The 2nd XV kick off their league campaign with the toughest possible away trip to old rivals Sedgley Park. The championship winning campaign remains fresh in the memory but Hoppers have not spent the summer resting on their laurels. Michael Lough has been promoted and John Young takes over the reins having left Park so that he could return to the club where his rugby career started.
The squad have enjoyed a tough and competitive pre-season whilst a number of players who contributed to last season’s success have moved on to pastures new. However a number of new faces have been brought in whilst Hoppers successful Colts structure ensures that a number of young and hungry faces will be pushing for places.
As a result selection has been exceptionally difficult and there are a number of guys who can count themselves extremely unlucky to miss out. Additionally Young can welcome back the likes of Atkinson, Peterson, Wells, Berry, Reddick, Horsfall, Murray and Grimes in the coming weeks so the selection process will not be getting any easier.
Sedgley Park will undoubtedly be pushing for top spot this season whilst Macclesfield, Stockport and dark horses Caldy will again be very hard teams to beat. Additionally the rebranded Fylde Hawks will be keen to make impression after enduring a miserable 2011/12. Our friends from the Woodlands have injected considerable funds and marketing into their second string and are already eagerly looking forward to taking on Hoppers after being on the wrong end of three defeats last season.
Kick off on Saturday is 3pm, players to meet at Hoppers for 12.45pm or 1.30pm at Sedgley Park. The squad is as follows:
Mabaya
Martindale
Madden
Banks
Fletcher
Austin
Napier
Gale
Conway
Allen
Elliott
Flynn
Neary
Gargett
Grimes
Reps: Tuff, Molloy, Yates.
@Jebbster1975
