The 2023 Lower Mid North Coast Rugby Union Premiership champions lost to the home team 27-10 but new coach Tinus Wagner said the loss hasn't dampened the team's spirits.

"I think the first 20 minutes or so our guys really played well," he said.

"We scored a good try and dominated...but then we missed some very good opportunities to score tries and we made mistakes..."

Wagner said that he thinks the team sees it as a positive learning experience.

"No doubt we were disappointing in the overall outcome," he said.

"But we had a good session afterwards talking about what was good, what worked on the day, what didn't, and what was not so good."

Wagner, who hails from South Africa, is in his first year as the Wauchope coach after moving to the area six years ago and has previously coached a number of rugby teams.

Coming into the role the year after the club's historic 2023 win, Wagner agreed there was pressure on the team.

"We'll have our work cut out [for us] and we know the competition will be coming for us," he said.

"Anytime you're playing the guys who won the comp last year, you gun for it so we'll be preparing for that."

As a new coach, Wagner has a tough role.

"[The team] did very well last year winning the competition but we need to try to repeat that with a new set of players.

"But the coaching team are more or less the same...so there's a lot of continuity from their perspective."

Tim Platt returned as the Backs Coach with Steve Davis remaining as the Fitness and conditioning coach of the club.

Other key members of the team include John McKenzie as the club coaching coordinator, and Ben Nolan as the forwards coach.

Wagner said he is hoping to bring a nice style of enjoyable rugby.

"If you follow the World Cup, South Africa tried different things but it worked for them," he said.

"We'll probably try a few different things ourselves."

Thunder will be travelling to face off against the Old Bar Clams on Saturday, April 20.