbridge, we had a really good start at home and then let it slip away.

“We’ll be looking to use those two weeks to get a measure of where we are and prove to ourselves that we’re capable of the standard of performance that we think we can put in.”

Canterbury, who lost at home to Juddians 26-21 in their first pre-season game, want to recruit a new backs coach.

Email Gwilliam at dor@cantrugby.co.uk before the deadline today.

They finished their pre-season with a 54-21 triumph against National League 1 East Blackheath last Friday.

Tom Williams (2), Orris, Luke Webber and Frank Morgan were among those who crossed the line.