Excited Huddersfield head coach Gareth Lewis is hoping tonight’s plum pre-season home clash against Yorkshire Carnegie will be the start of a positive link-up with the county’s leading rugby union club.
Lewis is ready to field his strongest available side to host the full-time Headingley-based Championship club at Lockwood Park (7.30).
It promises to be the toughest possible test for Field, who open their National II North campaign at home to South Leicester next Saturday.
Carnegie warmed up for their visit with a highly-impressive seven-try 39-21 triumph over National League I side Fylde five days ago and drew 10-10 at home to Romania in their first pre-season clash a week earlier.
And Lewis is desperate to see his players give a good account of themselves as his club embarks on a new closer partnership with the Leeds-based outfit.
Besides tonight’s pre-season fixture, Lockwood Park will be hosting Carnegie’s British and Irish Cup clash against Munster in January, while Carnegie will be staging a ‘Coach the Coaches’ clinic later in the season Leeds Rhinos legend and new and new high-profile Carnegie signing Kevin Sinfield will be visiting the town to take a kicking clinic.
There’s also the possibility of Huddersfield getting their hands on a dual-registered Carnegie player – they were fortunate enough to acquire the services of winger Nick Rawsthorne last season – and Lewis knows that putting on a good show tonight would help his club’s cause.
“We’re hoping this fixture will be the start of something very positive for us,” said Lewis.
“This is a very big pre-season game, so we’re obviously hoping we can put on a decent show.
“It’s going to be a massive challenges for us, because we’ll be up against a full-time team, but we know that if we go well against them it’ll put us in a very positive state of mind for the start of the new season.
“Things are gearing up well for the new campaign, and this will be the acid test.
“The plan is to field as strong a side as possible – one or two won’t be risked because of slight knocks – and we know that if we play to our potential we’ll give a very good account of ourselves.
“In fact, we, as a club, hope to give a good account of ourselves, both on and off the field.
“We’ve got some exciting things coming up in partnership with Carnegie, and hopefully this match tonight will guarantee things get off to the best possible start.”
