Ben Hilton has the belief that Cornwall can do well

With just 44 days to go until Cornwall start their Bill Beaumont Cup Division One South campaign at Gloucestershire, preparations for the county's annual tilt at Twickenham are gathering pace.

The bulk of the squad had their first full training session at Truro College last Monday, when second row Ben Hilton was named as captain for a second successive season.

The Cornish All Blacks forward admitted he was surprised, but proud, to be asked to captain Cornwall again.

Hilton, who has 20 Cornwall 'caps', said: "I am very honoured and very surprised. The trend has been that they don't tend to duplicate captains for a second consecutive year and there are some other outstanding captains Like Darren [Jacques], Tom [Rawlings] and Chris [Fuca], any one of whom would be very worthy of the job.

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"They have all shown their support for me and it will work like it did last year. We will talk on the pitch. We have quite a few leaders out there."

Hilton was also full of praise for the greater "professionalism" which had been introduced into Cornwall's preparations as they bid to make their first final appearance since winning the County Championship in 1999.

"The year before last some of the senior players voiced their ideology of how to move things forward and, after a few years when there was perhaps not that communication, it's building.

"We have looked at all aspects. As Clive Woodward says if you look after the one per cents, that perhaps have been overlooked, it can add up to being a ten per cent better team."

Cornwall just missed out on a place in the final last year by the width of a post against Hertfordshire in their final game, which they lost 29-27, and will be desperate to go one better this time.

Hilton added: "We will use last year as motivation. It is going to be tough, we all know that, especially with two away games, but we will give it our all."

Carter said that no stone was being left unturned in the search for Championship success, which he said was vital to maintain interest in a competition whose popularity had waned in recent years.

"I think in the next couple of years we have got to win it or the interest will fade for both players and supporters," he said. But Cornwall face a very tough task with games at Gloucestershire and Kent, followed by their only home match against holders Hertfordshire at Camborne on May 18.

Cornwall have one more training session before they take on Devon at Plymouth Albion in their annual meeting for the Tamar Cup on Monday, April 22.