Kendal Rugby Union Football Club’s upcoming season has been reshaped by a delayed league start, postponed fixtures and changes to the Regional 1 North West line-up. The club says its first home league match at Mint Bridge is now against Leek on 10 October, while the campaign is due to begin away at Stockport on 26 September.
The fixture changes follow an announcement from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) postponing the start of the competitive Community Rugby season until 21 September. The club said hard ground and drought conditions across much of England were behind the delay, along with concerns that teams able to train on 3G pitches could otherwise gain an advantage.
Revised Kendal fixtures
Kendal’s pre-season away match at Wharfedale, scheduled for Saturday 22 August, is off. The home match against North Ribblesdale at Mint Bridge on Friday 28 August, with a 7.15pm kick-off, was listed as still going ahead at the time of the update. The club also said the away Cumbria Cup match at Keswick on 5 September remained on the schedule.
The original away fixture at Rochdale and the home game against Leek have been rearranged. Leek is due at Mint Bridge on 10 October, while Kendal will travel to Rochdale on 19 December. The club’s published schedule also lists a further Rochdale match at Kendal on 10 April.
After the opening trip to Stockport on 26 September, Macclesfield are scheduled to visit Kendal on Saturday 3 October. The club described that as a tougher start, but said Macclesfield are almost 50 miles closer than Burton, the side they replace on the fixture list.
The schedule includes a four-week break over Christmas and a three-week gap later in the season. Kendal is also due to have an extra home match after Christmas. The Dronfield fixture listed for 7 November appeared to have been switched away, with an additional home game against Dronfield scheduled for 20 February. The club said the change might be connected with the Kendal Fireworks event at the club, but stressed that this was a guess.
League structure and opponents
Macclesfield’s inclusion follows a complicated league reorganisation. After finishing third in National League 2 North, Macclesfield were reallocated to National League 2 West. The club said this would have created lengthy journeys, and that attempts to place Macclesfield and Lymm in an expanded 16-team North League did not secure agreement.
Macclesfield therefore chose to return to regional rugby. Loughborough Students replace them in National Two West, while Burton move from Regional 1 North West to Regional 1 Midlands. Kendal said Macclesfield could become league favourites or challenge for a top-three play-off place.
The club’s assessment of the wider reshuffle was still provisional while the RFU finalised the league composition. Dronfield were expected to move into the North East League, while Sandal were expected to join Kendal’s move west. The club said fixtures would be published once known and described its wider predictions as speculation until the RFU’s final decision.
Promotion and relegation results were also affecting the likely line-up. Harrogate defeated Anselmians 41-40 and later beat Rossendale 21-14 to return to the National Leagues. Vale of Lune beat Manchester 16-13, while York defeated Pocklington 25-21. The club also recorded earlier play-off results including 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 and player news
Kendal’s 2026/27 coaching team was announced with no change from the group that guided the first team to seventh place the previous season. Dan Bowman remains head coach, supported by Chris Park, Ian Voortman and Reece Tomlinson.
The club also confirmed the departure of Alex Ryder to newly promoted Vale of Lune. Ryder did not play for Kendal’s First XV during the previous season but was described as a key member of the title-winning Second XV. He made his debut against Glossop in December 2021, recorded 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, whose debut came in the 2022 Cup match at Upper Eden. Kendal said he later played for Ambleside.
For supporters planning the early part of the campaign, the immediate dates listed by the club were the North Ribblesdale match at Mint Bridge on 28 August, the Keswick Cup trip on 5 September, the Stockport league opener on 26 September and the home league visit from Macclesfield on 3 October. The club advised supporters to check for further updates as the RFU arrangements developed.
