It's a knockout for York and Selby rugby union clubs (From Gazette & Herald)

It's a knockout for York and Selby rugby union clubs

10:53am Friday 15th March 2013 in Sport By Stuart Martel, Sports editor

DOUBLE-CHASING Selby RUFC can take a major step towards Twickenham in the RFU Senior Vase tomorrow (3pm).

The Swans, on course for promotion from Yorkshire Two, are in top form as they prepare to host Trafford MV at Sandhill Lane in the quarter-finals of the Vase.

Coach Richard Nicholson, who has overseen 11 consecutive league and knockout wins, said: “It’s a great time to be involved with the club.

“We are in the middle of a really big month, which could define our season. We passed our first test last weekend by getting a win against Yarnbury, who are second in the league.

“We’ve got the cup quarter-final this weekend and then we play Doncaster Phoenix, who are top of the league, next weekend.

“That’s another massive game and the whole club is buzzing. There is pressure with all these games to get the results required, but we would prefer that to being mid-table with nothing to play for.

“We’ve got two things to focus on, promotion and the Vase, and it’s nice to be looking forward to the weekends with a lot at stake.”

Nicholson is expecting to field a similar side to that which toppled Yarnbury 10-6, moving the third-placed Swans to within a point of their beaten opponents with two games in hand.

Strength will be added to the bench with seven replacements permitted in the Vase rather than the three allowed in the league.

Said the coach: “There are some sore bodies about but that is normal at this stage of the season. We keep patching them up and sending them out. We don’t have any long-term injuries, so everything is looking very good at the moment.”

The Swans’ top three senior sides are in home action tomorrow, with the seconds hosting an army team from the Yorkshire Regiment 3rd Battalion, while the thirds have a top of the table clash with Leeds Medics.

Meanwhile, basement side York RI go to seventh-placed Aireborough tomorrow looking for their second win of the Yorkshire Three season.

There is no game for Pocklington’s first team in North One East, but the club’s Panthers host Bridlington Mariners and the Pilgrims are home to Rowntrees, both at 3pm.

• A funeral will be held on Tuesday for Malton & Norton RUFC stalwart Nigel Williams.

Williams, who worked at Malton Bacon Factory, died aged 52 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Norton.

The funeral will be at St Peter’s Church, in Norton, at 1pm.

 

YORK RUFC coach Sean Bass is tipping Driffield to win the Yorkshire One title – but he is determined to stop them adding the Yorkshire Shield to their trophy cabinet.

The two sides collide in the quarter-finals of the knockout competition at Clifton Park tomorrow (3pm), with Driffield the only side to beat York in their last 15 league and cup games.

Bass said: “I think Driffield will win the league. They are the best side we have played this season, but we are looking forward to locking horns with them again.

“We’ve been turned over by them twice this season. In the first game we didn’t really turn up, but we gave a good account of ourselves the second time.

“We would like to go on and have a go at winning this. It would be a nice scalp to take, but we need to get into them early on.”

Kiwi second row Steve Kerr is absent and the vastly experienced Andy Kay steps in.