10 Days to Go: But Where Will I Be When National League Rugby Returns?

The countdown is on. With the new National League Rugby season now just 10 days away, Mark Ashcroft has one important decision to make: where should he be on the opening Saturday?

Ten days. That’s all that remains before National League Rugby is back.

On Saturday 5th September, pre-season becomes the real thing. Points are available, league tables begin to take shape, and supporters across the country return to the familiar Saturday afternoon routine and I’ve got a decision to make: which game am I going to?

Chris Heal’s latest pre-season round-up on the National League Rugby website certainly hasn’t made the choice any easier. Across the leagues, clubs are stepping up their preparations and there have already been some eye-catching performances. Sedgley Park Tigers defeated National One opposition in Sheffield 36-27. Preston Grasshoppers overcame Blackburn 26-12. Huddersfield put 68 points on Macclesfield, while Chester, Sheffield Tigers and Wharfedale also enjoyed encouraging victories. Further up the pyramid, Sale FC certainly found their scoring boots, running in 83 points against newly-promoted Heath.

Interesting? Absolutely. A reliable guide to what will happen when the league season starts? Probably not. That’s the beauty of this particular point in August.

Nobody really knows

Every club will have its expectations. Coaches will know whether their pre-season has gone according to plan. Players will know whether they are genuinely ready. Supporters will have studied new signings and departures and probably convinced themselves their club can finish a few places higher than everyone else thinks. But nobody actually knows. In ten days’ time, we start finding out.

And that’s one reason why I’ve increasingly found myself drawn towards National League Rugby. At the top of the professional game, almost everything is analysed. We know the players, the coaches, the budgets; we debate selections days before the teams are announced. National League Rugby feels different. You can still arrive at a ground on a Saturday afternoon and discover something: a young player you haven’t seen before, a former Premiership academy player rebuilding his career, a veteran who seems to have been playing at this level forever, a volunteer who has spent all morning getting the ground ready, a supporter who has followed the club home and away for decades. Those are rugby stories too, and in many ways, they’re some of the best ones.

So where do I start?

Living in the North West gives me plenty of options. Sedgley Park will attract attention after that excellent pre-season victory over Sheffield. Preston Grasshoppers are another club I know well and one where there are always stories to be found. Sale FC’s preparations have certainly caught the eye. And then there is the wider National Two North landscape, with clubs across the North and Midlands beginning another long journey through the winter. That’s before you start looking further afield.

So I’ve been studying the opening fixtures, considering the journeys, the rugby, the stories. And I’ve made my decision. I know which National League Rugby ground I’ll be standing at on Saturday 5th September. I am just not going to tell you yet. That’s what makes opening day special. Chris Heal’s pre-season reports have given us some early evidence about who might be ready. But now I’m ready for the real thing.

Ten days to go. I’ve chosen my game. Can you guess where I’m going?

A collaboration between Seniormash Reflections and the independent and highly respected website TalkingRugbyUnion.co.uk

Picture from Mark Ashcroft Collection