Welcome back to Harrogate Rugby Club for the start of a new season of league rugby at the Apollo Capital Stadium.

We're overjoyed to be starting the year in National League 2 North, after an incredible end to last season and an unbeaten run through the play-offs.

It's also great to see the Georgians joining the Yorkshire leagues this year, a tough campaign awaits them in Yorkshire 2, and we wish them well.

With the dry spell we've had, we weren't sure we'd get today's game on at all. Credit to our grounds team (and a little help from above), the pitches have never looked better, and the investment in our training pitches has finally paid off: the grass is growing, and we're no longer just feeding the local pigeons.

Over the coming weeks we'll be introducing our club principles, Safe, Fun, Family and Opportunity. These values are key to helping us make the right decisions and deliver our mission of rugby for all. I look forward to telling you more about these in the coming weeks.

Have a great day and come on the Gate.