Wids relishing tasty start in new league
ALTHOUGH the season is barely over for Widnes RUFC, plans are already moving on apace in readiness for the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
And, what a season it promises to be!
Only recently, it was announced that an agreement had been reached for a complete overhaul of League Rugby across the country, and that the 40+ from Lancashire who had ‘broken’ away from the RFU some four years ago, would be returning to the rugby family once again.
As a result of those changes, the ‘red-andblacks’ from Heath Road will take their place in a newly formulated Counties 1 ADM North West consisting of 12 teams.
This new league will consist of last season’s top five teams from the ADM Premier League, alongside seven teams from the RFU’s North 2 West, resulting in a division made up of the following Clubs;
Widnes, West Park, Liverpool St Helens, Aldwinians, Didsbury Toc H, Bolton, Leigh, Southport, Aspull, Sefton, Tarleton and Warrington.
And now, following on from that announcement, fixtures for the new season have also been released.
And, it looks like a tough and uncompromising start for the ‘red-andblacks’ who will play three of their opening four games away from home.
They start their league campaign on Saturday, 3rd September with an akward opener at Aldwinians – a team that got the better of the Wids back in early April. The Manchester side also finished their own season in style by winning the Lancashire Trophy after beating De La Salle in a thriller.
Week two will see Andy McIntosh’s side host newly promoted Aspull at Heath Road. This will be an intriguing fixture, given that the two sides have not met for many years, particularly since the advent of league rugby.
Moving on, and the 17th September will see the ‘red-and-blacks’ make the short trip into Merseyside to face another of the league’s newcomers,
Sefton, whilst in round four they will travel to take on Bolton, a team they last faced in a Pool Cup game during the shortened season of 2019/20.
Moving on to 1st October, and the Wids will face one of their biggest tests when they host Didsbury Toc H at home. The South Manchester team were last season’s ADM Premier League Champions ahead of the ‘red-andblacks’ who finished second. They also got the better of Didsbury in an absorbing 20pts – 8 win in the semi-final of the League Cup.
The full list of fixtures can be viewed on the Club website.
Meanwhile, in readiness for the new campaign, the Club have announced two pre- season games to ensure that they hit the ground running when the new league season gets underway.
On Saturday, 20th August, a mixed first and second team squad will travel to play Sefton, whilst on 27th August, the first team will entertain Southport.
Supporters should note that all first team games will kick off at 3.00pm this season - except during the Winter period - 1st November until 1st March - when matches will kick off at the earlier time of 2.15pm.
● Members are reminded that the Annual General Meeting takes place tonight (Thursday,30th June) at Heath Road commencing at 8.00pm.