Captain Chris Lowrie lifts the 2007 Bill Beaumont Cup (Getty)

Devon face Somerset in Barnstaple on Saturday in the first match in their bid to retain the county championship.

Albion boss Graham Dawe coaches the team alongside John Roberts and team manager Roy Henderson, the seventh year the trio have worked together.

"We are favourites for this fixture, but we are expecting a very strong challenge. This is going to a tough game," Henderson said.

Plymouth Albion and the Cornish Pirates will provide most of the Devon side.

Devon won the Bill Beaumont Cup by beating Lancashire 27-6 at Twickenham last year to add to their victory in 2006.

"We are reasonably confident we have got a strong squad here. We are aiming at getting a side together of National Division One and Two standard.

"You have to, to win this tournament and that is our ultimate aim again this year."