The Leicester Tigers Women get the 23/24 campaign underway this weekend when they travel north to take on Sale Sharks.
Tigers kick off their highly anticipated debut season in the Allianz Cup on Saturday (September 23) at CorpAcq Stadium.
Saturday's hosts, Sale, finished last season's Premier 15s (now Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby) in 7th place, with seven wins in 18 outings.
Previewing the match, Leicester Senior Coach Tom Hudson said: "Although we are primarily looking at our own game, we are very aware of an experienced Sale squad who have added some impressive signings over the summer."
"They will play an abrasive, carry-heavy brand of rugby; they've got some big carriers, who will be used to build momentum."
Tigers have had just one run out ahead of the Cup getting underway, a pre-season fixture away to Henley Hawks, and Hudson is keen to continue to see steps taken and improvements made following that 52-point, 5-57, victory over the Championship outfit.
"All we expect from our side is one step forward from the performance against Henley. While we play the game to win, at this time for us as a side, our goal is to take a step forward each time we step on the pitch," said Hudson.
"That means translating what we're doing at training into a live game scenario. It means seeing new combinations working across the squad and it means being more effective. Everything should be 10% better than what we saw at Henley."
Asked about how it feels to get started in competitive matches, Hudson added "I can't wait. The team have put in a lot of work during what has been a gruelling pre-season programme and, on top of that, the first of its kind for a lot of the players."
"Leicester Tigers is an outcome-based organisation, one that always strives for silverware but there is definitely recognition that we are very early on in our process together.
"I'm proud of our whole team, players and staff. Bar none, every single person has embraced the challenges thrown at them and I think we are a better organisation and a better team because of it.
"I'm just excited for the players to have the opportunity to make history, to be the first to wear the Leicester Tigers colours at this level. I can't wait for the moment they step out onto that field."
