London Scottish director of rugby Simon Amor is going into the new Championship season riding the wave of a brand new approach.

Scottish kick off their pre-season campaign tonight at the Twickenham Stoop against Harlequins (kick off 7.30pm), and Amor said the club’s new training regime, and the new names brought in over the summer stand them in fine stead for the season to come.

“This is the first time we have gone into a season on the back of day-time training,” he said.

“We are ahead of where we were last year, in terms of the players we have, the fitness levels, the preparation. It is very exciting.

“We have brought in some big names like Neil Best, and their experience on the pitch will be vital when the pressure is on.

“But they are also being employed as mentors. Of the 12 players we have brought in, nine are under 22 and we’re hoping the likes of Neil and Mark [Bright] will help the younger players develop throughout the season.”

Scottish endured an up and down Championship campaign last time round, starting poorly, turning things around in the middle and then finishing slowly – but Amor is convinced that will not be repeated.

“We made some big changes in the middle of last season, like going to day-time training, and it made a huge difference.

“We just ran out of steam towards the end of the season, but as long as we stay injury free, the target is to break into the top four, to realise that ambition would be amazing.”

He added: “You can bet your life most teams will be thinking the same thing, I can see this year’s Championship being the most competitive yet.

“It is going to be a challenge, and what better way to start than at Harlequins.”

London Scottish’s season proper starts on September 14 at newly promoted Ealing Trailfinders.