LEIGH Miners Rangers begin their 2016 season this Saturday as Underbank Rangers are the visitors in the first round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

The Challenge Cup run, albeit helped by a reprieve against Hull Dockers in round one, kick-started Miners’ superb 2015 season as they reached the fifth round and conquered League One Oxford, and the Twist Lane club will be thankful for a home tie to get things under way this time around.

Following Danny Jackson’s retirement and Shaun Dowie’s return to Australia this will be a slightly new look Miners with the returning Tom Eckersley and new signing Ian Mort, the former Leigh fullback, pushing for a place in a side which could also feature graduates from last season’s under-18s side.

Underbank, whom Miners met for the first time in the Conference Trophy last season, won promotion to Division One of the NCL in 2015 and although a couple of their Australian recruits have departed they have signed the former Canberra Raiders junior Blake Hewitt whilst Super League veterans Paul Reilly and Darren Turner could also figure for the Holmfirth side.

The game is a 2.30pm kick off on Saturday whilst on Sunday the under-18s embark on the National Cup trail as they entertain Oldham St Annes, 11.45am ko.

The new season also sees a new coaching structure as head coach Allan Coleman remains at the helm of the first team, with Mick Blakeley steering the Alliance and the brothers Simon and Tim Hartley stepping up as under-18s. Cliff Tamou remains as women’s team coach.

Meanwhile Paul Whitworth takes on the new role of Director of Rugby, and Paul updated on this role ahead of the new season.

“I will be working hard to make sure the structures and pathways throughout the teams are clear and bring opportunities for those who want to help us stay successful.

"When myself and Allan came in we put in a three-year plan – it actually took us four.

"I now need to start planning for the next three years and let the coaching staff concentrate on their tasks.

"As a group we have learned a great deal from the experience and this could be seen in the control and game management in the final quarter of last season.

I feel that we have created a great structure behind the scenes with Phil Marsden leading the players conditioning and supporting the coaching staff to keep the lads in great shape and also helping to get injured players back to fitness. This has had a real impact last season and will continue to work for us this year.”