YMCA will host Cumbrian club Gosforth-Greengarth in the first round of rugby union’s EDF Senior Vase and old rivals West Leeds in the Yorkshire Shield.

Greengarth, who play in the Cumbrian division of the RFU’s Northern section, visit Laund Hill on Saturday, September 6.

And with the Yorkshire II campaign not starting until the following Saturday, when Dinnington visit, the tie will form the first competitive test for the Huddersfield club’s ‘dream team’ trio of chairman Gary Haigh, director of rugby Martin Hunt and head coach Jamie Marsden.

All three were involved in YM’s rise in the Nineties, when the club won both the Tetley’s Bitter Junior Vase – defeating West Leeds at Twickenham – and the Yorkshire Shield during a memorable 1997-98 campaign.

YM also reached the Shield final the season before and would welcome a morale-boosting run this season, when they attempt to seal a return to Yorkshire I at the first attempt.

The tie with West Leeds, who were Shield winners in 2003 and currently play in Yorkshire III, is to be played on or before Saturday, October 18.

The pair have already fixed up two club matches – at Laund Hill on January 3 and Leeds on April 25.

Yorkshire Shield first round: Castleford v Doncaster Phoenix, Moortown v Malton & Norton, Guisborough v Ripon, Sandal v Acklam, York v Old Brodleians, Huddersfield YMCA v West Leeds, Pocklington v Yarnbury, Wheatley Hills v Keighley, Goole v Bridlington, Heath v Sheffield, Leodiensians v Bradford Salem, Skipton v Hullensians, Selby v Ilkley, Redcar v Dinnington, Knottingley v Barnsley, Scarborough v North Ribblesdale.

l Yorkshire, holders of the RFU County Championship’s Bill Beaumont Cup, will start their defence with a home game against Shield winners Northumberland on May 9 next year.

The white rose side defeated reigning champions Devon at Twickenham in last season’s final while Northumberland beat Cornwall in the Shield.

Yorkshire’s other group games are away to Lancashire (May 16) and at home to Warwickshire (23).