MALVERN Rugby Club face a chaotic couple of months as they plan for facing an entirely new set of teams next season after being transferred from National Three Midlands to the equivalent league in the South West.
The RFU operate a level transfer system when there is an imbalance in the regional location of number of teams at a particular level and Malvern have been affected by this.
Next season, the Spring Lane club will now face trips as far as Devon to battle the likes of Newton Abbot, Barnstaple, Brixham and Exmouth.
Malvern chairman Peter Woods explained: “Because three teams from the London and South East region were relegated from National Two South, it meant that there were too many teams in the National Three London division. Ampthill have been transferred back to the Midlands, as have Sandbach in Cheshire.
“As the South West had the two top sides promoted and no relegated sides dropping down, they needed two more teams to make up the numbers.
“So, seeing as Malvern were closest to the border and therefore had less travelling in pure mileage terms, we have been moved.”
Woods added: “We have had to accept the situation, but it means that we now visit four clubs in Devon, while at the other end of the region we visit London Irish Amateurs, based inside the M25 at Sunbury, who have also been level transferred, although they are appealing against the move.
“Our nearest fixture will be Old Patesians in Cheltenham and we renew acquaintance with Newton Abbott and Weston-super-Mare, against whom we have had pre-season friendlies.”
Asked about his sides chances, Woods said: “Although we don’t know much about the teams in this league, they don’t know us either.
“We understand that some like to play a forward-dominated game, but we have come up against that in the Midlands also.
“We just need to secure a “Fortress Malvern” attitude at home and improve on last season’s away record by approaching those games with the right attitude and in the right frame of mind.”
The complete list of Malvern’s 2012-13 opponents is: Amersham & Chilton, Avonmouth Old Boys, Barnstaple, Brixham, Chippenham, Exmouth, London Irish Amateurs*, Maidenhead, Newton Abbot, Old Patesians, Oxford Harlequins, Redingensians (Reading), Weston-Super-Mare* — subject to an appeal.
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