Burnage vs. Preston Grasshoppers, 11th December 2021, 2:15pm
Preston Grasshoppers 1st XV tread new ground (well 3G) this Saturday when they visit Burnage rugby club for the first time in a League encounter. The two have met in the past, in what turned out to be a high scoring pre-season game at Varley Park back in 2014.
Burnage will be the ninety third club Preston Grasshoppers have played League Rugby against and with the league structure becoming more regionalised from next season and for the forceable future, it may well be some time before Hoppers play new opposition again. Unless of course, we don’t make the cut for promotion at the end of the season!
Hoppers lost their unbeaten home record for the season last Saturday to a side who having made the very long journey to Lightfoot Green were by far the best organised and determined team of players seen at the ground this season
Our hosts gained promotion back into this level of the Northern Leagues by way of finishing in top spot when the calculations were made at the end of the 2019/20 truncated season. This League is no stranger to Burnage, as they resided here between 2011 and 2016 before regaining their current playing level.
Whilst the 3G surface won’t be a problem for the Hoppers, the fact that Burnage hire out the pitch for other sports, the multitude of line markings may prove tricky?
Burnage have won three of their eleven games to date this season which unsurprisingly include home wins over Northwich and Kirkby Lonsdale but on the road at Rossendale’s Marl Pits is a notable achievement. Successful sides visiting Varley Park include Wirral by just three points, Blackburn (seven) and Sandal by quite a margin in a high scoring game.
The 1869 Club are running a supporters coach to what will be the last away game of 2021. The usual arrangements will be in force with a departure time of 11am from the Clubhouse, a lunch stop en route and departure from Burnage around one hour after the final whistle.
Team News
- Olli Trippier
- Chris Taylor ©
- Pete Altham
- Ally Murray
- Sam Gale
- Toby Harrison
- Rob Bramhall
- Matt Lamprey
- Harry Moulding
- Alex Ward
- Tyler Spence
- Sam Stott
- Jordan Dorrington
- Jacob Browne
- Alex Taylorson
- Oga Mabaya
- Dec Norrington
- Josh Rourke
