The new-look rugby union season is to start on September 3 with a reduced number of teams contesting reshaped leagues.
As far as Cumbria is concerned the top two sides are Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale who are back together contesting Regional 1 North West.
On the opening day, both face away games with Kirkby Lonsdale travelling to Rossendale while Kendal are on the road to Sandbach.
They will stage their first home games the following week, September 10 when Kirkby Lonsdale will host Sandbach (presumably getting a rundown on the visitors from Kendal) while at Mint Bridge the home club await Stockport, runaway winners of North One West last season.
For those making notes of derby clashes Kirkby Lonsdale will entertain their Cumbrian rivals on October 15 while Kendal will stage the return clash on January 14.
The opening games from September 3 are reversed on the final League date, March 11 with Kendal hosting Sandbach and Kirkby Lonsdale entertaining Rossendale.
There’s plenty of Cumbrian interest in Regional 2 North where Aspatria, Carlisle, Keswick and Penrith will be plying their trade this coming season.
On September 3 three of them start with home fixtures – Aspatria hosting Middlesbrough; Keswick entertaining Consett and Penrith preparing for a visit from Durham City.
Carlisle are the only travellers as they make the trip to the North East to take on South Shields Westoe.
Those four fixtures will all be reversed for the final games of the season on March 11, but all four Cumbrian clubs have six county derby games to look forward to which should help the bar profits.
Aspatria versus Penrith on September 24 is actually the first in the fixture list and the Bower Park side follow-up immediately on October 1 with another at Keswick.
On October 22 Keswick entertain Penrith and a week later it’s Aspatria v Carlisle. Penrith v Carlisle is on November 12 and two weeks later it’s Carlisle v Keswick.
Counties One Cumbria has 13 teams, including Silloth who didn’t play last season, and Penrith 2nds with those two scheduled to meet in the first game on September 3 at the Jim Brough Rugby Park.
Cocker,mouth, so unluckily downgraded, are the spare team on the opening day while St Benedict’s who were also in North Two West last season start at home to Millom.
There was a great deal of sympathy for U[pper Eden after they had won the Cumbria League last season with a 100 per cent record and they will kick off again in the Cumbria League against Hawcoat Park.
The other opening games are Workington v Creighton; Wigton v Egremont and Whitehaven v Furness.
