Match Preview

Some in West Yorkshire believe the Cross Greeners have the strongest team (on paper) to grace the division, their optimism is proving justified as Otley sit top of the table with daylight appearing between chasers Billingham and Grasshoppers.

Join us for the Christmas Lunch before the 1st XV take on Otley on Saturday 11th December. Three course dinner with Turkey & all the trimmings. Only £10.50. Please reserve your seat no later than Thursday 9th December, (Late booking may result in you eating outside!).
Saturday match is graciously sponsored by Northwich Chairman Ken Jones.

In 2019-20
Playing record in National Two North: P25, W9, D3, L13, Pts52
Relegated at the end of last season, Otley have a new head coach in Kyle Dench.
According to their website, they are currently running just two senior teams.

Did you know?
Otley RUFC formed in 1865, but broke away from rugby union in 1900 to become a rugby league club.
They disbanded in 1906, and re-emerged as a union club the following year.
Now one of the most distinguished clubs in the country, their first XV has played at the top of the National Leagues for more than a decade.
They can also boast of several internationals that started in their junior section, including Nigel Melville and, more recently, Danny Care.

This Season
Otley remain unbeaten after 11 fixtures, their highest victory being 74-5 at home to Sandal. Playing only four away fixtures they still record 157 points on their travels. Scoring an average 44 points per game, it's going to be a challenging afternoon at Moss Farm in a top v bottom clash.

Last Week
Having missed out two weeks ago because of Storm Arwen, Otley were back at Cross Green for their first ever fixture against Burnage.

Otley resumed their campaign with an early try against Burnage, making the score 5-17 after 14 minutes.
Having absorbed a Burnage attack which was frustrated when Otley took a scrum against the head, Otley had made a number of changes to the front row, with player returning from injury at loose-head and a loanee player at tight-head, the remainder of the half was in Burnage’s back yard.

In the second half, Otley were a different team having heard Kyle Dench’s calm analysis of what they were doing wrong and more importantly what they needed to do. Within two minutes Otley had levelled the scores.

Otley pinched a Burnage line-out deep in their 22, the subsequent play giving Malthouse the scope to score his second try and Rowntree his fourth conversion on 64 minutes.

There was just time to post the half-century when Rowntree dived over on the right just before the final whistle blew, in the gathering gloom, and then he nailed a superb conversion. Final score 50-17