2blackrooks

Let’s not forget when the initial RU WC began, we sore many a cricket score, RL are way behind in WC development and if nations and governing bodies are keen to make the WC a regular worth while fixture then over the coming 5/6 WCs we will see a natural development of teams closing the gap

SRU fan certainly not but I’ve played both codes love them both but RL is my game, theirs a passion for the game here albeit small, plenty of RU players love playing it, it’s just that the past SRL organisation have been so inactive at promoting the game we’re starting from ground zero. Hopefully this horrendous WC campaign will jolt them into doing something positive and try and build something sustainable

There is a lot of interest in Scotland but our governing body appears useless, I say this because they release zero info about the sport, but I could be wrong. At a base level we have youngsters keen to play, we rely on volunteers and little/no funding from SRL that’s if they have any cash anyway. And where do we get cash, we use to get cash from England RL which payed for development officers, we actually had a reasonable team then the cash stopped and it’s been down hill since. I would start with getting a couple of development officers in place, try and get some funding and support the folk organising and running our ###### poor domestic scene. At present it’s run on fresh air Id get our U16/17/18/19 etc playing regular games, at present we have training days and almost no games. We could get home/away representative fixtures against England Wales Ireland even France Yorkshire Lancashire Cumbria which would give a 14 game season developing local lads for the league and the national team.

Obviously a Aus win as for Scotland it’s about getting the sets in, spread the ball about turning the Aussies around, just getting a good performance in and keeping the score down. It’s doable but is the passion in the management and squad there and the pride of wearing a Scotland jersey there to get into them. Hopefully Fiji will do Italy then if the wind blows in the right direction the sun n stars all line up we can still qualify, come on Scotland

Two of the best anthems going but wales win that battle, but Cook Isl will get this one

Nice try but forward pass

Le crunch begins come on PNG

The good old hospital pass ouch

Agree financially England Aus NZ Tonga maybe France, has previously shown to attract good crowds and the cash, as for the home nations I’m in favour of having a knights team play Sco Ire Wal, and a development team from France even bring in a Lebanon or Italy Samoa Fiji to spice it up A note to future WC RL organisers, play lesser group stage games in smaller stadiums and bring in the larger capacity grounds in the quarters onwards

Enjoying this one though I feel the Greeks will run out of steam, but playing imaginative RL

Impressed with Lebanon really looking forward to the Ireland game

Oooooo Lebanon come on boys

To be fair with little funding it’s very hard in Scotland but there are a few folk determined to give it a go, all we need is some consistency in the league in amount of teams, getting our u17/18/19 playing regularly and a regular international scene and it will improve. locally we rely on union players off season making up teams and this needs to change. The will is there it needs funding

Looking forward to this but disappointed at the performance against the kids last weekend, but a must win game. But hey Scotland are playing international RL and that’s a bonus

Further interview with Craig Robertson of Edinburgh on the Rugby football league FB page

This weekend see’s the NERL final to be held in Newcastle Kingston Park Edinburgh take on Jarrow KO 2pm Saturday Jarrow are keen favourites winning both league games but hopefully as in the semi final can pull it off Theres a great pod cast on ‘13 Pro Am community RL show’ 17 Aug show which speaks to both coaches (starts about 30mins in) and gives an insight into how Edinburgh is fairing with players etc The match will be streamed live on ‘Our league app’

Edinburgh hit form today beating Cramlington Rockets 38-24 in the NERL semi final play off round Meanwhile Scotland withdraw from the up and coming u19 champs in Italy 3/9/22 ‘Scotland Rugby League cited changes in their coaching staff and a lack of player availability at that age group as the reasons behind their decision not to travel.’

I would expect the lads have a background in RU purely down to the fact RL is as rare as hens teeth but with internationals etc it’s hoped they will continue to progress with RL Most clubs up here rely on RU players, as the season is so short it’s usually over before the RU season/training starts Talking to a good few RU players they do like playing RL the fact is we don’t have the clubs to offer them a regular season but we live in hope

NERL Championship Edinburgh 16 - 34 Jarrow Edinburgh now qualified for the playoffs next weekend

Scotland u16 20 - 28 England u16 massive effort from the lads coming from 24 - 10 down 10 mins into the 2nd considering there’s little or no u16 league games in Scotland this is an encouraging performance, brilliant effort to all involved in the development teams. Players coaches n volunteers

Halftime Scotland u16 10 - 18 England u16

Scot 10 - 12 Eng

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Bit of fun but could a commonwealth championship be an interesting option between world cups for instance top 6 teams in the current world rankings for example play off in 2 groups of 3 NZ Tonga Aus Eng PNG Fiji top 2 into semi n so on Then have a section 2 of groups for qualifying for the main tournament in 4 years time Cameroon, Canada, Ghana, Malta, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Samoa, SA, Vanauatu, Sco Ire Wales (you could include Samoa and say wales in the main event) Then top 2 from this play off against bottom 2 from the main event to see who joins the main event Just need someone with deep pockets to run it like I said a bit of a fun idea

(‘Thanks for the info mate. Do you know if Scotland under 16s are generally Scottish based or are they English with Scottish anscestory? ‘) As far as I’m aware all Scottish born and bred or with Scottish nationality, a lot of clubs (laughable I know we only have a handful) have been doing a lot of work with juniors Also as part of a double header Edinburgh take on Jarrow in Rd 10 of NERL KO 15:15pm Dalkeith RFC after the U16s International