Hopping Mad

Former Rochdale, Hull and Carlisle back-row forward Charlie Birdsall. https://www.hullfc.com/blog/2024/03/17/remembering-charlie-birdsall/

Went to Thanet Road, Dringhouses, on 17/3, to watch Challenge Cup community game heroes York Acorn's 2024 NCL opener. An enjoyably open, lively contest, and a very good Acorn performance - during the first half, certainly - against Whitehaven-based Kells. Five tries to two, it finished, as Acorn won 28-12 (HT 22-6). Kells paid for a slow start, which saw them trail 0-16 after 27 minutes. Acorn crossed in the first, 10th, 27th, 39th and 70th minutes. Couple of eye-catching tries from the hosts, notably one set up by a superb break down the left flank and another by a fine pass slipped out of a tackle. Acorn's left-footed stand-off kicked four conversions. Kells, whose last tackle options were poor, scored tries, each converted, in the 31st and 62nd minutes. The £3 admission charge included a 12-page programme. I estimated the crowd at about 250.

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Sheffield Eagles issued a printed programme (£3) for their Championship opener against Toulouse Olympique. For their first NCL home game, against Premier Division rivals Kells, York Acorn offered a 12-page printed programme (included with £3 admission).

How many NCL clubs have anything more than a railed pitch next to a clubhouse? I'd suggest: Ellenborough Rangers (stand), Heworth (stand), Rochdale Mayfield (stands), Saddleworth Rangers (stand), West Bowling (stands and terracing).

According to Guardian rugby league correspondent Aaron Bower, National Conference League clubs are considering applying to join the third tier:

Got to be better than paying £15 for the sort of view (i.e. the Alexander Stadium's warm-up arena) you get at most amateur grounds.

As mentioned elsewhere, the fault is with slow-to-respond PA Media, the BBC's third party data provider.

From midlandshurricanes.com (11/3): Midlands Hurricanes are delighted to announce that from March 2024, the club’s home fixtures will be played inside the main stadium arena at Alexander Stadium, starting with the first League One fixture against Rochdale Hornets on 17th March. For the last two years the club has been based at the Alexander Stadium campus, playing matches on the Community Pitch within the warmup infield. It has always been an aspiration of the club to move into the main stadium in the future and the club are delighted that this aspiration has come to fruition. Representatives of the club confirmed: “We look forward to calling Alexander Stadium our home venue for the foreseeable future." Moving into the main stadium is a fantastic boost for Rugby League in the Midlands and will allow the club to grow the game within the region. Speaking on the move, CEO Greg Wood said: “To call a stadium that hosted the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games our home venue shows the intent that the club has to grow. I thank our fans, the RFL and visiting clubs for their continued support, I am sure that they are as excited as we are about this announcement. In addition, we would like to thank the team at Alexander Stadium and Birmingham City Council for their efforts in making this happen." Dave Wagg, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Birmingham City Council, said: "We are delighted that Midland Hurricanes are playing their 2024 season home fixtures at Alexander Stadium. While athletics will remain at the heart of the stadium ethos and operation, a multi-sport approach was set out as the legacy Vision Statement for the stadium following the success of the Commonwealth Games. Having the Hurricanes at Alexander Stadium supports the diversification of the site and opens up a new audience to rugby league, which is an underdeveloped sport in the Birmingham region. We hope their presence continues to attract new followers to the sport and the stadium, which in turn will lead to further opportunities for participation in a wide range of sports on offer at the site."

Unhelpful day and kick-off time for that tie, though (not to mention the opportunity to watch it for free). Had the game been on the Sunday, at three o'clock, I'd have probably gone over to watch it.

The 'charity jersey' of the NCL's Seaton Rangers.

I couldn't agree more. I've made the point to the BBC on several occasions. I'm sure the NCL press officer has too.

Digital programme, free to download, from the club's socials, from the NCL's Oulton Raiders. The issue for yesterday's (9/3) game with Leigh Miners Rangers was a 39-pager. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S0B285A02VMLoKM9TItKC6NoNh2U0W4W/view No programme (of any description) at the 9/3 Kells versus Egremont NCL derby.

I was down near Alfreton yesterday, watching non-league football. Came across the ground - in a public park at South Normanton - of Bolsover Bulls RLFC, who appear to run a number of junior teams. Posts up, pitch marked out and a publicity poster on the outside of the changing rooms. Nice to see some rugby league interest remains in that part of the world, despite the long ago demise of semi-pro Mansfield Marksman RLFC, who played at Field Mill, Mansfield, then at North Street, Alfreton. https://www.facebook.com/bolsoverbulls/?locale=en_GB

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Digital programme - 16 pages, free to download, from the club's socials - from the NCL's Thatto Heath Crusaders. Today's Wath Brow Hornets issue. https://www.flipsnack.com/5A5DBEFF8D6/match-programme-2024-dtjepk16rh/full-view.html

The NCL's Normanton Knights are again offering a digital programme. Check out their 20-pager (free to download, from the club's socials) for tomorrow's game with Dewsbury Celtic: https://www.flipsnack.com/normantonknights/normanton-knights-v-dewsbury-celtic-2024.html In the NCL's Premier Division, Hunslet ARLFC will be continuing with a printed programme. They'll have "a few available" at each home game.

Stock BBC reply (to my complaint about the continuing absence of NCL Division Three stats): Thank you for getting in touch about the BBC Sport website. We're grateful to you for making use of our services and we are sorry to learn of your disappointment. We recognise that our audiences want us to cover every event in a particular sport. Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources. Therefore, we focus our resources on covering the main events and leagues. As a public funded organisation we need to make sure we get the best value on what we spend. Therefore, some events across the sporting spectrum will receive less coverage than others. We very much value your feedback. Complaints are sent to senior management, and we’ve included your points in our overnight reports. These reports are among the most widely read sources of feedback in the BBC. This ensures that your concerns have been seen by the right people quickly, and helps to inform decisions about current and future content.

No printed programme at Bentley this season. The NCL Division Three club say: "Unfortunately, the cost of production and demand meant it wasn’t something we could sustain." Also, East Leeds have confirmed they won't have a printed programme in 2024.

Former Halifax RLFC left wing Keith Williams (heritage number 679). His long-standing club record eight tries in a game came in November 1957 against Dewsbury. That season, Williams ran in tries in 11 consecutive matches. Fax tweet: Halifax Panthers are saddened to hear of the death of former player Keith Williams. He made 154 appearances between 1956-63, scoring 89 tries and 47 goals, including holding a club record for tries in a game with 8. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. RIP.

Wales Rugby League's tribute to Lewis Jones: Former Wales Rugby League captain Lewis Jones has died aged 92 following a short illness. His club Leeds Rhinos reported earlier today that he had passed away peacefully in his sleep after a short illness. He was Wales Rugby League’s oldest surviving international player. Benjamin Lewis Jones became Wales’ 24th captain when he led us in France in 1963 in the second of his two Wales appearances that were 10 years apart, as we played few games in that era. In rugby league circles, Jones was more famous for being a Great Britain international, winning 15 full caps and scoring in every game he played, whilst also turning out twice for Other Nationalities. He also represented the Rest of the World in the 11–20 defeat by Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground on 29 June 1957 which followed the World Cup, for whom he represented Great Britain. He was also a Lions tourist in 1954 and set the record for most points in a test series in 1956–57, scoring 51 points in three games against France. Rugby league historian Robert Gate has described Lewis as “arguably the most devastating attacking back Wales has ever produced.” Lewis was educated at Gowerton Grammar School, and played club rugby for Neath before undertaking his national service in the Navy. After leaving the Navy he joined Llanelli. He won the first of his 10 Wales rugby union caps in a match against England in 1950. This was an encounter that he might easily have missed as he had been about to depart for Hong Kong on board an aircraft carrier until the orders were countermanded on discovering that he was a rugby player. That same year, he played for the British Lions, being flown out as a replacement for an injured player on the tour to New Zealand and Australia, and playing in three test matches. He scored 63 points in seven games in New Zealand and 16 points against Australia in Brisbane. In November 1952, he signed for Leeds for a then record £6,000. A broken arm prevented him having much impact in his first season, but in 1953–54, he scored 302 points. In 1956–57 he scored a record 496 points, and was the first Leeds player to score over 1,000 goals for the club, a feat not matched until 2009 Kevin Sinfield. He helped Leeds to win the Championship in 1961, Challenge Cup in 1957, Yorkshire League in 1954-55, 1956-57 and 1960-61, and Yorkshire Cup in 1958. He was awarded a testimonial match at Leeds in 1963. In a British playing career of more than 400 games, Lewis stood behind only Jim Sullivan and Gus Risman on the game’s all-time points chart with 3,445, before going on to score more than 1,000 more for the Sydney-based Wentworthville in Australia, where he spent six years as a player-coach and a further two years as a non-playing coach. He returned to Leeds in 1972 to take up an appointment as a Maths Specialist at Silver Royd High School. He coached the Leeds ‘A’ side for a season before taking over first team duties briefly at Dewsbury during 1977-78. He retired in the area and In 2009, he was named in the all-time Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team, whilst in 2013, he was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Leeds Hall of Fame in 2017. Everyone at Wales Rugby League send their deepest condolences to all of his family and friends.

Stylish design for National Conference League newcomers Distington, who will wear this strip for the first time on Saturday (9/3), when they host Division Three rivals Milford.

Lewis Jones, the Leeds Rugby League Club legend, has died at the age of 92. Obituary posted on therhinos.co.uk: It is with deep sadness that Leeds Rhinos have learned of the passing today of legendary player Lewis Jones, aged 92, peacefully in his sleep after a short illness. Lewis Jones will forever be known as the Golden Boy at Headingley, having moved North from his home in Gorseinon, near Swansea, in 1952 to switch codes and lead Leeds to their first ever Championship in 1961, having lifted the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 1957. Prior to switching codes, he had already made his debut for Wales whilst still a teenager at Twickenham against the old enemy before earning a call up to the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950. Born on 11th April 1931, he played for his home town of Gorseinon and Neath before National Service took him to Devonport as a Stores Assistant on H.M.S. Fisgard. He was spotted playing Services’ rugby and elevated to national selection. After national service, he played for Llanelli and was the constant source of interest for Rugby League clubs looking for Union talent. He initially rebutted those approaches but was eventually persuaded to move to Headingley for a then record fee of £6,000 and wrote his name in the game’s history books. Points by the thousand! Records galore! Yet so much more besides, for Lewis was a King of Rugger with the Midas touch, turning half-chances into golden opportunities with sparks of his creative artistry, and gilding countless games with moments of sheer wizardry. His finest hour in blue and amber, came as stand-off at Odsal on 20th May 1961. A fortnight earlier, he had master-minded the defeat of St Helens in a gripping Championship Semi-Final at Headingley and at Odsal his tally of a try and five goals ensured he would become the first Leeds captain ever to collect the Championship trophy. He played his final game for Leeds on Easter Monday 1964, before moving to Wentworthville, in the Sydney area, as player-coach. Jones returned to Leeds in 1972 to take up an appointment as a Maths Specialist at Silver Royd High School and was a coach to Leeds ‘A’ for a season, prior to taking over 1st Team duties briefly at Dewsbury during 1977-78. In total, he made 385 appearances for Leeds scoring 144 tries, kicking 1,244 goals producing 2,920 points, both of latter were records at the time of his retirement. He was capped 15 times by Great Britain Rugby League including touring in 1954 and playing in the 1957 World Cup in Australia. In Rugby Union, he was awarded ten caps for Wales between 1950 and 1952 and played three Tests on the 1950 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand. He was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2013 before being one of the first players inducted into the Leeds Rugby Hall of Fame in 2017. Lewis an inductee into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame Roll of Honour. Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington paid his own personal tribute, he commented, “Headingley will not be the same without Lewis. He never missed a Rhinos home game and he remained as passionate as ever about his team. He was one of Rugby’s first superstars in the 1950s and achieved legendary status with Leeds and within Rugby League. He will be sadly missed and we will celebrate his life with our fans at our next home game.” Lewis’s daughter Karen Westaway added, “We want to thank all the staff at St. James's for providing Dad with such excellent, compassionate care over the last few days. Today Leeds says goodbye to a rugby legend, while we say goodbye to a wonderful Dad - an inspiring mentor and coach whose warmth and kindness will never be forgotten by his family, or anyone who had the good luck to know him.” On behalf of everyone at Leeds Rhinos, we would like to pass on our deepest sympathies to Lewis’ family and friends at this sad time. For this Friday’s game at Leigh Leopards, the team will wear black armbands and the club will pay their full respects at our home game against St Helens on Friday 15th March. Funeral details have not been confirmed as yet. The Rugby Football League tweeted: The RFL offers condolences to the family and friends of the late Lewis Jones, one of our game’s all-time greats.

The BBC website knows the top three divisions of the NCL exist. Bizarrely, once again, however, the BBC is choosing to omit Division Three (i.e. tier four) results, fixtures and table. I complain about this every year, and the response is always the same: "We don't have sufficient room to carry everything." Plenty of space for obscure Welsh rugby union, mind. Why cover only three of four tiers of the amateur game's flagship competition? Incidentally, all stats on the BBC website are provided by its third party data provider, the Howden-based sports section of PA [Press Association] Media. The Heworth-Kells postponement, because of waterlogging, was announced on Friday. Why it wasn't down as P-P on the BBC website fixtures, only PA knows. I could tell you stories about PA paying peanuts in its sports data section and, inevitably, employing monkeys. But I'd better not.

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