Captains preview of the 2026/27 season.

As we head into a new season, there’s a real sense of excitement around the club. Coming off the back of a fantastic year with a personal and club highlight of lifting the Devon Cup, we’re all eager to get back out there and see what this group can achieve.

Over the summer, we’ve added some outstanding players to the squad. Not only have they strengthened the depth and quality we’ve already got, but we’ve increased competition across the board, which is already helping drive standards and raise the level at training.

This has been particularly important given the disruption caused by the delayed start.
Our goal this season is simple: keep improving week on week. If we do that consistently, we’ll give ourselves every chance of bettering last year’s league finish and competing for silverware again. We know success isn’t built overnight, and there will be challenges along the way. What’s important is that we continue to grow as a group and keep moving in the right direction.

It’s a real privilege to captain this team. We’ve had an excellent start to pre-season, with plenty of hard work put in and great energy around the squad. New combinations are starting to take shape, while tried and tested combinations are also picking up where we left off.

We’ve been very clear about our expectations. Every game is a chance to gel as a team, learn more about each other and improve. That mindset will continue into our opening league fixture away at Brixham, a fixture that speaks for itself and one we’re all relishing. Especially coming off the back of our last fixture at Astley Park, we know they’ll be gunning for retribution.

Most importantly, rugby is about community. We’d love to see as many old and new faces down at the club as possible from the 3rd October verses Newent, to enjoy a stein or two and make the most of the festivities Oktoberfest has to offer. The support we get from players, families, volunteers, sponsors and supporters makes a huge difference and is the secret to what makes Exmouth Rugby Club so special.

Rory Mason
1ST TEAM Captain