Captain Tom Richford says there is “no point playing down” the magnitude of Canterbury’s opening NOW: Pensions Premier Division survival play-off game against Team Bath Buccaneers on Sunday.

Current Premier Division side Canterbury will take on Conference East champions Holcombe as well as North champions Bowdon and West winners Bath in a round-robin league spread over two weekends, with the top two claiming a place in next season’s top flight.

The opening games will be played at Cannock on Sunday with Canterbury set to take on Bath at 3pm in the second game of the day.

The city club were promoted through the play-off system three years ago and Richford said: “We’ve had a few ‘cup finals’ lately to get to this position (and avoid automatic relegation) and we’re used to being in this situation, having been here in the past and experienced the other side of it not so long ago.

“We are happy with what we have in front of us but know we have to perform.”

On Saturday, April 11, the four teams will head to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with the Kent derby at 10am and the final round the following day, both starting at 10.45am.

Richford added: “We know that the top two go through and six points will be enough but there is no point in us worrying about Holcombe and Bowdon now.

“There is no point playing it down, this is a huge game. The result of the other game on Sunday will not influence how we approach anything. We can’t worry about anything other than ourselves.”