Cumbria will start their County Championship campaign on Saturday with a game against Staffordshire at Wigton.
But because the RFU have ordered Kendal to play a final North One West game with Douglas on Saturday, that will deny the county the use of seven of their players.
Team manager Gary Hewer is adamant, though, Cumbria have a competitive squad who will be ready to do themselves justice on the day.
“We have had two good training sessions and are meeting again tonight. The Kendal lads would have played a big part I’m sure but it’s happened and we are ready to get on with it.
“We are fortunate that lads who play their rugby outside the county, and at a decent level, have made themselves available.
“It’s two years since we last played a county game and, of course, we went all the way to Twickenham to beat Dorset and Wilts in the Sir Bill Beaumont County Championship Division Three final.
“That has moved us up a Division, so it will be tougher but we have some good players in a deep squad even without our Kendal players,” said Hewer.
Cumbria won that final in 2019 when they beat Dorset and Wilts 23-13 with 13 of the points from ex-Keswick fly-half Mark Ireland, playing for Sheffield Tigers. He had been the top points scorer in the whole of the competition.
Ireland, still with Sheffield, is back for more and is one of six players in the squad who now play their rugby outside the county.
The others are: James Ella (Sandal), Peter Weightman (Barnes RFC), Mark Irving (Sandbach), Sam Farrar (Chester) and Will Addyman (Ilkley).
The home-based players are: Joe Beaty (Aspatria), James Coulton (Kirkby Lonsdale), Arran Pamphilon (Penrith), Ryan Scott (Aspatria), Chris Johnston (Kirkby Lonsdale), Andy Muir (Penrith), Aaron Sullivan (Whitehaven), James Hunter (Cockermouth), Jamie McNaughton (Penrith), Adam Howe (Penrith), James Thompson (Kirkby Lonsdale), Sam Wilson (Cockermouth), Harry Huddleston (Kirkby Lonsdale), James Telford (Carlisle), Tom Graham (Carlisle), Jamie McKenzie (Keswick).
Cumbria follow-up with a home game at Carlisle next week against East Midlands and finish off on May 22 at Nuneaton against Warwickshire.
Cumbria are now playing in Pool 1 of the Bill Beaumont Championship Division Two.
Contesting Pool 2 are Dorset and Wilts, Eastern Counties, Essex and Somerset.
Of course Cumbria beat Dorset and Wilts in the Division Three final in 2019 and more famously beat Somerset in 1997 in the main County Championship final.
