2blackrooks

Edinburgh take on Durham today at Houghton RFC 2pm KO after a re-jig of NERL fixtures which has seen Yarm ARLFC withdrawal from the league No news whatsoever of any Scottish Championship games being played today

Over the years since it’s inception in 1997 the Scottish RL conference has seen the highs of a 9 team structure in 2013 to 3 this year with an average norm of 6 over the past 25 years Meanwhile there Celtic cousins in Wales and Ireland appear to have a more stable league, regular league based player internationals against various concepts of an England team or English based teams, Irelands latest venture playing London Chargers Wales juniors battling the English lions, Wales - Ireland women doing battle, Wales 1st team playing France later this year. North vs South style games etc etc Yet on the surface Scotland struggle to muster a decent league, there are of course green shoots with regular junior development days, Edinburgh have and are still doing well in NERL and the new concept of the Scottish Barbarians, Forth Valley appear to be moving forward at pace, Glasgow’s player numbers growing and Aberdeen are back, but what is the future for RL north of the border, will it always struggle with teams you can count on 1 hand, will the young guys coming through have teams/games to develop, will the women’s game ever get off the ground, will the national team get regular games in Scotland to shout out ‘we’re here’ Yes I guess finances are scarce will the WC help financially? Now is the ideal time for RL to offer hundreds of dissolutioned players even teams in Scotland to try RL, due to the current RU issues of funding the lower leagues, players are leaving the game, teams shutting there doors but what can be done???

Scottish league Rd 1 Forth Valley 66-32 Glasgow

Highlights Wallsend vs Edinburgh now live on Edinburgh’s FB page

It is a shame, I’m not 100% sure why so won’t speculate On a positive note Aberdeen are back Glasgow seem to be getting good numbers turning up and a few younger lads, Forth valley going from strength to strength, only 3 teams is disappointing but we still have 3 teams. Hopefully RL Scotland are working behind the scenes though their lack of communication/updates is always frustrating Edinburgh though continue to grow on and off the field and representing Scottish RL well in NERL

Sad news but Fife Lions have announced that they are unable to compete this season and hope to be back next year

Forth Valley Vikings also had a season opener against a Scottish Barbarians side running out winners 70-6 (roughly) at Hillfoots RFC Tillicoultry Charity match in aid of State of Mind

Edinburgh kicked off their NERL season with a 46-28 victory over Wallsend Eagles at Wallsend The Scottish league kicks off next weekend Forth Valley vs Aberdeen Glasgow vs Fife

Live YouTube feed this weekend of the World Cup warm up match (womens) between Canada Ravens vs USA Red tails on Canada Ravens YT site 2030hrs UK

They probably would, and a natural progression, they seem to have a decent infrastructure and players but probably a few years off this yet. Will be interesting to see how they go in NERL this year after a few years out. But the concept of a Celtic type competition would be a good way to bring in Scottish and Irish sides aiding development

I think it’s a great idea giving a nice twist and potentially good media/sponsor opportunities as ever looking ahead lol somehow including a Scots and Irish side whether individual team or a combined Team from Ireland and Scotland could be a goer, but we’re way off this yet

Strathmore RL have packed in Edinburgh will enter a team in the Scottish Cup

Edinburgh entertaining NERL this year as planned, and with such a strong and established team this is probably better for them, just wondering if they have enough players to have entered a 2nd string in the domestic league???? but no Strathmore guessing there concentrating on RU for this year

Season fixtures now published with the interesting omission of Edinburgh and Strathmore and no real news to suggest why, maybe Edinburgh playing in NERL this year? Strathmore certainly posting RL related content on FB Double rounds this year I’ll keep you posted when I know more May 14th - Forth Valley v Aberdeen Glasgow v Fife May 21st - Fife v Forth Valley Aberdeen v Glasgow June 4th - Aberdeen v Fife Glasgow v Forth Valley June 11th - Forth Valley v Fife Glasgow v Aberdeen June 25th - Fife v Aberdeen Forth Valley v Glasgow July 22nd - Fife v Glasgow Aberdeen v Forth Valley

Game announced for 5 June with live feed It’s a heritage team

Think this has been postponed

Does Morocco have a domestic set up or relying on French based players?? Morocco could in theory become a decent RL nation

No news yet Edinburgh certainly but they did mention last year going back to the NE league Glasgow doing a lot of fundraising at moment organised a fundraising night on the 12th Feb (see their FB page) they have a signed Huddersfield top family tickets for Saints v Hull K R game Forth Valley actively promoting there sponsors Aberdeen have said they aim to join this year Strathmore active on FB and will probably be their, hopefully completing a full season Fife no idea Scotland RL certainly doing/organising development days with one this Sunday at Dalkeith

Scotland RL appoint Scott Simon as head of chair, replacing Keith Hogg Scott has a PhD in Elite coaching, is an accredited strength and conditioning coach, was voted Elite Sport Coach of the Year 2021, and is as happy at the coaching coal-face as he is in the Board room. Scott is an ex rugby league player, representing the RAF, Combined Service, Wales A and Students as well as Great Britain Students. He played professionally for The London Broncos in Super League 7 before having to prematurely retire through injury.

Hopefully things moving forward in the right direction

I feel out of the 3 home nations Wales are bubbling nicely, decent crop of lads with the 2 welsh sides bringing a few through With the right guidance they could become a force in years to come. Hopefully France are on the right path with Wales, England will at last have some kind of decent challenge closer to home, I just hope they get plenty of games in the years to come to grow

It’s a shame the game hasn’t progressed here but with the current teams who knows RL has been played for 50 or so years but the draw of union is just to much I guess With a little thought and money I’m sure a S/A team could flourish in the uk in a similar vein as the union counterparts London Welsh London Irish and Scottish, it’s estimated 229,000 S/A live in the UK 53,000 in London with Wandsworth having the largest population of around 6,000. something like this could be a development pathway for players playing in the league back in S/A

I think International matches are great and the interest is building i get The fascination of playing Australia NZ it bring in the money but I cherish the sight of PNG and Samoa launching themselves at the England defence, I would be bringing these teams over in a quad nation event with France Putting England in with Ireland Wales Scotland, at the moment I just don’t think it works there going to put 50 odd point past them, this is a mute point for some but I do believe a England reserve squad would be better, they still would put up a decent score but would lift the quality of play over time, Maybe adding a Tonga Fiji to the Sco Wal Ire mix would spice it up offering strong opposition a good media slant? Who knows as for the home nations having little interest I just don’t agree the interest is there it just needs time and regular international game and local players coming through the system I can only talk for Scotland, the game in Featherstone total disaster from a media point of view good game though. In the late 90’s up to early 20’s we could get 2,000 + coming through the gates but the stopping of the funding from the RL for development officers had a devastating effect on RL up here we had a strong league but over teams faded away, but things are turning, Remember when RU started the WC the scores and the quality was terrible but overtime teams have improved and the WC is now a viable product RL is in a similar position as if we’re starting back at the beginning, it ain’t gonna look pretty over the next few years but given time and the will to move forward we can have an amazing product, the important thing is RU have neglected Tier 2 nations even to this day it’s happening RL need to embrace tier 2 3 teams and give them the opportunity to grow stronger, that’s my opinion some will agree some will laugh it’ll only matter if the powers that be actually do something about it

Highlights Good result considering Team has only been together a week or so and 1st game since 2018 Important thing now is getting more games prior to the WC but god knows how that’s going to happen

Overall a great result for both teams just hope they both get more games organised