YORK RI will be bidding for a second successive promotion this campaign.

They held their nerve to produce a late surge to win the Yorkshire Three title last season including a stunning midweek victory over Twickenham finalists Malton and Norton - a result which effectively cost the Gannock club promotion.

Player-coach Ian Hassell has strengthened his RI squad with the arrival of four players from Nestl Rowntree, who have pulled out of the leagues to concentrate on social rugby.

They are the experienced Sowray brothers - hooker Joff and back row forward David - prop Mike Wilkinson and second row Ian Hore.

Another recruit is 29-year-old wing forward Ashley Casey, who played with Hassell at Harrogate.

One player RI have lost is St John's College centre Andy Kehoe, who has gone to Italy for a year where he will be doing some coaching.

"We had a super season last year and will be relying on much the same squad that got us up. Ian is a big believer in open rugby and we certainly played some super stuff last season," said team manager Nigel Lowry.

But he is under no illusions that it will be tougher this time round.

"I think we will be more than happy if we finish in the top four or five and make sure it is a season of consolidation."

RI start their league campaign with a trip to Leodiensians, a club who have done a lot of summer recruiting, and Lowry thinks that opening game will be RI's hardest league game of the season.

RI have been given a bye in the opening round of the Tetley's Bitter Vase and have been drawn at home to Skipton in the Yorkshire Shield.

YORK RI

Yorkshire Two

September: 8 Leodiensians (h), 22 Hemsworth (a), 29 Castleford (h)

October: 6 Dinnington (h), 20 Huddersfield YMCA (a), 27 Ripon (h)

November: 10 West Leeds (a), 17 Northallerton (h)

December: 1 Ilkley (a), 8 Skipton (h), 22 Keighley (a)

January: 5 Ilkley (h), 12 Northallerton (a), 26 West Leeds (h)

February: 2 Ripon (a), 9 Huddersfield YMCA (h), 23 Dinnington (a)

March: 2 Castleford (a), 9 Hemsworth (h), 16 Leodiensians (a)

April: 6 Keighley (h), 13 Skipton (a)

Updated: 12:08 Wednesday, September 05, 2001