The curtain will drop on the 2025-26 rugby season with a full day of action at Port-e-Chee on Saturday.

Proceedings start with the under-13s at 10.30am and finish with the Hartford Holmes Manx Cup Final at 3pm.

At 1pm the first of the day’s senior men’s games takes place in the shape of the Hartford Holmes Manx Plate Final.

This competition is for the two sides who didn’t make the cup final which this year is surprisingly Ramsey and Vagabonds.

Both teams play in Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire in the English league system and both have found themselves nudged out of the flagship domestic competition by non-league opposition.

Vagas lost to both Douglas Celts and Southern Nomads while Ramsey lost all three of their qualifying fixtures meaning Nomads and Celts both qualified for the final with a game to spare.

Both sides have had indifferent league campaigns.

Vagas have been the better performing of the two and therefore start as slight favourites. They took four wins and two draws from their allotted 19 fixtures compared to Ramsey’s three wins and one draw.

The two also fought out an epic, if slightly underwhelming nil-nil draw at the Mooragh Park in November in a game as rare as hen’s teeth.

Vagas will be without Cam Findlay who has moved away and Joe Louw who is injured.

There is however plenty of quality with the likes of Reece D’Oliveira and Matt Rockwell up front and skipper Dan Bonwick just about anywhere he likes.

There are also some exciting youngsters in the backline.

Ramsey will also have their issues. Centre Jake Richmond is struggling with what has been described as a ‘hurty arm’ and is unlikely to play.

Jacob Corteen picked up an ankle knock last week and is doubtful too.

The rest of the squad appears fit, however, and should put up a decent scrap against Vagas who won their last meeting 21-10 at Ballafletcher in February.

The final at 3pm also promises to be a good match up. When they met in the Manx Shield, Douglas Celts won the first two meetings and Nomads won the second two.

They never got to meet in cup qualifying as they’d both already made it to the final.

As ever, Douglas bring their first-team fringe players into the mix which will give them a competitive edge.

There is, however, plenty of quality who perhaps don’t consider themselves fringe players.

Aaron Mason is an experienced operator, Conor McCaughan a big rangy second row/back row and skipper Percy Hampton will give the X-factor.

Nomads are no mugs though.

Harry Brereton brings an edge to the back row, the Callister/Young half-back pairing is as experienced as they come, while skipper Finn McGregor is a straight-running centre looking to make holes for the Craine brothers to exploit.

Douglas won the Manx Shield so are marginal favourites but this could be close.

Manx Cup Finals Day – Fixtures

Douglas U13 v Southern Nomads U13 ko 10.30am

Ramsey U16 v Southern Nomads U16 ko 11am

Hartford Homes Manx Plate Final

Ramsey v Vagabonds ko 1pm

Hartford Homes Manx Cup Final

PDMS Southern Nomads v Douglas Celts ko 3pm