New league kicks off with York Acorn already eyeing a trophy (From York Press)

New league kicks off with York Acorn already eyeing a trophy

11:27am Thursday 19th April 2012 in Rugby League

THE inaugural Yorkshire Men’s Rugby League kicks off on Saturday with in-form York Acorn ‘A’ and Heworth ‘A’ both in action.

Acorn ‘A’ – who have reached the Yorkshire final of the new league’s War Of The Roses tournament, which acted as a pre-season competition – host Hull Dockers ‘A’ in group three. Heworth ‘A’ are at Oulton in group two.

The league structure is a convoluted one for geographical reasons and complications due to the switch-over of some clubs from a winter to a summer season, the availability of dual-code pitches, and the mish-mash of traditional clubs and relatively new summer teams.

There is an eight-team Yorkshire premier division and, below that, six groups of five or six teams.

Acorn are in a group with East Hull ‘A’, Dockers ‘A’, Holderness and York Lokomotive, who begin their fixtures next week. Heworth are in a group with Featherstone Lions ‘A’, Shaw Cross ‘A’, Oulton ‘A’ and Northallerton.

They play each team in their group home and away, and there are also some cross-group games, including two matches between Heworth and Acorn.

Meanwhile, Acorn’s Yorkshire final is against Bradford Dudley Hill ‘A’, on Saturday, May 5, at Thanet Road after Acorn won the toss for home advantage. The victors will meet the winners of the North West Men’s League final in the War of the Roses finale.