Leeds Tykes and Hull add heft to battle at the top

SEDGLEY Park were runaway winners in National Two North last season but this year’s title race looks set to be far more competitive with two sides dropping down from National One hoping to join the usual suspects at the top of the table.

Despite finishing 12 points behind the league winners, Fylde dropped only three games last year and will hope to be in contention once more, while Hull and Leeds Tykes will have a point to prove after being relegated.

Sheffield director of rugby Simon Tomlinson is wary of the front runners and believes Rotherham Titans, who have last year’s top points scorer Richard Hayes (267) and finished fifth, will compete for the title as well.

He said: “I think Rotherham will be pushing hard, they’ll have their eye on promotion. Hull will be looking to bounce straight back up again because they had a pretty torrid time last year losing every game but will be looking to rebuild and go up. They are a team like Rotherham that has just one team, there’s no seconds, thirds or minis or juniors, so they are very dependent on their first team. They’ll be looking for promotion.

“Fylde are going to be there or thereabouts, Wharfedale will be keen to go up, they are always a good side. So, it could be tight. There’s a lot of Yorkshire teams, a lot of good local derbies but our target for the season is probably top half as we finished bottom half last season.”