Douglas Rugby Club’s final six games of the Regional 2 North West season begin with a home fixture against the side currently propping up the division this weekend.

Greater Manchester club Eccles are the visitors to Port-e-Chee on Saturday, and the Manx side will be well aware of the challenge ahead despite the respective league table positions of eighth and 12th.

A re-arranged fixture from the weather-affected December 21 postponement, Douglas are bolstered by Simon Hoddinott’s return, and with Nathan Robson and Mark Oldfield recovered from flu, places in the squad will be hotly contested.

Selection will be from strength, as Kyle Martin’s Man of the Match performance against Burnage last week and the return of John Dutnall and Conor Stephens adds to the mix.

Harry Hewson, Jonty Cope, James Ross and Josh Duncan are in good form out wide, and the power of Richard Bell from the bench is a real bonus.

In September a 33-28 Eccles win against Douglas at Peel Green was followed in November by another home success, against Burnage, with whom Douglas grappled last week and came a narrow second.

With bonus points accrued against erstwhile league-leaders Waterloo for example, Eccles are within reach of three clubs above them in the points table and with games in hand are by no means a done deal for relegation.

Douglas will need to be at their best. Kick-off is 2pm.

- The club is hosting a three-day half-term coaching camp between February 17 and 19.

Aimed at those aged six to 16, the sessions take place daily between 9am and 3pm.

Costing £45 per child per day or £100 for all three days, places can be booked by emailing [email protected]

TONY WILSON-SPRATT