Harrogate RUFC to kick-off 2025/26 North One East campaign at home to Middlesbrough RUFC

The Aces return to the fifth year of English rugby once again having been relegated from National Two North in dramatic fashion on the final day of last season.

The men from Rudding Lane headed into that crunch clash with fellow strugglers Billingham knowing that only a victory would leave them with any chance of survival, and although they did manage to win, results elsewhere condemned them to the drop.

Thus, 'Gate find themselves back in the division from which they were promoted as champions at the end of 2023/24, this time under the guidance of Jake Brady, who has taken over from former England International Martyn Wood in the director of rugby role.

First up for Brady and his troops is that home showdown with the newly-promoted Teessiders on Saturday September 6, before Harrogate's first away fixture takes them all the way to Penrith the following weekend.

They then end the month by playing host to old adversaries Blaydon on September 20.

The Aces begin October with a game against fellow Yorkshire outfit Cleckheaton, but have to wait until early November for their first proper derby affair, which will see Ilkley visit Rudding Lane before Brady takes his team to local rivals York a fortnight later. They then head to Sandal in the first week of December.

Harrogate sign off for 2025 at Blaydon, then start the new year at home to Cleckheaton.

Their final league fixture is scheduled to take place at Middlesbrough on April 11.

On his ambitions for the coming season, director of rugby Brady said: “I don’t want to just focus on immediate promotion and be just trying to survive.

“I want to think long-term and how we build a team for the long-term, not just a quick fix of trying to get promoted.

“It’s about how that progression grows into the year after; if we can get back into National Two, how do we stay up?

“We've got the foundations of a good team. The players have all said they want to stay for next year so it shows they’re a good group and pretty tight."

North One East fixtures:

September

6 Middlesbrough (h)

13 Penrith (a)

20 Blaydon (h)

October

4 Cleckheaton (a)

11 Alnwick (h)

18 Driffield (h)

25 Heath (a)

November

8 Ilkley (h)

22 York (a)

29 Kendal (h)

December

6 Sandal (a)

13 Penrith (h)

20 Blaydon (a)

January

10 Cleckheaton (h)

17 Alnwick (a)

31 Driffield (a)

February

14 Heath (h)

28 Ilkley (a)

March

7 York (h)

21 Kendal (a)

28 Sandal (h)

April

11 Middlesbrough (a)