Hartlepool Rovers will begin their 2025/26 campaign this Friday night with a trip to Peterlee & Horden RFC, in a fixture steeped in local rugby tradition. Far from a routine preseason outing, this clash marks the start of P&H's centenary season. It is fitting that the first game of the 2025/26 is against Rovers which is a replay of Horden's first ever game back in 1925.

It's been 100 years since Rovers and Horden (as they were known then) first locked horns, and Friday’s match will be more than just warm-up minutes—it’s a celebration of community rugby and a long standing rivalry and friendship.

Kick-off is set for 7:15pm under the lights (if needed) at Eden Park, and no doubt the bar will be open early for our supporters to enjoy a pre match drink.

Coach Padget will take a mixed squad up the road, offering a valuable chance for colts to step up alongside senior players brushing off summer rust. “It’ll be a tough game—it always is against Horden,” Padget said, acknowledging the hosts’ grit and competitiveness over the years. "The lads have worked really hard so far over the preseason and it will be nice to see some of the patterns we have worked on come off on the pitch. But, preseason games are all about gaining match fitness and getting through the minutes without picking up injuries."

Rovers extend their best wishes to Peterlee & Horden as they embark on their centenary season. Friday’s match may be a preseason fixture, but it carries the weight of decades of memories and battles of years gone by. We hope of many more to come.
Peterlee & Horden RFC
Kick-off: 7:15pm