Huddersfield RU aim to cement a sixth-place finish in National 2 North as they complete their season against South Leicester at Lockwood Park.
Field have very much carried on the momentum from their division three title romp and coach Gareth Lewis says the final 80 minute is “all about finishing strongly”.
Lewis said: “It’s the final lap and we need to give that final kick.”
While the season started slowly in terms of results, losing their first three, Field had five wins in a row just before Christmas.
With eight of their 14 wins to date coming before the turn of the year, Huddersfield found the mid-season a tough slog.
A disappointing run brought just two wins from nine before an upsurge towards the business end of the season, a turnaround that held four wins in the last six for Lewis’s men.
Field can be a dangerous team when their backs are up as well, shown by 11 of their wins being bonus-point victories.
South Leicester may have something to say about that, however, as they are the only team below Huddersfield in the table who have scored more points this season.
Fans who attend could be in for a treat considering the sides shared 80 points in the season opener down in the midlands.
South came out on top 44-36 on that occasion, and Lewis admits they can be a tricky prospect.
“Similar to ourselves, South Leicester have had a good season,” he said. “ We are aware of the threat they pose.”
The Leicester side could, in fact, be party poopers when it comes to it.
A bonus-point win for them would not only put them level on points with Field, but potentially open the door for Chester, who have a game in hand, to finish sixth.
Field welcome back Mark Pease into the backs at centre, and Adam Blades will figure in the replacements.
Yorkshire Carnegie man Harry Davey won’t be available for the final game, and neither will Austen Thompson.
Thompson’s absence is part of a shuffle in the pack that sees Nick Sharpe starting in the second row. The front row remains unchanged.
While Lewis can look back on a season of good development on the pitch, his focus will also be on the future for the club.
“We’ve spoken this week about the potential we have,” he explained.
“I know that excites players and supporters alike, so the future is looking very positive.”
While Huddersfield’s season finishes, three teams below them, including South Leicester have a game to spare.
Chester (7th) and Macclesfield
(8th) both sit just four points off Field, while South in ninth are five points off.
If Field prevail this weekend, South can do them a big favour, since their game in hand is against Chester.
Chester themselves face third-placed Tynedale while Macclesfield face a tough visit from Hinckley after their trip to relegation-threatened Wharfedale this weekend.
Huddersfield: Lewis Workman, Elliot Knight, Tom Owen, Mark Pease, Danny Grainger, Will Milner, Joel Hinchcliffe; Callum Thompson, Fran Entressengle, Alex Battye(c), Nick Sharpe, Dickie Piper, Ben Morrill, Lewis Bradley, Adam Malthouse. Replacements: George Martin, Adam Blades, Darren Neilly, Ben Hoyle, Dan Nota
