A very warm welcome to our old friends and rivals from Huddersfield RUFC in another Roses battle, one in a run of four for Fylde. After ‘Field comes Harrogate (away), Rotherham Titans (home) and Wharfedale (away) on successive Saturdays.
Fylde and Huddersfield first met in league competition in 2008-9 following ‘Fields’ promotion to level 4, National Two (North). In 2012/3 they were relegated back to North Premier (level 5) but came storming back the following season as champions. Another season in N2N led to another immediate relegation but in 2016/17 once again they finished top of the division and were back in N2N in 2017-18 when they performed well and finished 6th and then 4th in 2018-19. 2019-20 was harder and they rather struggled and finished in 12th place.
Both Fylde and Huddersfield have long and distinguished histories amongst Northern clubs. Although the Lancastrians shade the bragging rights since 2008, they have struggled at Huddersfield’s Lockwood Park in the shadow of the magnificent Lockwood Viaduct. The clubs have met on 11 occasions and whilst Fylde are unbeaten at the Woodlands, they have lost four of the six games in Yorkshire.
Huddersfield have had a tough season following some frustration in their advance planning. Head Coach Gareth Lewis said in September “We have had a disrupted pre-season due to it taking longer to put a squad together with Covid-19 hitting the club hard financially.”
This was reflected in a set of really difficult opening matches, with defeats in seven of their first eight fixtures which left them in 15th place in the division. However, three of the four home losses were close games (19-24 v Bournville; 15-22 v Fylde and 10-12 v Luctonians) and this hinted at better things to come.
In late November their fortunes turned, with home wins against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Tigers (31-27) and Harrogate (23-7). A doughty showing at promotion favourites Rotherham Titans (26-12) was noteworthy and a 35-19 home win last Saturday over bottom of the table Blaydon was a very important way to start 2022. They will be hoping to continue this improvement and get clear of the relegation places in National Two (North).
The Huddersfield player roster has had a number of comings and goings in preparations for this season. Their Head Coach Gareth Lewis has had seven seasons in charge at Lockwood Park and his passion for the club, including beginning his career these when he was just 15 playing in the junior and Academy set ups, is undimmed. He is assisted by backs coach Neil Ryan, a well known and distinguished player and coach for Lancashire and North West clubs.
The newcomers to the squad, mainly young players who have come through the Club’s development system, seem to be finding their feet quickly.
The most obvious player connection linking the clubs is former fly-half kicking machine and playmaker Chris Johnson who has had distinguished spells at both.
Influential members of the current squad include versatile and experienced back Lewis Workman and goal kicking centre or fly-half Will Milner who has played rugby league for the Keighley Cougars and Featherstone Rovers. Another very influential and experienced cross codes back is Tom Hodson who has played for Doncaster RL and Featherstone Rovers before switching to RU as a fullback or wing for Huddersfield and Otley. This is his second spell with the Lockwood Park club and his partnership with the very promising young winger Kian Stewart has been productive. An interesting newcomer is Milner’s half-back partner, scrumhalf Jonny Mason. The Manxman has senior experience at Macclesfield and with Loughborough Students and is a very capable performer.
In their pack, although they’ve lost the services of gritty veteran no 8 Dicky Piper, always a thorn in Fylde’s side, they have retained highly mobile flanker Liam Parfitt and veteran lock/flanker Nick Sharpe who, along with Fylde’s former skipper Adam Lewis who has come out of retirement to help out the club this season, is the only survivor from the 2008/9 squads. The club skipper is young backrower Lewis Bradley, a Yorkshire County cap, who has progressed to the leadership of the 1st team at a similar age to his opposite number on Saturday, Fylde’s Ben Gregory.
Strong front row personnel include former Old Brodlians prop Callum Thompson and free scoring hooker Liam Stapely. Luke Pearson has been the regular partner to Nick Sharpe in the 2nd row.
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Fylde make one change in their starting line-up. Scott Rawlings picked up a knock at Loughborough Students and is replaced at inside centre by newly signed, dual registered Sale Sharks young centre Joe Bedlow.
The very durable Rawlings has started in all Fylde’s 41 matches since he rejoined the Club at the beginning of the 2019-20 season. He notched his 100th appearance for the Woodlands club in mid-November, in an extraordinary 18 year career during which he’s made more than 400 senior games for five clubs.
Joe Bedlow is a contracted Sale Sharks player who has played mainly to date for the Club’s Academy. He is the youngest of three rugby playing sons of Andy and Ann Bedlow who all developed as youngsters at their local Rossendale club. Tom is the eldest followed by Sam and then Joe. Tom is an established Rossendale RUFC 1st XV player and Sam an established Premiership star with Sale Sharks and more recently with Bristol Bears. He also ran up 24 1st XV appearances for Fylde as a dual registrant between 2014-2017 whilst at Sale. Joe is the latest off the production line and is also marked out for a highly successful professional rugby career. He is a graduate of Myerscough’s AASE programme