ILKLEY face the prospect of three Yorkshire derbies in the opening month of the new rugby season.

The National league Three North fixtures see them making the short trips to newly-promoted Morley on September 10 and Cleckheaton two weeks later.

Sandwiched in between is a tricky home game with Hull, a side that beat the Dalesmen twice last season.

The run of derby matches comes after the season opener against Billingham at Stacks Field on September 3.

The North East side won on their last trip to Ilkley so they can't be taken lightly.

Head of rugby Rhys Morgan, who saw more than 30 players report for the first pre-season training session on Tuesday, admitted: "It's an interesting start and we will need to be on our game from the off."

Morgan was also pleased to see three of his summer signings joining up with the squad. The Old Grovians pair of hooker Adam Driver and prop Chris Blackhall are hoping to make their mark in a higher grade of rugby while second row Kieran Dannett, a second row who started out at Falkirk before playing in Australia,

ILKLEY RUGBY CLUB

SEPTEMBER

Sat 3 Billingham Home

Sat 10 Morley Away

Sat 17 Hull Home

Sat 24 Cleckheaton Away

OCTOBER

Sat 1 Firwood Waterloo Home

Sat 8 Rossendale Away

Sat 22 Huddersfield Home

Sat 29 Sandal Away

NOVEMBER

Sat 5 Wirral Home

Sat 12 Doncaster Phoenix Away

Sat 19 Lymm Home

Sat 26 Kendal Away

DECEMBER

Sat 3 Stockport Home

Sat 10 Morley Home

Sat 17 Hull Away

JANUARY

Sat 7 Cleckheaton Home

Sat 14 Firwood Waterloo Away

Sat 28 Rossendale Home

FEBRUARY

Sat 11 Huddersfield Away

Sat 18 Sandal Home

MARCH

Sat 4 Wirral Away

Sat 11 Doncaster Phoenix Home

Sat 25 Lymm Away

APRIL

Sat 1 Kendal Home

Sat 8 Billingham Away