Otley players vying for places

8:30am Thursday 28th August 2008

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Otley travel to Doncaster on Saturday to open their National One season and to play the first of six Yorkshire derby matches they will face this term.

There is no doubt that they will receive a hostile reception. The Knights have great ambition and are expecting to improve on their last year's finish, being reasonably happy with their warm-up game against Premier club Worcester despite gong down 32-9, four tries to nil.

They were expecting to host Llanelli last week-end but the Welsh side declined to travel so, like Otley, their players had the Bank Holiday off.

Skipper Dan Hyde will be missing from the Otley ranks but there is much competition for his place with Nathan Bland, Matt Stockdale and new boys Rob Baldwin and Mick McCormish, vying to play alongside No 8 Max Lewis.

Meanwhile Richard Snowball is expected to be fit after a training injury to join Howard Parr in the second row.

Fly-half Tom Rhodes has been struggling with a calf injury but otherwise the backs are at full strength.

l To find Castle Park leave the M18 at J4 and follow the A630 to Doncaster for one mile. At second roundabout turn left to Armthorpe. At the next roundabout, in Armthorpe, go right and the club is then 1.3 miles on the left beyond the built up area.