‘There’s a buzz around the place’: Dewsbury Rams head to crisis-hit Oldham in Challenge Cup after best Championship start since 2021

Paul March’s men have opened their 2026 campaign with excellent league victories over Hunslet and Keighley Cougars to put them fourth in the expanded 20-team table, while a 32-10 win over amateur side West Hull set up this Sunday’s (February 8) cup fixture at Bower Fold in Stalybridge (kick off 3pm).

And the trio of early-season triumphs has created a “buzz” around FLAIR Stadium according to March.

He said: “There’s a bit of a buzz around the place. The club have opened up Wakefield Trinity season tickets to come to our games for free through a partnership with Wakefield and Matt Ellis, and a fair few Wakefield fans came to support us.

“Everyone was happy in the bar after the game against Keighley. It is up to me and my coaching staff to now keep that buzz and make sure we’re doing what we need to do on the field. If we do that it will carry on.

“I was pleased that we got the win last weekend but ill discipline got them back into the game, but we were lucky enough to get a penalty to get the win. Last year we would have probably lost that game but the lads have been working hard on their fitness with Matt Garside (assistant coach) and that has helped us over the line.

“We need to improve on our discipline, especially for this weekend. If we give 15 penalties away against a team like Oldham we could be on the wrong end of a scoreline.”

The Roughyeds, however, appear to be in a crisis at the moment after the departure of the club’s Director of Rugby Mike Ford, earlier this week.

March said: “I think the players will just get on with the job. Playing away from Boundary Park may have an effect on them but we can’t worry about what they’re doing. We’ve got to worry about what we're doing. We have started well and we will be going there full of confidence.

“It’s a free hit for us. We will be going into the game as massive underdogs. They are one of the top teams in the Championship. We will see where we are standards-wise but we can go there and play free-flowing rugby with no pressure on us. All the pressure will be on them.”

March also confirmed that the only player who will be missing from squad of 17 which beat the Cougars will be Jack McShane (HIA).