DALE Tabiner is still coming to terms with the fact that he won’t be able to play rugby anymore.

The 27-year-old Baildon hooker got the dreaded letter through the post on Tuesday saying that, because he had antiphospholipid syndrome – a disorder of the immune system that increases the risk of blood clots – he wouldn’t be able to play the sport that he loves.

It is proving a bitter-sweet year so far for Tabiner, who married Bethany on January 14.

He said: “The results of my monitor in my chest hadn’t been read, and it turns out that my heart was dangerously low on two occasions – both Saturdays at 5.30pm and 10.30pm after I had played rugby.

“I have been taking blood-thinning tablets and it was hard coming to terms with that letter – that I wouldn’t be able to play anymore – and it was hard telling Polly (Baildon coach Andy Pollard), but I have had great support from the lads at Baildon and I am going to take my badges to become a coach.”

Tabiner had to pack in rugby for two-and-a-half years due to having had four mini-strokes, and only resumed a year ago as long as he wore a head-guard, and in between time had coached the second team merely by using his rugby knowledge.

He added: “It is frustrating also because I was just getting myself fit again this season after ankle and knee injuries.”

Fifth-placed Baildon are also without locks Tom Peel and James Fox and flanker Ryan Kershaw, but have Sam Symons, Guy Price, James Dawson and Sam Robinson available for the Yorkshire Division Three home match against next-to-bottom Stocksbridge, which is doubling up as a Yorkshire Silver Trophy quarter-final.

BRADFORD & BINGLEY are at Huddersfield YMCA, trying to avenge their only home defeat so far this season in North One East.

YM won 41-29 in October and were by far the better side but the fifth-placed Bees are a year ahead of schedule as they pitch for promotion.

Secretary Nick Patterson said: "Thirty points from nine matches should put us very close, if not to finishing first then certainly coming second."

OLD GROVIANS, who are tenth are at home to seventh-placed Wath in Yorkshire Division Two, and Grovians’ secretary Bob Griffin said: “We are at strength but this is the sort of game that we should be winning if we are to stay up.”

WIBSEY are going to celebrate winning Yorkshire Division Five but their match at home to next-to-bottom Withernsea will go all the sweeter if they win to make it 13 victories out of 13.

The hosts are without Isaac Khan and Stuart Fisher but have David Wilkinson and James Birkbeck back.

Wibsey (home to Withernsea) from: A Armitage, J Birkbeck, S Birkbeck, J Brown, D Carr, K Carter, C Clough, C Farley, S Foulds, E Gray, D Hartley, M Kite, B Mpofu, J Nall, J Ratcliffe, A Rose, J Sawyer, D Wilkinson, B Worsley, B Wright, E Culling.