Fylde pick up the reins after a five week break when they travel to old friends and rivals Harrogate on Saturday (ko 14.00) in what will be the halfway point of the season.
The two clubs have met each other in Roses battles for many generations and ‘Gate, one of England’s oldest rugby union clubs, celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2021-22. However, since the formation of the serious RFU divisions and the advent of professionalism in the 1990s, the clubs have met each other 19 times in ten seasons, from 1999-2003, from 2007-2011 and 2021-2 to date. ‘Gate dominated in the first of these periods whilst Fylde had rather more success in the later sequence. In all, Fylde have won 9, Harrogate 10.
In terms of league status, Harrogate’s principal, sustained success was to have 13 seasons, 1994-2007, in National One, the 3rd tier of the English league hierarchy. Since then they have yo-yo’d between National Two (North) at level 4 and North Premier, level 5. Two relegations to North Premier were followed swiftly by two promotions back to N2N, the latest in 2019-20.
The two clubs met in Fylde’s promotion campaign in the 2010-11 season which resulted in , at that time, a very rare double for the Lancastrians – a 20-30 victory at their then Caro Road base and a 35-12 win at the Woodlands. Eleven years later, last season, Fylde won by 80-26 in September at the Woodlands and 8-33 in Harrogate in January 2022. In Sept 2022 Fylde ran up a 74-5 home victory.
In 2015 ‘Gate moved from Claro Road in the centre of the town to the southern edge, to a brand new ground, the Apollo Capital Stadium on Rudding Lane. This has given the Club excellent, modern facilities embracing grass and artificial pitches and a thriving clubhouse.
Harrogate’s return to N2N last season was a real struggle. They won 3 games, lost 27 and finished at the bottom of National Two (North). However, the re-structuring of the National League divisions saved the club from relegation.
This season hasn’t been too much better, with two victories and ten defeats to date, and they sit in 13th place in the division. A number of factors suggest that this may be a rather harsh judgement of the squads true ability. They have only played five home games and seven away, a five point penalty for a registration error hasn’t helped and, finally, a number of their defeats have been by very narrow ones – 16-10 at Sheffield Tigers, 15-8 at Tynedale, 24-17 at Hull Ionians and 10-16 at home to Otley. Their two victories have been at Huddersfield (15-29) and at home to Preston Grasshoppers (23-17).
The previous Director of Rugby, David Doherty, was succeeded last summer by Martyn Woods. He’s assisted by Defence Coach, Gary Mercer, who has long experience in both codes at club and international level. He played for Leeds, Bradford, Warrington, Halifax and New Zealand in rugby league and had a spell as coach at Halifax before switching codes to union. His coaching career in rugby union includes time at Yorkshire Carnegie, as defence coach for Glasgow Warriors and in charge of National Two outfit Biggar, as well as working with the Scottish Rugby Union Academy. He will remain as Head of Rugby and tutor at Ashville College. At the beginning of this season the Club said: “[With Gary Mercer] working alongside Head Coach Sam Fox we are expecting great things.”
Harrogate have a young but strong pack which will collectively prove a serious test for the Fylde forwards, with a solid set of locks – skipper Sam Brady, Sam Fenn and new recruit ex-Leeds Beckett University and Morley RFC lock Tomas Phipps. Young props Tom Baxter, former West Park Bramhope & Leeds Tykes Academy prop Henry Derbyshire and new signing Seif Elsayed, ex-Ulster Development Squad, Otley, Malone RFC & Leeds Beckett University. The backrow roster includes Greg Jones, Will Hill and Tom Spencer-Jones.
Amongst the backs, playmaker and goal kicker is Sam Fox and there’s attacking prowess with leading try scorer, speedy winger Will Yates, fullback Will Rawlinson and centre Rupert Scrase. Fly-half is usually former Leeds Beckett University’s Tom Steene and his half-back partners this season have included Adam Penistone, Peter Olley and Ben Raubitschek. The principal goal kicker is ex-Wharfedale & Otley utility back Rory MacNab.
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It’s hoped that Fylde’s injuries will have mainly cleared up over the long break and they will hope to be able to select from an almost full squad.
Click here for Elliot Burrow’s match report of Fylde v Harrogate in September 2022.
