Huddersfield are bidding to clinch the National III North title at Lockwood Park on Saturday.
It’s a 3pm kick-off against Percy Park when a win will guarantee the silverware for captain Nick Sharpe, coach Gareth Lewis and departing manager Lee Paxman.
The rugby union club would welcome massive support and, with Town and the Giants not in action, have reduced admission to half price in an effort to encourage people to go down and watch what they hope will be a celebration victory (it’s free for Under 16s).
Field are only three points behind league leaders Stockport but have two re-arranged fixtures still to complete, against Percy Park and Sandal.
Since Field lost to Stockport after their enforced winter break they have gone on a five-match unbeaten run.
Percy Park, on the other hand, have lost their last three fixtures and find themselves in the relegation zone, one point behind Billigham.
With their season coming to an end this weekend and a victory needed to keep them in the national leagues, Paxman believes this makes them a much more dangerous side than might be expected.
“A win sees them safe in National III for another year, it really is last chance saloon for Percy Park, and we need to be prepared for the performance that will inspire,” said Paxman.
“When we played them in the return fixture we only just won and they showed real grit and dogged play, which we really struggled to deal with.”
Despite securing a bonus-point victory last weekend against Billingham (and subsequently aiding Percy Park’s survival bid) Field have decided to make several changes to their squad for the fixture.
Prop Ed Birkhead returns, replacing the impressive Laurence Sanderson who is unavailable for selection. Giles Hetehrington is selected at fly half and reunites with half-back partner Joel Hinchcliffe.
While Huddersfield are taking nothing for granted, league officials have confirmed they will be on hand with the trophy in case the Lockwood Park side win.
Victory, indeed, would be the ideal way to go into next Wednesday’s Yorkshire Cup quarter-final tie at Otley.
Huddersfield Colts play their Yorkshire Cup Under 19 final against West Park Leeds at Lockwood Park a week on Sunday.
Huddersfield – Battye, Lancaster, Stringwell, Rhodes (N), Rhodes (G), Sykes, Hoyle, Sharpe (c), Hinchliffe, Hetherington, Clarke, Owen, Van Rooyen, Hodgson, Hodson. Bench: Birkhead, Thornton, Hall.
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