THERE are mixed emotions for Dorchester rugby club this weekend with the first team locked into a relegation battle while the A XV are champions elect of Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts Two South.

Still fighting to avoid the drop, the county town’s first XV travel to Sherborne, who have already amassed enough points to win the Wadworth 6X Southern Counties South league title.

Dorchester however need to find two bonus point wins to avoid the drop.

Should the first team suffer relegation, the drop would impact on the success of the second team, who will not rise up a division with two teams from the same club in any one division forbidden under league rules.

With a large number of players unavailable, Dorchester field a committed team who will give their all and put themselves on the line and strive to come away with a bonus point win from the only unbeaten side in the league. As the season draws to its close, injuries have taken their toll at times, but with players ready to take responsibility and step up to play first-team rugby, coach Martyn Peel has always put out his strongest available team.

After coming on as a replacement last Saturday and making his mark on the game, Joe Prior will start at prop along with the experienced Dave Cottell whilst Aaron Dunning, having come through the youth ranks at the club, takes on hooking duties from an injured Liam Kershaw.

Laurence Burch, Greg Hallett and Cameron Wills will again feature up front ready to take the game to a strong Sherborne pack. The match kicks off at 3pm at the Terrace.

Meanwhile Dorchester’s A XV will celebrate winning the Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts Two South league with a game to go. Captain Rob Parker’s men were due to take on Wheatsheaf, who sit fourth in the league, however the opposition have withdrawn from the fixture leaving Parker’s side deserved league winners. Having won 17 of their games so far with a settled and united squad, the prospect of a home win to secure the title was a fitting conclusion to the season. Averaging over 30 points a game the team have played some great rugby this season and are deserving of their place at the top of the table. The team will no doubt now take time out to celebrate their league title win.

Dorchester Gladiators XV end their league season at home, running out against Bournemouth IV (3pm). A win will take Tony O’Connell’s band of warriors above their near neighbours and put them fourth in the Wadworth 6X Dorset & Wilts Three South league table. Whatever the result though, the Gladiators have played their rugby with a smile, grafted for each other on the field in every game and thoroughly enjoyed the labours of their season.

A full weekend at Coburg Road starts with the future generation of Dorchester’s players, the Colts, locking horns with local rivals Weymouth & Portland kicking off at 7.30pm. With the Colts’ coach, Gavin Dunning, hanging up his coaching boots at the end of the season after 15 years valued service to the club, his team will be aiming to give him one more local derby win at home.

Saturday morning the U14s face New Milton at home kicking off at 10.45, with the U12s and U16s entertaining Wimborne and North Dorset respectively on Sunday morning and the successful girls side locking horns with Claremorris and Trojans kicking off at 2pm.

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