Rugby - Good news for Kendal's start (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Good news for Kendal's start

10:34am Saturday 6th September 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

KENDAL RUFC's opening match of the National League campaign at home against Darlington Mowden Park (3pm) was set to go ahead today (Saturday) as the weather relented a bit.

But the Second XV fixture against Fylde has been cancelled.

The build-up to the new campaign continued with a trip to National League 2 neighbours Wharfedale for the Peter Kremer Memorial Trophy match.

A nine-try 59-7 defeat as the Dale side showed a formidable mix of pace and power on the counter-attack gave a Kendal side, far from full strength, plenty to aspire to in the coming months, In fact, Kendal matched Wharfedale for 15 minutes with some fine first-up tackling and a readiness to move the ball as befits a friendly match.

Two minutes from the end second-row forward Gareth Gore was driven over for a late consolation try, which Dan Stephens converted.

Kendal’s Ian Voortman was flattened by a punch, for which Wharefdale’s substitute prop was shown a red card, but the skipper is reported to be none the worse for the incident.

Kendal's Director of Rugby Chris Hayton previewed the new season for the Gazette in his column Hayton's View.

“HOLD on tight for the white-knuckle ride that will be this season's league campaign which starts on Saturday,” writes Kendal’s Director of Rugby Chris Hayton.

"The pre-season matches could have gone better - a hard- fought draw against Westoe, a comfortable win against Aspatria and last week’s uncomfortable defeat at Wharfedale. 'The Green Machine's as Wharfedale are known, are a great example, on and off the field, of how rugby should be played and organised.

"This small West Yorkshire town of Threshfield has been competing successfully in National 2 for a number of years on a budget similar to our own and shows how good governance and management can underpin successful rugby at National League level.

"On the field they are efficacy personified. Simple rugby played at a high pace. Our mistakes were punished with pacey counter attacks producing spectacular scores.

"Three counter-attack tries were scored from our attacks deep within their 22m area.

"On the positive side we were able to match them for the first quarter of the game and we finished strongly towards the end, so lessons were learned and any complacency we might have felt from our long undefeated run has been firmly kicked to touch.

"Zane Butler arrived from the sunny North Island of New Zealand on Monday and was treated to a real Kendal downpour at his first training session on Tuesday.

"He trained with the team for just under two hours during which time over an inch of rain fell without a pause. By the end the pitch had flooded and training was confined to the higher ground.

"Zane enjoyed the session! - maybe the novelty will wear off. He will make his debut on Saturday against Darlington Mowden Park.

"DMP, the Yewslew Drive side, have had close links with the Newcastle Falcons for several years and have benefitted from loans of aspiring academy players.

"Their pre-season matches also included a game against Westoe whom they beat last week by 27 points to 12, so a tough game is on the cards.

"However in league rugby the reward for hard work is more even harder work, but the spectacle is more enjoyable and if our fans get behind the team like last year - hang on to your hats!"

Read Chris in the Gazette and follow Kendla's progress.