BIG MATCH
FYLDE v HUDDERSFIELD RUFC
and goings. Their new Head Coach this season is Neil Ryan who has taken over from Gareth Lewis who had nine seasons in charge at
A very warm welcome to our old friends and rivals from Huddersfield RUFC in another Roses battle at the Woodlands today (ko 15.00). This will a meeting of two clubs suffering a difficult early season, both having lost their last five league matches. Fylde are in 8th place in N2(N), Huddersfield are propping up the division of 14 clubs. Nevertheless, both have plenty of talent and today’s game is likely to live up to the excellent matches between the clubs in recent seasons.
Lockwood Park. Neil is well known in the North West as an accomplished former fly-half and senior coach including roles with Lancashire RFU. The newcomers to the squad are a mixture of experienced players from Yorkshire and beyond and the progression of young players who have come through the Club’s development system. The most obvious player connection linking the clubs is former fly-half kicking machine and playmaker Chris Johnson who has had distinguished spells at both. Influential members of the current squad include versatile and experienced star back Lewis Workman and accomplished and free scoring centre Ed Barber, formerly with Halifax, Western Suburbs Rosellas, Dewsbury Rams and the Swinton Lions. Barber leads the points scorers this season with six excellent tries. Amongst a number of cross-code players in the ‘Field squad is newcomer this season, goal kicking fly-half or fullback, George Collins, who has previously played rugby league for Dewsbury Rams, Whitehaven, Midlands Hurricanes, Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants. Ever present dangers in the back three are pacey brothers Kian and Finlay Stewart. In their pack they have retained highly mobile flanker Liam Parfitt and young skipper and Yorkshire County flanker Lewis Bradley. An interesting newcomer this season is No 8/backrower Billy Hammond who has moved from Old Crossleyans, where he played with his four brothers, and previously at Siddal RLFC. A tough front row roster includes former Old Brodlians prop Callum Thompson (who picked an award or two as N2N player of the week last season), hooker Henry Moore and powerful tighthead Andy Rollins, formerly with DMP.
Fylde and Huddersfield first met in league competition in 2008-9 following ‘Fields’ promotion to level 4, National Two (North). In 2012/3 they were relegated back to North Premier (level 5) but came storming back the following season as champions. Another season in N2N led to another immediate relegation but in 2016/17 once again they finished top of the division and were back in N2N in 2017-18 when they performed well and finished 6th and then 4th in 2018-19. 2019-20 was harder and they rather struggled and finished in 12th place, followed by 15th in 2021-22. Relegation would have normally been their fate but they survived due to the reorganisation of the National Leagues. Last season was also tough but they finished one place above the two relegated clubs in 12th. Despite a new Head Coach and selective recruitment in the close season, 2023-24 has continued to be a difficult challenge. A high scoring 41-48 victory on the road at Lymm was promising but their form at Lockwood Park has been both surprising and disappointing having lost all four to date (31-39 v Ionians, 12-49 v Hull, 10-52 v Leeds Tykes & 25-44 v Sheffield Tigers). Both Fylde and Huddersfield have long and distinguished histories amongst Northern clubs. Although the Lancastrians shade the bragging rights since 2008, they have struggled at Huddersfield’s Lockwood Park in the shadow of the magnificent Lockwood Viaduct. The clubs have met on 13 occasions and whilst Fylde are unbeaten at the Woodlands, they have lost four of the six games in Yorkshire. The Huddersfield player roster is pretty stable over the last couple of seasons but there has been a number of comings
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