CANTERBURY players and coaches will play a leading role in the Kent rugby’s under-23 development touring party which leaves for the South of France on Saturday.

Nine of the city club’s players are in a 24-strong squad and Canterbury skipper Chris Hinkins will captain the team.

Coaching is in the hands of Canterbury’s Danny Vaughan while Andy Pratt, the Kent senior skipper, will have a player/coach role and osteopath Charlie Bannigan will be looking after injury problems.

The tour party will be based in the Biarritz area and has scheduled matches against two local sides before meeting a French development team.

Canterbury players making the trip are Chris Hinkins, Mike Melford, Matt Pinnick, Dave Weston, Ollie Robinson, Nicky Woodbridge, Stuart Woodbridge, Jon Feldman and Rob Hussey, who has just signed for the club from Gravesend.