JIMMY Lowes is plotting for the new season with military precision as he takes his players to a British Army base later this month.

The Bulls head coach believes the mini-camp at the Carver Barracks in Saffron Walden, Essex will provide the squad with a welcome "change of scenery" from their normal routine.

The three-day stay, from January 27 to 29, comes two weeks before the Championship opener at Leigh on February 15.

"We've been in training for 12 weeks now and it will be almost 16 weeks by the time we get to the camp, which won't be rugby related," said Lowes.

"We just wanted a bit of a change of scenery and to go down there, do some lighter assault course work and some army activities, will allow us to enjoy each other's company away from rugby.

"It's more of a relaxing exercise and is nothing to do with team-bonding because we don't need to do that.

"It's not something I've done before as a coach and is really something you tend to do at the start of pre-season.

"But we don't need to do any team-building work because the boys have spent the past three months together.

"I won't be flogging the boys – I just want them to spend some quality time together."

Lowes felt the unity among his players was evident during their opening friendly at Castleford on Sunday.

He said: "That was a smaller picture building up to the bigger picture, which is the Championship opener at Leigh in a few weeks' time."