There will be no gentle easing in of the new season at St Albans Rugby Club’s with Stevenage Town providing the opening day opponents.

The two sides shared victories last season with Saints winning 39-19 at Boggymead before losing 43-22 at Stevenage in April.

Town will visit Boggymead on September 10, the opening day of the season, with the return fixture on April 8, the final day of the year.

Local rivals Hemel Hempstead will be Saints’ first away game on September 17.

A trip to Finchley on January 7 heralds in 2017.

St Albans final home game of the campaign sees them face Datchworth on April 1.

St Albans fixtures - 2016/2017

10/09/2016 Stevenage Town H

17/09/2016 Hemel Hempstead A

24/09/2016 Finchley H

01/10/2016 Hackney H

08/10/2016 Hitchin A

22/10/2016 Cheshunt H

29/10/2016 Staines A

05/11/2016 Kilburn Cosmos H

19/11/2016 Old Merchant Taylors’ A

26/11/2016 Grasshoppers H

10/12/2016 Datchworth A

17/12/2016 Hemel Hempstead H

07/01/2017 Finchley A

14/01/2017 Hackney A

28/01/2017 Hitchin H

11/02/2017 Cheshunt A

18/02/2017 Staines H

04/03/2017 Kilburn Cosmos A

11/03/2017 Old Merchant Taylors’ H

25/03/2017 Grasshoppers A

01/04/2017 Datchworth H

08/04/2017 Stevenage Town A