It’s a big weekend for Douglas Rugby Club.

If the Port-e-Chee side win at North Ribblesdale on Saturday, they will secure a place in the Regional Two North West’s promotion play-offs.

A late 3pm kick-off at Grove Park to accommodate Douglas travel adds to the tension surrounding the situation, as this means it will be the last match to file a result from what is the final round of the regular season.

As the hosts are champions elect, second to fifth will battle to join them in Regional One North West next season in what will essentially be a semi-final and final knock-out scenario.

Douglas won’t be favourites for the weekend’s clash, despite beating Ribblesdale on the opening day of the season at Port-e-Chee, as player availability takes a toll.

Blake Snell, Brandon Haas and Matty Wood aren’t heading to Settle, but there’s still a squad armed to surprise.

Harry Hewson powers up the midfield and Ollie Corkish will hope to replicate his try-scoring form against Ribblesdale in September.

The front five of Simon Hoddinott, Josh Campbell, Conor Garland, Owen Carvin and Harry Cartwright will test the hosts up front, and back-row options are a bonus for coach Phil Cringle in the asset-juggling stakes.

Vale of Lune and Sandbach have already booked their play-off berths, so Douglas, Burnage and Widnes are fighting for the remaining two spots.

Burnage in fifth are two points behind Douglas in fourth and travel to third-placed Sandbach, while Widnes in sixth are one point behind Burnage and host a Birkenhead Park team who have rescued their season after a disastrous start.

With five points available for a bonus-point win, two points for a draw, one bonus point for scoring four tries, and one losing bonus point for finishing within seven of the winner, there’s a hatful of permutations.

TONY WILSON-SPRATT