LYMM Rugby Club have revealed the first XV’s goal as they set out on their second season at the highest level they have played.

The Crouchley Lane boys will open the campaign in the RFU National Leagues, Level 4, in National 2 North on Saturday, September 7 at Hull Ionians, kick-off 2.30pm.

By competing at this standard Lymm are now one of the top 80 clubs in England - some achievement for an amateur club, one of very few at Level 4 who do not pay their players.

Success in staying in National 2 North last season has attracted a number of aspiring players to join them.

They are said to be buying into the amateur ethos, club culture and the challenge of playing rugby at the higher level, although 70 per cent of Lymm’s senior squad have come through the club’s mini/junior and colts academy.

With strength in numbers, it is integral to the club’s ambitions that their second XV will be playing at the highest level open to them this season - the Premiership Division of the Halbro North West Intermediate Leagues.

A strong second XV is needed to support National League aspirations and they are totally integrated as part of a first/second XV squad, with 45-plus players having been present every Tuesday and Thursday since training recommenced in early June.

Just as crucially, Lymm’s under 17s junior and under 18s senior colts will also play in the top leagues of the Halbro Colts League in 2024/25 and they also train with the senior squad.

Senior coach, Andy Davies, has set a target to finish in the top half of National 2 North.

And under director of rugby, Adam Fletcher, the coaches are developing players’ fitness, individual positional abilities, set-piece play and game structure to meet the challenges of the new season.

The other two coaches are Tom Bray, defence coach, and Mark Williams, who has joined Lymm as forwards coach, while James Yates remains as club captain, with Nathan Beesley as vice captain.

As part of their preparations, Lymm have had three pre-season warm-up games, featuring 30-plus players on each occasion to give game time to first and second-team players and some senior colts.

Away to Level 5 club Anselmians, Lymm won by 10 tries to two.

The following week Lymm travelled down for a stopover at Weston-Super-Mare, defeating Level 5 club Chew Valley, 28-0, and Level 4 club, Hornets, 19-0.

Last Thursday they had a final away game against Stockport, mainly featuring seconds and younger players alongside seven of last season's regular first XV squad, losing by four tries to one.

Three of the first XVs opening four league games are away, but their first home game is on Saturday, September 21 against Fylde, kick-off 2.30pm.