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Into the Lions’ den

29/ 8/2007

AFTER two hard months of training and four 'warm-up' games, the fifth year of National League Rugby for Macclesfield begins in earnest on Saturday when the squad travel to play Leicester Lions.

Pre-season games against Manchester, Wirral, Sedgeley Park Academy and Halifax have been encouraging and if the squad can steer clear of injury there are some seriously promising players out there to watch.

There is also a confidence about the play which was not always apparent last time out.

September is a busy month, with three of the five games to be played being away from Priory Park and Macclesfield will be looking to improve on their disappointing away form, which saw just two league encounters won on the road.

Newcomers to National Three North this season are the promoted Caldy and Beverley from North One, along with Harrogate and Bradford/Bingley, who were relegated from Division Two, so there are many new faces on the circuit.

Most clubs have been recruiting - some much more than others - for success and it will be interesting to see how Blaydon fare in Division Two as they face the season in place of relegated Harrogate.

Rob Bieniasz is club captain this season with centre Tony Howcroft as his vice-captain and, along with the coaching team of Steve Burnage (head coach) and assistant coach Brendan Thomas, plus Andy Rice who is looking after the forwards and conditioning coach Ross Winney, all is set for the start and hopefully a win at Leicester.

Notes for members' diaries include pre-match dinners, which will take place as follows:

September 29 (Morley), November 3 (Fylde), December 15 (Bradford/Bingley), February 9 (Hull Ionians), March 8 (Harrogate) and April 19 (Leicester Lions).

In the first round of the EDF Trophy, Macclesfield have been drawn at home to play Harrogate on October 13, so it will be an early opportunity to see the new boys, while in the Cheshire Cup, the Blues face Altrincham/Kersal at Sale FC on Tuesday, October 9 at 8pm.