FDR News


EDF National Trophy
The draw for the 4th Round of the EDF National Trophy has matched six FDR clubs against each other. Cornish Pirates will host Northampton Saints in the tie of the round. Moseley will do battle with local rivals Pertemps Bees, and Newbury have a tough away trip to Nottingham. High flyers Exeter will have an awkward journey to Wharfedale and Bedford will renew acquaintances at Otley, relegated to National Two last season, while Plymouth could face a difficult afternoon at Henley. The matches will be played over the weekend of 12th/13th January.

Northampton stay top
Just under 5000 spectators saw Nottingham put up a great fight against runaway league leaders Northampton but the Saints won through in a hard fought game to stay top.

Good Start for Saints and Exeter
A great first day crowd of 11,500 faithful fans watched Northampton Saints begin life in National League One by comfortably dispatching lowly London Welsh by 44 pts to 11 pts. At Sandy Park another good crowd of around 3,000 saw Exeter start their campaign with a 48 pts to 11 pts demolition of perennial strugglers Sedgley Park.

Exciting prospects in National League One

The eagerly awaited 2007-08 season kicks off on Saturday 1st September in National League One amid high hopes for record attendances and a close fought competition for promotion to the Guinness Premiership. The presence of newly relegated Northampton Saints adds spice to this season’s championship and the Saints are sure to boost crowd numbers wherever they go. With more than 200 full-time professional players at this level the competition is bound to be fierce with west country teams Cornish Pirates, Exeter, Plymouth, together with Bedford, ambitious Doncaster and Rotherham all determined to make sure that the promotion battle is not a one horse race. The opening fixtures of the new season see newly promoted Cornish All Blacks entertaining local rivals Cornish Pirates in a clash that is likely to provide the biggest attendance of the day while London Welsh have the unenviable task of visiting Franklins Gardens to see if they can overcome Northampton Saints in a repeat their shock win on the corresponding day last season when they upset the eventual champions Leeds at Headingley.