ROB Baldwin, who is taking over as Wharfedale’s director of rugby next season, wants his team to be proactive in the remaining games of the campaign as they seek National League Two North survival.

The player development director is overseeing first-XV affairs alongside retiring rugby chairman Michael Harrison, youth rugby development officer Hedley Verity and player-coach Stevie Graham while head coach James Doherty recovers from an ankle operation.

Baldwin said: “Michael’s are big boots to fill next season but I can’t think about that at the moment.

“There are eight big games left of this season and I want us to play on the front foot.

“We did that against Huddersfield and Chester, but we didn’t do it in our last match at Leicester Lions. We allowed them to set the tempo.”

The Lions won that contest 37-28, but that has been an exception as the general trend for the Greens has been upward, with five victories in their last six matches giving them a real chance of staying up.

Wharfedale, whose home match with Sedgley Park has been called due to a frozen pitch, are six points above the highest of the three demotion places.

Baldwin has two plans in mind – one for if they survive and one for if they go down.

He said: “That makes recruitment more difficult as players don’t know which division they will be playing in if they sign for us at the moment, but I am happy with the way that the squad are playing. If we stay up, with one or two additions, we could have a really good side.”

Wharfedale's vice-chairman Robert Fort said of The Avenue pitch: "Much of the snow has blown off the pitch but left the playing surface unprotected from frost, so the exposed areas are rock hard.

"It is hoped to reschedule the match for Saturday, March 31."