Season 26/27, Macc v Dronfield, kick-off 3.00 pm
The heatwave has delayed the start of the fifth-tier rugby season by 3 weeks. Frustrating for some, no doubt, but a necessity according to the rugby authorities.
So, Macclesfield now find themselves in the fifth tier of rugby, after finishing 3rd in National Two North. A slap around the kisser from the rugby administrators for not buckling under their pressure to play our rugby in the South West, and bankrupting the Club. It became a lose-lose situation for the players, as most of the squad had no intention of playing another season in the West division or in a lower league, and most left to play their rugby at a higher level.
Step forward Director of Rugby, Matt Coleridge, to build a new squad; and build it he has! If you watched the first-half warm-up game against Sheffield, there was plenty to like.
And so, to Saturday. It will be a first against the Derbyshire club. Dronfield have been promoted into this league, whilst Macclesfield were relegated into it; but given the circumstances, it counts for nothing! And the Coaches are taking nothing for granted; they have the boys champing at the bit to start with a win. Head Coach Rhys Davies: “The boys can’t wait to get into it; they are looking sharp and raring to go. We are missing prop Lewis Richardson, who is on his Stag weekend along with number 8 Joe Bunting, but we have an able replacement in loanee Issac Thompson from Sale FC. Other newcomers in the starting lineup include back row Matt Morgan from Whitchurch, 17-year-old Jayden Suffell from Sale Sharks U18s, 9. Will Hardwick from Burnage/Leeds, 11. Ciaran Connolly from Bowden/Sale FC. And 12. Henry Harper from Mosely/Bournville.
The starting line-up is:
1. Dale Crompton
2. Ted Broadley
3. Issac Thompson
4. Rhys Davies
5. Ben Blackburn
6. Matt Morgan
7. Jayden Suffell
8. Toby Talbot
9. Will Hardwick
10. Tom Farrell
11. Ciaran Connolly
12. Henry Harper
13. Harry Blackwell C
14. Tom Jennings
15. Dan Leake
16. Jack Jameson
17. Johnson Chandigere
18. Phil Laing
19. Hector Tomlinson
20. Harry Reay
I don’t know about you, but I’m salivating to see these new boys in blue get out there and make the Macclesfield rugby community proud. It’s a one-off for me, in my retirement, but I have the Whaa-Hoo machine charged up and raring to go. See you on Saturday.
