Rugby Union By John Walsh

Last updated 12:33, Friday, 24 October 2008

It's cup weekend in Cumbria with county clubs competing on three fronts in national competitions.

In the National Trophy Aspatria will be facing a Huddersfield side who play two leagues above them alongside Kendal and Halifax, but were well beaten at home last week by Caldy.

Chairman of rugby Mark Richardson said: “They will be looking to bounce back after that and playing a team from a lower League might be what they are looking for.

“But we have nothing to lose and provided we stand up to the plate there is no reason why we can’t go there and produce a shock. We have to adapt though and play tour best.”

Player coach Mike Scott has a calf strain but otherwise Aspatria will have everybody available from last week’s home win over Ilkley.

In addition Dan Rayson and Andrew Miller should be available again to give more depth to the squad as the competition allows seven replacements.

Huddersfield suffered their third defeat in National Three North – their first at home - when they lost 37-9 to Caldy last Saturday. On the second-half

Mark Sowerby’s men never truly threatened Caldy’s line.

Sowerby admitted: “We made them look like world beaters!”

Carlisle and Penrith are Cumbria’s only representatives in the EDF Energy Intermediate Cup and they both have tricky away ties respectively at Rochdale and Billingham, two sides with 100% League records.

There’s a general mix of Cumbrian teams with sides from Durham and Northumberland One in the second round of the EDF Energy Senior Vase.

Sunderland will be without crocked skipper Tony Irwin for what they are calling a journey into the unknown - Saturday's trip to Maryport for an EDF Energy Senior Vase tie against Netherhall.

The loss of Irwin for an indefinite period – because of knee ligament damage which will require surgery – is another massive blow to the Ashbrooke club who are struggling at the bottom of their League.

The Wearsiders lost a host of players over the summer and the loss through injury of their talismanic captain is a major set-back. Netherhall are hoping to be able to select on similar lines to last Saturday when they brought Cockermouth’s good start to an end with a 23-3 victory after a very competitive game in very heavy conditions. The Maryport side were worthy winners after starting well.

There are two matches in the same competition at Lowmoor Road where Wigton entertain Wallsend and their seconds, the Wanderers are at home to Ashington.

Wallsend are fifth in Durham and Northumberland One but their second defeat of the season last Saturday can be taken with a pinch of salt.

They travelled to Hartlepool Rovers and were well beaten 89-0 but apparently they had up to a dozen regulars on a stag week-end in Amsterdam.

Tane Manihera, who has had to delay his return to rugby union because of a shoulder injury suffered playing rugby league for Whitehaven, is ready to join the Wigton squad for this one.

James Lund is unavailable so David Thompson moves to prop and Stuart Creighton returns, while ex-Silloth forward Andrew Stephens is ready to make his senior debut.

The Wanderers host an Ashington side who have won only twice so far in the League and are below Wallsend in ninth place.

They were on the receiving end at Stockton last weekend going down 16-8.

In addition to the ones we have talked about Creighton host Percy Park; Keswick entertain Gosforth; Workington travel to Northern; Upper Eden are at Stockton.

St. Benedict’s have an interesting game in prospect as they travel to Oldham.

The two teams were in a battle to avoid relegation from North Lancs Cumbria last season – Oldham stayed but Benny’s dropped into the Cumbria League.

Last week Oldham just beat Keswick 10-6 with a very late try.

n Wigton’s first team are hosting Wallsend in the Senior Vase while the Wanderers (their second team) host Ashington and the club’s Colts are in action against St Bees.

The Colts team had such a good name for emerging talent in the 1980s, and they appear to have found a new conveyor belt.

They had two Colts teams in action on Saturday, involving 37 players and at the end of the first team League fixture at Fleetwood the Greens had six 18-year-olds on the pitch.