MALTON & Norton have lost big prop Ben Boothman for the new North One East season but are still targeting a top-half finish.

A fine run in the second half of the 2016-17 campaign saw M&N rise away from a relegation scrap into mid-table safety and, having enjoyed such consolidation following promotion from Yorkshire One, they will be looking this time to bag a top-half finish.

However, Chris Creber's side, again captained by Sam Triffitt, will have to do so without Boothman after he went up a division to join North Premier (formerly National League Three North) club Hull.

It is unclear also if South African aces Zweli Sodladla and Vus Dyantjies will be around for the opening league game away to Northern tomorrow, although the schoolteacher pair are expected back at The Gannock.

Malt spokesman Bill Laidler said: "Losing Ben is a blow – he's a very good player.

"But hopefully one or two players will have improved on last season now they have a bit more experience.

"We finished very well last term and if we can keep that sort of form, we will be near the top. That said, it's a very strange league, a very strong league in places. Top half would be the aim."

York RUFC kick off their 2017-18 Yorkshire One campaign on home turf tomorrow, with Beverley the visitors.

Lee Denham's men narrowly missed out on a promotion play-off place last season, eventually finished third.

On the eve of their first game, Rugby Committee chairman Andy Brown commented on the club's website: "Things are looking positive and everyone is looking forward to the coming season which we hope will this year see us leave Yorkshire One behind.

"I would like to encourage as much support as possible – not only for this first game – but all games, home and away for all the teams throughout the club."

Also in Yorkshire One, Selby start their campaign with an away trip to Moortown.

The Sandhill Lane club will be aiming to improve markedly on last season's 11th-place finish in the division.

Pocklington RUFC journey into the unknown, meanwhile, when they travel to new opponents, Wirral RUFC, for their first game in the Northern Premier League – the first of two trips to Merseyside in three weeks.

The nucleus of the line-up is the same as last season's North One East championship winning side, but former York prop Will Norris and ex-Hull and Otley centre Ben Thoy are in line to make their league debuts.

* POCKLINGTON RUFC's mini/junior section, which runs teams at every age level from Under-6 through to Under-18 Colts, gets up and running on Sunday morning when all youngsters interested in playing rugby this year are invited to the first registration day, starting at 10.30am.