Preparing to lead Newcastle Falcons in their first Greene King IPA Championship campaign since 2012-13, director of rugby Dean Richards says the division is tougher than ever.

Richards oversaw a disappointing year last season, with the club falling from a stunning fourth-place finish in 2017-18 to Gallagher Premiership relegation just 12 months later.

But Richards has been here before, taking over in the summer of 2012 and winning promotion to the Premiership at the first time of asking, beating Bedford Blues 49-33 on aggregate in the old-format Championship Final.

The Falcons are heavy favourites to repeat that trick again this season, but Richards believes ambitious clubs like Ealing Trailfinders, Bedford Blues and Jersey Reds will push them all the way.

“This year is all about promotion and I think everyone will make us favourites, which will then make it far more difficult for us,” said Richards, speaking from the Greene King IPA Championship launch event at Twickenham Stadium ahead of the 2019/20 season.

“We’ll be the team that everyone wants to beat and it’ll be their cup final. It’s not ideal but it’s a pressure we have to deal with and it’s pressure the boys won’t have had for some time.

“I think this is a far more competitive Championship than ever before, with probably about six or seven teams who I think have recruited exceptionally well.

“But I’m really looking forward to the season and whoever gets promoted, and I’m hopeful it will be us, will be far better prepared for the Premiership than ever before.

“But you take each season one at a time. In terms of what happens off the field, contractually you’re looking two years in advance, but from what happens on the field you just take it a year at a time.”

Although pre-season has been going for some time the new domestic campaign is still some way off, the Falcons starting away at London Scottish early in October, although the RFU Championship Cup does begin on September 20.

One of the interesting quirks of this Championship season will be to see Newcastle, one of the premier clubs historically in England, take on Ampthill – promoted to the Championship for the first time ever in their history.

Richards added: “We’re looking forward to playing Ampthill but to be honest every game is one you go out to win. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your local rival, a team you’ve played against for 150 years or it’s a new team in the league.

“When it’s a new team in the league like Ampthill it gives you a bit of a fresh viewpoint on the game and you have to scrutinise them a little bit more.

“It’s nice to get fresh blood in there, it’s nice to see a new style and it’s all about going out there and focusing upon winning a game and you’ll look at trying to find ways to win a game.

“Whether you do or not comes down to how you do in those 80 minutes, but we can’t wait for it.”

The Greene King IPA Championship is the second tier of professional rugby in England. To keep up to date with the latest news and features follow @ChampRugby on Twitter