National League Rugby Returns: Friday Night Lights Kicks Off Opening Weekend
After a summer of preparation, the 2025/26 National League Rugby season kicks off on Friday night, with Taunton hosting Exeter University as we gear up for a campaign full of anticipation and intrigue. (Photo Credit: Ian Clark)
From promotion hopefuls looking to lay down a marker, to clubs eager to prove themselves at this level, the opening weekend offers plenty of talking points.
National One
We begin the National One season with newcomers Tonbridge Juddians visiting Leicester Lions. After clinching the National Two East title last term, Jordan Turner-Hall’s side have seemingly fixed the roof whilst the sun is shining. Key re-signings and notable additions, including ex-Harlequins duo Archie White and Lewis Gjaltema, and former England international Nathan Earle, have caught the eye.
Leicester Lions, meanwhile, have had a busy summer with plenty of player turnover, but they will be keen to avoid any relegation jeopardy after surviving on the final day in each of the last two seasons.
Clifton, promoted to National One for the first time in 28 years, face a baptism of fire against Blackheath at Station Road. The Lavendar and Blacks were dominant at home last term – winning 12 of their 13 matches – and in fact, the National Two West champions have only lost once on their own patch in their last 20 games.
Blackheath, under the stewardship of new head coach Tom Stradwick, have added talent like Darragh Walsh [Back Three], Finn Osborne [No.8], and Ed Dunford [Fly-Half] to their ranks. With a solid pre-season win over Richmond to boot, they could be contenders this term.
Plymouth Albion are another team to watch, especially after a 10-match winning streak last season and ambitious, long-term plans to reach the Premiership. On the opening day, they travel to Leeds Tykes, who are returning to the league after two years. Over that period, Leeds’ home form has been impeccable, with an unbroken winning streak of 26 matches – going back to April 2023. Coincidentally, their last home defeat was against Plymouth, but can the Tykes pick up from where they left off after clinching the National Two North title?
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One of Round One’s standout ties is Sale FC hosting Rotherham Titans. Sale – who are celebrating 120 years of Heywood Road – will be aiming for more consistency after 13 wins and 13 defeats in 2024/25. They have strengthened well, with Will Addison and Nathan Langdon two eye-catching recruits.
Rotherham, fresh from a brilliant return to National One and a third-place finish, have built strength in depth within their squad. With excellent pre-season wins and new signings – such as powerful winger Jason Barling – they will certainly be a team to watch this season.
Rosslyn Park, last year’s runners-up, begin on their own patch against Dings Crusaders. With 12 home wins last season and a largely retained squad complemented by the likes of Isaac Curtis-Harris (Ex-London Irish), Luke Mehson (Ex-Wasps + Exeter Chiefs), and Freddie Vaughan (Ex-Nottingham University), Kieran Power and Steve Neville’s troops look poised for another strong campaign.
At Park Lane, Sedgley Park – who still have last season’s top try scorer Rhys Henderson in their armoury – host Rams. Rams’ injuries and dips in form last season derailed their promotion hopes, but new additions at Old Bath Road from across the rugby landscape could give Seb Reynolds’ side the extra percentages they are looking for.
Last but not least, Bishop’s Stortford welcome Birmingham Moseley to Silver Leys. Moseley still have a side full of quality while Stortford will be aiming to build on last year’s ninth-place finish.
National Two North
At Chanterlands Avenue, Hull begin a new era under former France defence coach David Ellis, who arrives with five Six Nations titles and a World Cup final on his CV. This week, the Yorkshire outfit also announced the signings of former Premiership prop Gareth Denman, along with Tiploma Kivalu and Jack Bergmanas from Rotherham.
Ellis’ new side face newly promoted Rossendale, champions of Regional 1 North West, who will be eager to prove they belong at this level under the guidance of Sale Sharks player Sam Bedlow, who is head coach at Marl Pits.
Last term, Hull were locked in a relegation battle that went down to the final day of the season, alongside Preston Grasshoppers and Billingham – who face each other on the opening day of this campaign. Hoppers actually began last term strongly before fading away, so they will want more consistency, while Billingham’s post-Christmas surge showed their potential as they try to avoid another nail-biting end to a National Two North season.
At Woodlands, Fylde welcome Hull Ionians. The hosts’ expansive rugby always makes them a dangerous outfit, and Chris Briers and Alex Loney have once again got a steady and youthful squad at their disposal.
As for the I’s – who finished seventh last season – they have strengthened during the summer. All-action forward Adam Brankley has moved from Hull to Brantingham Park, former Super League star and Grand Finalist Greg Minikin will link up with his brother Lewis, while prop Rikki Stout has joined from Rotherham.
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After embracing the challenge of National Two West in 2024/25, Macclesfield have been switched to National Two North and will be competing in this division for the first time in six years. The Blues’ home form last season was a key reason why they remained at level four – 72 per cent of their league points came at Priory Park – and they will be looking to carry that into their opener against Sheffield Tigers, who, after a tough start, would have been satisfied with eighth place last term.
Scunthorpe are back in National Two North for the first time since 2019/20 and Tony Wilkinson’s side host Darlington Mowden Park in Round One.
DMP are adjusting after their relegation from National One, which ended an 11-year stay at that level. Under the guidance of coaches Danny Brown and John Newton, they are rebuilding with a younger yet still talented squad. Scunthorpe themselves have created depth within their ranks and will view this as an opportunity to get off the mark in front of the Heslam Park faithful.
Going into this season, Sheffield could well be labelled as ‘promotion favourites’ and they open their account at Abbeydale Park against Otley.
After finishing third and second in consecutive seasons – breaking club records in the process – Sheffield have retained much of their squad, added the likes of ex-Rotherham captain Zak Poole to their arsenal, and also tied down head coach Anthony Posa to a new three-year deal. Otley, under Kyle Dench, have retooled after losing key figures and will look to upset their Yorkshire rivals in Round One.
And lastly, in the North East, Tynedale meet Wharfedale in a clash of last season’s fifth and sixth-placed finishers. Both clubs have built steadily in recent years and will be keen to start fast.
National Two East
At Occupation Road, Oundle kick off their first-ever season in National Two East with plenty of excitement. After a perfect 22 wins from 22 in Regional 1 South East and lifting the Papa John’s Community Cup at Allianz Stadium, they have strengthened their squad with eye-catching signings, including Bedford Blues duo Shay Kerry and Jac Arthur, Nottingham fly-half Matt Arden and former Bath scrum-half Will Chudley.
Mix in the experience of players like Kieran Frost and Anthony Maka – both formerly of Cambridge and instrumental in Oundle’s promotion last season – alongside the star quality of Logan Noble, the Northamptonshire outfit look well-equipped for the campaign ahead. They could well be a tough prospect for opening day opponents Havant, who were the newcomers to this level this time last year.
Dorking know this league inside out. Third, third, and second over the past three seasons, they will be aiming to take the next step. Armand Roux’s squad – who racked up 105 points last term – does have a familiar, quality feel to it, but they have lost key figures such as Finn Osborne, Henry Smith and Toby McRae.
They open the 2025/26 campaign by welcoming London Welsh to the Big Field. Welsh arrive with optimism after five promotions in seven seasons, having rebuilt following their liquidation in December 2016. Led by Cai Griffiths and boosted by the high-profile signing of player-coach Max Bodilly, those connected to London Welsh will be eager to see how far their club can go.
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Like Dorking, Barnes are another side that might have eyes on the top. Having finished second, second, and third over the last three seasons, they begin this year against Canterbury, who last term achieved their best finish [4th] since 2019. Expect a competitive opener in the capital.
Esher return to National Two East after a season hampered by injuries in the third tier. The club has earned a ‘yo-yo’ reputation over recent years with two promotions and two relegations, but there is a sense of freshness at Molesey Road. While notable names such as Sam Morley and Adam Bullett have departed, the arrival of former Scotland U20 international Bart Godsell adds excitement, as does fly-half Oli Burgess.
They open against Sevenoaks, who have built a competitive and fearless squad over three consecutive seasons at this level. With Director of Rugby Adam Bowman committing his future to the Oaks, the Kent side could be set for another solid season.
Henley enter 2025/26 with ambition. Lessons from last year’s mid-table finish may shape Luke Allen’s approach, and the addition of Connor Hayhow – who will link up with brother and new skipper Spencer Hayhow – should spark excitement at Dry Leas. They open against Guernsey, who boast the 2024/25 National Two East top try-scorer, Anthony Armstrong, in their roster.
Bury St Edmunds are embarking on a new chapter under experienced coach James Shanahan, following Jacob Ford’s departure at the end of last season. Summer signings George Bretag-Norris and Matt Hema, both National One winners with Cambridge in 2022/23, signal real intent, making the Wolfpack ones to watch. Their first opponents, Old Albanian, finished strongly last season to secure a top-six spot.
Finally, Westcombe Park also begin a fresh era. With David Marshall moving to Blackheath, Head Coach Chris Green takes the helm, bringing extensive National League Rugby experience. They start their campaign against Oxford Harlequins, who impressed last season as a fully amateur side by maintaining their status at this level in their debut year.
National Two West
The new National League Rugby season gets underway on Friday night under the lights of the Summerfield Stadium, with Taunton Titans hosting Exeter University.
While the connections between the two institutions are strong, the Titans will be keen to put friendships to one side as they aim to start the campaign on a high. After finishing third last term – following relegation from National One – and watching from afar as Clifton and Camborne battled for the title, Tony Yapp’s troops might well be eager to put themselves forward as promotion contenders for this season.
Exeter are always a tough opponent in the early stages of the campaign, especially if they field a strong side as their players prepare for the BUCS Super Rugby season.
On Saturday, Barnstaple welcome Old Redcliffians to Devon as the hosts make their return to this level. After two years away, Barum are back and will be aiming to apply the lessons learned from their previous spell at this level as they look to make an impact this time around.
We’ve already mentioned Taunton as potential contenders, and Camborne are firmly in the same conversation. The 2024/25 runners-up open their season against Chester, with head coach Tom Kessell taking charge following Steve Larkins’ departure over the summer. The arrival of Fijian international and Premiership winner Sam Matavesi is arguably the signing of the off-season, as he prepares to link up with his brother Josh in a squad that will no doubt display its familiar, attacking potency.
For Chester, this marks their second ‘level transfer’ into National Two West in three seasons. Last time they were in this division, the Cheshire side finished 11th, but boss Rhys Hayes will be eager for his team to carry forward the positives from last term in National Two North, where they secured ninth place.
There will be a turning of the page for both Cinderford and Syston when they meet on opening weekend. For hosts Cinderford, Saturday will be their first competitive fixture on their brand-new, state-of-the-art 3G surface at Dockham Road, with Clive Stuart-Smith’s young and hungry side looking to mark the occasion with a victory.
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Visitors Syston, meanwhile, are stepping into the unknown. The fully amateur side will be experiencing National League Rugby for the first time, but Alex White’s team will be embracing the challenge after an unbeaten, promotion-winning campaign in 2024/25.
Two clubs that made good strides last season, Hornets and Hinckley, meet at The Nest in Round One. Hornets finished a club-record sixth last year and have bolstered their ranks with some exciting signings, including players from current BUCS Super Rugby champions Hartpury. Hinckley, meanwhile, have retained a strong core of their squad whilst also promoting talent from within.
After creating a piece of club history by finishing third in National Two North last season – and being in a title race for a large portion of the campaign – Lymm will understandably be frustrated after being shifted into the West for this season. With club placements determined by geographical boundaries, it is Adam Fletcher and Andy Davies’ side, alongside Chester, who have been affected. They now prepare to travel to Luctonians on the opening day.
The Cheshire club will be looking to emulate the success of Macclesfield last season, and they boast a squad more than capable of finishing in the upper reaches of the division. For Luctonians, a new chapter begins under the guidance of Director of Senior Rugby Rob Lewis and head coach George Thomas, following the departure of Ryan Watkins at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
And finally, there is a new era of sorts at Redruth. With Nigel Hambly standing down as Director of Rugby, Richie Kevern has taken over the reins at The Recreation Ground. The former Reds centre had spent two seasons as head coach under Hambly but will now be the man to take the club forward. They begin the new season with a home clash against Loughborough Students, who finished in an impressive fourth last time out.
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