Kendal Rugby Union Football Club’s first home league match of the 2026/27 season will now be against Leek at Mint Bridge on Saturday 10 October, following a decision by the Rugby Football Union to delay the start of competitive Community Rugby.
The RFU has postponed the beginning of the competitive season until 21 September. Kendal said the decision followed hard ground and drought conditions across much of England, as well as concerns that teams with access to 3G training pitches could otherwise gain an advantage.
Kendal’s league campaign is still scheduled to begin away at Stockport on 26 September. Macclesfield are then due at Mint Bridge on Saturday 3 October, before Leek make their rearranged visit to Kendal the following weekend.
Kendal’s early-season fixtures
Several matches remain listed for the opening weeks of the campaign. The current schedule published by the club is:
- 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
At the time of Kendal’s update, the North Ribblesdale match remained scheduled for Friday 28 August with a 7.15pm kick-off. The away Cumbria Cup tie at Keswick on 5 September also remained on the list.
The RFU’s decision has altered the wider pre-season programme. Kendal’s away match at Wharfedale, planned for Saturday 22 August, has been cancelled. The original trip to Rochdale and the home fixture against Leek have both been rearranged: Leek will now travel to Mint Bridge on 10 October, while Kendal are due to visit Rochdale on 19 December. A further Rochdale fixture is listed at Kendal on 10 April.
Macclesfield move changes league line-up
The league schedule has also been affected by a reorganisation involving Macclesfield. After finishing third in National League 2 North, Macclesfield were reallocated to National League 2 West. Kendal said that would have involved lengthy journeys, while proposals to place Macclesfield and Lymm in an expanded 16-team North League did not secure agreement.
Macclesfield subsequently opted to return to regional rugby and have been included in Regional 1 North West. Loughborough Students replace them 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 top-three play-off contender, but stressed that assessment was provisional while the RFU finalised the league composition. Further changes were expected to involve Dronfield and Sandal, although Kendal said those arrangements remained speculation until the RFU made its final decision.
The fixture listed for Dronfield on 7 November appeared to have been switched to an away match, 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.
Promotion results and player departures
Promotion and relegation results have also helped shape the likely division. 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.
Other 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.
Kendal’s coaching team remains in place after guiding 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 feature 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 recorded 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. Kendal said the relevant fixtures would be published once confirmed.
