Union teams face in-house opener

OLDHAM RUFC’S second and third teams kick off their new campaign by playing each other in a league fixture.

The second team’s relegation coupled with the promotion of the thirds means the two find themselves locked in combat in division four east of the North West Intermediate RU League.

“It certainly made Tuesday’s meeting of the selection committee interesting ,” joked Oldham official Steve Fox.

The vets kick off their campaign at home to Colne and Nelson in division five east, but the first team has no fixture thanks to a bye in the first round of the National Cup.

Oldham, who will be fielding four teams in leagues as well as a colts side, are looking for new players at all levels.

‘A’XV (Extra ‘A’, meet club 1.30pm): Collinge, Denbigh, Jordan Green, C Jones, Jason Green, Bearpark, D Simpson, Dunnington-Wallace, Froggatt, Howard, N Taylor, Wardle, Maslen, Vatikionis, M Green, J Taylor, Jakeman, Connolly, Renshaw.

EXTRA ‘A’ (Oldham ‘A’, meet club 1.30pm): O Davies, Wild, Douthwaite, Lamb, Fitton, Watson, Beswick, McNicholls, Barrett, Kennedy, Mutch, Burgess, Murphy, Maxwell, D McEwan, J McEwan, Massey, Roscoe, Herbertson, Graham.

VETS (Colne and Nelson, home, meet club 1.30pm): Moran, Hall, McDowell, C Davies, Faulkner, R Simpson, Brierley, Mulder, Bradbury, Leach, Hodkinson, Mullholland, Higman, Crimes, Billing, Errock, Melia, Royston, Trickey, P Peacock, Greenwood, Johns.

COLTS (Manchester, home Sunday, meet club 12.30pm): Ashcroft, Birch, Brennan, Denbigh, Clifford, Collinge, Davey, Froggatt, Goodman, Heginbottom, Holt, Massey, May, J McEwan, Piekos, C Roscoe, L Roscoe, Ward, Wan, McKenna.