Eastleigh also put some welcome silverware in their cabinet by securing the Gales HSB Hampshire Bowl earlier in the year.

New floodlights over the training pitch and a four-year sponsorship deal with construction company Taylor Wimpey have followed being named NatWest 2014 Pride of the Nation.

Eastleigh have lost a handful of players – two of them taking up posts with the armed forces – but they have been replaced with up to ten new faces who will find their place within the club’s sides.

New captain Paul Fudio said: “Eastleigh is on the map and teams in the area know what we are and what we’re capable of and it is up to us to maintain that structure. We have plenty of youth coming through which we plan to use.”

The Bishopstoke Road side want to at least equal last season’s third place finish which followed fourth spot the season before.

Eastleigh kick off with home advantage over Purley.

Trojans’ chairman Shaun Magill reckons his club’s number one aim is to steady the ship after suffering relegation two seasons on the bounce.

Pre-season preparations have not gone to plan with several lingering, long-term injuries to players – a couple needing surgery.

But centre Elliott Culley and second row Brad Hughes have returned from university to boost the squad and Magill is looking forward to some local derbies.

He said: “I think this is going to be a tough league to get out of and we may have to sit here for a season to recover.

“We want to be back in South-West 2 because, apart from last year, we did well at that level.”

He added: “The Eastleigh derby will be a big one. The last time we played them in a cup game they beat us so hopefully when we play them we can get a bit of pay back.”

Trojans have home advantage over Old Tonbridgians tomorrow – the side that pipped Fordingbridge to promotion in a play-off match.

Andover held off the challenge of Fordingbridge last term and stepped up from Hampshire 1 on points’ difference.

Coach Andy Waite knows life at SW3 level will be even tougher but he believes the All Blacks can cope.

He said: “We have some more great youngsters coming out of the academy that we have looked at pre season and with our seconds stepping up to the Solent League this year the future looks very bright.”

l Promoted New Milton found their SW3 feet over the latter part of the last season and have recruited experienced former Bournemouth coach David Dunn.

The Ballard School deputy head said: “New Milton did fantastic last season and it was a great achievement to end where they did as they got used to that level.

“We want them to build on that experience and finish in a better position and use that as a springboard for the future.”