HUDDERSFIELD RU cross the Pennines tomorrow to take on new boys Stockport as they launch into a new National II North season (3.00) with very much the same sort of side that finished the 2010-11 campaign.
Nick Sharpe will again skipper the side and take on the No8 role behind a familiar looking pack, although they have suffered a couple of recent blows in the second row.
Pacy lock Lee Brown has returned to Hull Ionians, while Gavin Rhodes suffered an ankle injury last week in the side’s only pre-season warm-up, a 24-24 draw at Blaydon.
So that brings James Davies back into the second row (where he impressed on a number of occasions last season) to partner in-coming James Bodsworth, behind the familiar front-row faces of Tony Stringwell, Ben Morrill and Alex Battye.
The back division also looks familiar, with Chris Johnson and Joel Hinchliffe set to resume their partnership at 10 and 9, while the Paxman brother, Ben and Lee, are fit and raring to go in the centres.
Tom Owen has forsaken his cricket with Rastrick to pick up where he left off at full-back, while Dave Hall and Adam Sutcliffe start on the wings.
Huddersfield have included three new signings on the bench, first being Irishman Darren Neilly who has returned to Lockwood Park after a season with the YMCA, while another back rower is Ben Hoyle, who is a former teammate of Morrill’s at Old Brodleians, plus Tom Andrews, brother of Jack, who is also a fringe first-teamer.
Team manager Nick Bone admitted: “We’re expecting a real tough game first up, because Stockport dominated National III last season and are determined to make an instant impression.
“We know they have a big pack, which is why we have included the two James’s (Davies and Bodsworth), to give us enough bulk in the front five.
“It was a disappointment to lose Browny, and we’ll be looking to replace him when we can, while Gav’s injury further hit our preparations.
“But overall we’ll be looking to continue playing the same sort of rugby as we did last season.”
Huddersfield: Owen; Sutcliffe, B Paxman, L Paxman, Hall; Johnson, Hinchliffe; Battye, Morrill, Stringwell, Bodsworth, Davies, Hinchliff, Lewis, Sharp. Subs: Entressengle, Neilly, Hoyle, Rothery, Andrews.
