Rochdale travel to Chester today for their opening League game of the season and can expect a difficult encounter, last season they looked at one stage that they were well in line for promotion but they lost their classy stand off Foden to Northampton and their season petered away. Rochdale are much in the same position with their playmaker Steve Collins going to Fylde. Rochdale have a few players back for this encounter, Rob Neave comes in at outhalf Jonny Mair returns at centre and Lee Riddle returns in the back row, Chris Hodgkinson come in the back row for the injured Ross Hartley.

The seconds are at home to Carlisle, the line up includes one or two players who have stepped up a league since last season. Ben Dixon gets the number 10 spot and youngster Dom Macklin who had a promising game for the firsts last week is on the wing. Steve Candler and Chris Kane add a bit of maturity to the side in the second row and a lot will depend on another stalwart Sean Campbell in the centre.

1st XV away Chester meet club at 12.15pm W Birtwell A O,Brien N Sunderland A Foster L Frechou L Riddle M Bradwell (C) CHodgkinson D James R Neave J Flitcroft J Mair W Van Zyl A Howarth P Coburn R Duncan A Redman O Coldman.

2ndXV home to Carlisle meet club 1.30pm. P Swindon K Parry T Wardle S Candler C Kane S Barlow D Bamford (C) P Collins D Bowers B Dixon M Beswick S Campbell D Macklin R Blackburn J Johnson H Hill T Hindle M Shaw.

3rdXV away Thornton Cleveleys meet club 12.45pm M Bowe (C) S Stevens D Slamen O Horne N Whirehead S Humphries J Wolfenden A Donaghue T Thornton J Duffy E Timlin J Gillighan B Henry J Campbell M Van Zyl J Smithies J Bradley A redfern B Knowles J McDougal R Tweedale.

4th XV home to Sedgely Park meet club 2pm. (As Carded).