Number 16

Best name in RL, ever...

Anyone know anything about this threatened split from 1936...

Mark Cueto's grandfather?

In 2145 do you reckon they'll be playing for the Ralph Rimmer Trophy?

... based on that then half the tattooed blokes in Britain are Polynesian. ?

Fantastic! For the past decade or so I've been researching (off and on!) NU/rugby in Cumberland prior to WW1 and it makes for a fascinating tale. I hope, one day, to get something published but I have plenty of stats I'm happy to share relating to senior and junior NU.

Agreed. It's unclear and confusing. I have an interest in the late19th century history of 'football' in Cumberland and looking at surviving newspapers from the 1870s and 1880s it's often difficult to determine which code was being played. It wasn't until both codes started their cup competitions that things became clearer.

Some interesting pre-1895 images relating to current RL clubs. http://www.hhtandn.org/gallery/420/1886-1897-the-great-schism

Was the Hartlepool link the docks and dock workers? The age stats are surprising also. Both teams have a youngish average.

The 1909 Challenge Cup Final teams with some interesting birthplaces!

Barrow trial match from 1912 - Red & Blacks vs Blues.

WTF!!! Leeds Mercury - February 1914

Pictures from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News of the first Northern Union game in London; the second test against New Zealand at Stamford Bridge in 1908.The All Golds won 18-6 in front of 15,000 Cock-er-nees. Picture 1 is of Dally Messenger on the ground following a tackle. Picture 3 is Halifax's Percy Eccles possibly on the way to his try in the game.

Three pictures from newspapers of the day of the first tour by New Zealand in 1907.

Jack Bird's torn ACL, done in training and which puts him out for the season means that Herbie Farnworth is promoted to the bench for tomorrow's game against NQC. Bird's misfortune looks like giving the young Englishman plenty of game time in 2020. Rotten luck again for Bird. He is quality but can he come back from a second ACL tear?

Round 1 squad announcements are a mixed bag for the Brits. Williams starts at #7 for the Raiders, alongside Hodgson and Whitehead. Bateman (injured) and Sutton (suspended) miss out. Watkins named starting centre for Holbrook's Titans. Props Graham and Thomas Burgess start for Dragons and Rabbitohs respectively. Farnworth makes Broncos extended match day squad whilst at Roosters Ryan Hall misses out on even that.

Certainly not a celeb, but there was a grape picker from Collieure on this week's Rick Stein Secret France who was wearing a rugby league t shirt.

The final table for the 1897-98 season of the rugby union Cumberland League. Two clubs had already switched to NU, with the rest following on over the next eighteen months.

Big Sam going under the scalpel for his shoulder injury. He'll be out 5 weeks, but misses only two games.

Mind reading?

A simply fascinating film from 1950 of XIII Catalan hosting 'England', who were playing in hoops. I know they used to play in that kit but I did wonder if it was Wigan. Here.

Fair enough, that's me told! That's 40+ years of misunderstanding put right!!!

Still made for a pretty gloomy and dark viewing on a winter's afternoon!

Daylight Saving wasn't introduced until 1916, so the clocks wouldn't have gone back, thus 1890's 4.50pm would be modern day 3.50pm. I think!!!

Came across this snippet from the Sydney Herald in 1964. Seemingly there was going to be a World Cup Down Under in 1965, which I guess was cancelled because of France's poor displays on tour as suggested in the article. Anyone know any more?