Rugby: Douglas out to maintain charge at Burnage

Castletown face tough task at Ramsey in Manx Shield

Report by Dave Christian:

Douglas lost their first four games in Regional 2 North West this season but they’ve sure bounced back and from that sluggish start they’ve scrambled steadily up the table and now sit in a lofty sixth place after winning their last five on the bounce. 

They take on fifth-placed Burnage this week and know that a win will see them take fifth and they have a game in hand which is against next-to-bottom Kirkby Lonsdale. 

Burnage use a 5G pitch which will provide an excellent running surface for the Douglas back line.

There are a couple of squad changes this week with Ollie Corkish and Brad Bowmar unavailable but should be able to cope - Kyle Martin is on red-hot form and Jack Loughnane is fully tested on his return from injury.

Just one game in Manx Shield

With the Six Nations starting its always a light fixture list domestically and there’s just one game on the card this week where Ramsey face Castletown at the Mooragh Park in the Manx Shield. 

The Shield holders have had two big wins against Nomads in the last three weeks but will be taking the foot off the gas this week and try to start as many players as possible who are on the fringes of the full-strength first team.

Second team captain Simon Corlett is likely to skipper the team and should bring in the likes of Will Howard, Jake Christian and Joey Callow who didn’t start last week plus the possibility of a few non-regulars like Joe Flanagan, Magnus Black and Chris King. 

This will mean a less daunting prospect for 'Town' whose paper-thin squad would have been wary of a 93-0 result last Saturday. 

Also of course Vagabonds, Nomads and Western Vikings all have a free week and a few additional players should drift Castletown’s way which may make it interesting, on paper however it should be a Ramsey win.

**

Fixtures Saturday, 3 February, 2024

Regional 2 North West

Burnage v Douglas @ Burnage (2.15pm KO)

Ravenscroft Manx Shield

Ramsey v Castletown @ Mooragh Park (2.15pm KO)