Cambridge have signed lock Rob Hurrell to strengthen their second row after the departure of John Harlock.

Hurrell, 31, has played at Coventry and Birmingham in National One and was at Henly in National Two last season.

Cambridge coach James Shanahan told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "The players we've brought in should make for a better season but it will be hard.

"With all these new players, the guys from last year are now training harder and it should bring their game on."

Shanahan admitted Cambridge may add another one or two players to their squad as well as some loan deals but insisted the squad was nearing completion.

Cambridge finished sixth in National Two last season but Shanahan is hoping for improvement.

He said: "If the season started tomorrow I'd be pretty confident but you can't be sure until you're five or six games in as other teams are trying to do the same as us.

"Launceston have pretty much got a squad that was in National One last year and Birmingham Bees have gone full-time and have kept most of their squad from National One," he added.

"Those two teams are going to up their in the top two and we'll be trying to put as much pressure as we can on them."