With a break in Lancashire/Cheshire league rugby fixtures for both Ramsey and Vagabonds, this Saturday sees the Manx Cup return.

The new format introduced last season continues, with the two English league sides joined by last season’s winners Douglas Celts and Southern Nomads.

The four play each other home and away in a mini league format with the top two playing off in the cup final at the end of the season.

This week, Ramsey travel to Douglas Celts in a repeat of last season’s final which the Celts won.

Douglas are very much the form team domestically and have also won away at Oldershaw in the Cheshire Plate this season.

Ramsey by contrast have had a torrid time in Lancashire/Cheshire Division One after winning promotion last season and will be desperate for some domestic success to try and dull the pain.

Ramsey have a nucleus of youngsters in their first team squad and they’re rapidly gaining experience.

Harry Parsons and Kieran Kneale look well-balanced in the back-row with Dan Richmond and Connor Goodall operating in the backline.

Douglas, however, have a powerful front five and are likely to cause Ramsey difficulty in the set piece especially in the absence of Michéal Flynn at tight head.

Expect this to be tight but with Douglas just edging it.

Southern Nomads’ scheduled tie with Vagabonds has been postponed.

l The weekend’s fixtures get under way on Friday night under the Mooragh Park lights where Ramsey B host Vagabonds B in the Manx Plate.

The Plate is played in a similar format to the cup and this is the first of a series of matches.

The two sides met at the Mooragh back in September. The game was tied 7-7 at half-time with Vagas running away with it in the second half to win 48-12.

Fixtures

Friday, October 11

Manx Plate 2019-20

Ramsey B v Vagabonds B @ Mooragh Park ko 7pm

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Saturday, October 12

North One West

Penrith v Douglas @ Penrith

Women’s NC North West One

Vagabonds v Sale 1861 @ Ballafletcher ko 1pm

Manx Cup

Douglas Celts v Ramsey @ Port-e-Chee ko 2.15pm

Southern Nomads P-P Vagabonds

Manx Plate Final 2018-19

Western Vikings v Emerging Nomads

@ Mooragh Park ko 2.15pm