Kendal Rugby Union Football Club’s 2026/27 season has been reshaped by a delayed start to competitive Community Rugby, changes to the pre-season schedule and a revised Regional 1 North West line-up. For supporters, the first home league match at Mint Bridge is now scheduled against Leek on Saturday 10 October.

Kendal’s league campaign is due to start before that fixture, with an away match at Stockport on 26 September followed by Macclesfield’s visit to Mint Bridge on Saturday 3 October. The club’s published schedule also includes a four-week Christmas break, a three-week gap later in the season and an additional home match after Christmas.

Key Kendal fixtures before and during the opening weeks

  • North Ribblesdale at Mint Bridge: Friday 28 August, 7.15pm
  • Kendal at Keswick in the Cumbria Cup: 5 September
  • Kendal at Stockport: 26 September
  • Macclesfield at Mint Bridge: 3 October
  • Leek at Mint Bridge: 10 October

The Rugby Football Union postponed the start of the competitive Community Rugby season until 21 September. Kendal said the decision followed hard ground and drought conditions across much of England. The club also said there were concerns that teams able to train on 3G pitches could otherwise gain an advantage.

That delay has affected Kendal’s pre-season programme. The away match at Wharfedale, originally scheduled for Saturday 22 August, has been cancelled. When the club published its update, the home fixture against North Ribblesdale at Mint Bridge on Friday 28 August was still listed as going ahead, with a 7.15pm kick-off.

The away Cumbria Cup match at Keswick on 5 September also remained on the schedule. Kendal’s original away trip to Rochdale and the home match against Leek have been rearranged: Leek will now travel to Mint Bridge on 10 October, while Kendal are due to visit Rochdale on 19 December. Another Rochdale fixture is listed at Kendal on 10 April.

Macclesfield move into Kendal’s league

Macclesfield’s inclusion in Regional 1 North West follows a complicated league reorganisation. After finishing third in National League 2 North, Macclesfield was reallocated to National League 2 West. Kendal said that would have meant lengthy journeys, while attempts to place Macclesfield and Lymm in an expanded 16-team North League did not secure agreement.

Macclesfield subsequently chose to return to regional rugby. Loughborough Students replace the club in National Two West, while Burton move from Regional 1 North West to Regional 1 Midlands.

Kendal assessed Macclesfield as a possible league favourite or a contender for a top-three play-off position, although it said that wider assessment remained provisional while the RFU finalised the league composition. Dronfield were expected to move into the North East League and Sandal were expected to join Kendal’s move west. Kendal said fixtures would be published once known and described those wider predictions as speculation until the RFU made its final decision.

Promotion and relegation results have also influenced the likely line-up. Harrogate defeated Anselmians 41-40 before beating Rossendale 21-14 to return to the National Leagues. Vale of Lune beat Manchester 16-13, while York defeated Pocklington 25-21. Earlier play-off results recorded by the club included Harrogate’s 45-35 win at Alnwick, Anselmians’ 31-25 victory over Stockport and Vale of Lune’s 55-51 win at West Bridgford.

Coaching team stays in place as two players leave

Kendal’s coaching team remains unchanged from the group that guided the first team to seventh place last season. Dan Bowman continues as head coach, supported by Chris Park, Ian Voortman and Reece Tomlinson.

The club has confirmed that Alex Ryder is leaving for newly promoted Vale of Lune. Ryder did not play for Kendal’s First XV during the previous season but was described as an important member of the title-winning Second XV. He made his debut against Glossop in December 2021, went on to make 69 appearances and scored three tries.

Former Kendal player Tadhg Butler is also joining Vale of Lune. The club’s update records 26 appearances and one try for Butler. He made his debut in the 2022 Cup match at Upper Eden and later played for Ambleside.

Supporters have been advised to check for further updates as the RFU’s arrangements develop. The Dronfield fixture shown for 7 November appeared to have been switched to an away game, with another home meeting against Dronfield scheduled for 20 February. Kendal suggested the change might be connected to the Kendal Fireworks event at the club, but made clear that this was only a guess.