For the first time in the history of Central West Rugby Union, last season featured three separate women's premierships and it was CSU won took out the North Cup, beating Mudgee 29-17 in the decider.

It was the first time CSU had claimed a women's crown since 2011.

Now with kick-off in the new season just over a week away, there are promising signs as CSU prepares to start its title defence. Plunkett has been getting up to 30 players at training.

"There are a lot of new girls, a lot of girls who have never played before who have come across which is wonderful and what has been really pleasing is that we've probably got a majority of the squad from last year," he said.

"There's a really good feel within the group and I'm excited for them because I think they'll have a really good year. I'm not saying they are going to win the premiership again, but whichever way it goes they are going to be a very strong squad of players."

As well as being a strong squad, the numbers give Plunkett hope that CSU will be able to maintain momentum through what is traditionally a tough period for university clubs - semester break.

"That is our Achilles heel obviously and if we can get through those break periods, uni holidays, fairly unscathed it is going to make it easier for us come the finals series," he said. "I really hope that is the case, time will tell."

While he will have to wait and see what the season brings, Plunkett said his squad has already displayed an eagerness to learn and those returning premiership players are helping to guide the new recruits.

It is different to when he helped guide CSU men's teams, but Plunkett is enjoying his new role.

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"Because they are such a close knit group and have been through that experience, it really does put us in good stead," he said.

"They do want to know things exactly and they do ask questions and are more organised than their male counterparts who just turn up on the day. They are quite open in what they want."

Plunkett got to see his players in a match situation last Saturday when CSU took on Bathurst Bulldogs - a club which has won the last four Ferguson Cup grand finals - in a trial.

The students did not win, but they did show promise.

"It was wonderful, they beat us in each of the quarters but not by much and they've had a better preparation than us," he said.

"They had played in a couple of competitions but they was the first hit out for us and from what I saw, there wasn't a great deal between the two sides, it came down to them being a bit fitter than us and more organised.

"I don't know if Bulldogs were at full strength, but they had some marquee players, they had Mardi Watts and Claudia McLaren and a couple of other girls who are high quality players."

That will be CSU's only trial before the season starts, but it did motivate the squad to put in more work on their fitness.

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