South West Update

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Tweeted by the RFL today....

THE 2015 SEASON

19th February 2015, 12:24

Draft fixtures should be distributed within the next week as clubs gear up for the 2015 season in the South West and West of England Leagues.

The main close season talking point in the South West has been the return of the Origin Match between Cornwall and Devon. The newly expanded three game series gets underway on Sunday 24th May 2015 at The Recreation Ground, Redruth. Further details can be found on the Cornwall RL Website (http://www.cornwallrla.co.uk/) which also includes details of an innovative way to purchase tickets and sponsorship opportunities. The Origin Games will be showpiece events generating a great deal of interest and represents an excellent opportunity for individuals and companies to get involved in rugby league in the region.

The South West League Premier will see the same clubs line-up with Exeter Centurions, North Devon Raiders, Plymouth Titans and Devon Sharks looking to end the Cornish Rebels recent dominance. League action gets underway on the first weekend in May and as in previous seasons the teams will be battling for a place in both the Grand Final and South West Challenge Cup Final.

There will be a different line up in the West of England Premier Division. The space created by Gloucester Warriors elevation to the Conference South will be filled by new club Bath and Wiltshire Romans. Cheltenham Old Patesians have withdrawn from the League and will be replaced by another new Cheltenham based team known as Cheltenham Panthers.

Bath and Wiltshire Romans will be based at the Leafy Lane Sports Complex in Corsham a short drive from Bath. The team will be led by current Army captain Tom Howley and will include a mix of locally based players in addition to some services personnel.

Following the decision of Cheltenham Old Patesians to withdraw from the league local rugby league stalwart Mike Hughes decided the time was right to form a new club Cheltenham Panthers. Early indications are that the Panthers will have a competitive squad once the season gets underway in early May.

A more detailed introduction to the newest two members will follow shortly.

Cheltenham Panthers and Bath and Wiltshire Romans will be joined by three of last season’s teams namely Swindon St George, Somerset Vikings and Bristol Sonics. Mirroring the South West League the five teams will also be battling for a place in the Grand Final and West of England Challenge Cup Final.

Looking further ahead plans are being laid for a representative Lionhearts tour from the region with the possibility of some representative matches being played ahead of any tour taking place.

It’s not too late to get involved with rugby league in the West or South West of England. There will be plenty of opportunities for friendlies for clubs who may be thinking of starting up without the need to commit to a full season. As always there is always a need for additional volunteers and sponsorship within our existing clubs. If you’d like to get involved or would like further information then please contact Club and Competition Manager Marc Lovering (marc.lovering@rfl.uk.com).

[bowes]

Glad the West of England division has enough teams to run again. Hope things go well for all the clubs as I know at least a couple of them have been struggling

[bbfaz]

If only I'd got that job in Bristol last year, we could have had the South Bristol Squirrels lining up this summer.  In some parallel world....

[audois]

Glad the West of England division has enough teams to run again. Hope things go well for all the clubs as I know at least a couple of them have been struggling

 

Presume Southampton and Portsmouth staying with South East set-up. No yardage in SW and West playing cross conference fixtures to pad out the programme. Still good to hear that Cornwall-Devon is on again and a 3-match series.

 

With the East looking solid along with Midlands not looking too bad. Wales seemed to have re-grouped well with the arrival of Cardiff City and not forgetting their three Southern Conference entities.

[bowes]

Presume Southampton and Portsmouth staying with South East set-up. No yardage in SW and West playing cross conference fixtures to pad out the programme. Still good to hear that Cornwall-Devon is on again and a 3-match series.

 

With the East looking solid along with Midlands not looking too bad. Wales seemed to have re-grouped well with the arrival of Cardiff City and not forgetting their three Southern Conference entities.

London Premier: South West London Chargers, Eastern Rhinos, London Skolars A, Medway Dragons, Bears (formerly Beckenham), Wests Warriors, Hammersmith Hills Hoists

South East Premier: Southampton Spitfires, Portsmouth Navy Seahawks, Surrey Sharks (formerly Guildford Giants), Sussex Merlins, Elmbridge Eagles

London and South East Entry: Weald Warriors, Newham Dockers, South West London Chargers A, Bears A, Eastern Rhinos A

 

To be honest some of the Devon teams can't travel to Cornwall let alone Bristol so cross division is a non starter. The West of England division probably would struggle as well with the travel.

 

Conference League South is good but my one concern is the lack of a step up for teams above the East and London premiers. Not convinced anyone other than Eastern Rhinos wants a step up though and the travelling to the south west puts them off

[audois]

London Premier: South West London Chargers, Eastern Rhinos, London Skolars A, Medway Dragons, Bears (formerly Beckenham), Wests Warriors, Hammersmith Hills Hoists

South East Premier: Southampton Spitfires, Portsmouth Navy Seahawks, Surrey Sharks (formerly Guildford Giants), Sussex Merlins, Elmbridge Eagles

London and South East Entry: Weald Warriors, Newham Dockers, South West London Chargers A, Bears A, Eastern Rhinos A

 

To be honest some of the Devon teams can't travel to Cornwall let alone Bristol so cross division is a non starter. The West of England division probably would struggle as well with the travel.

 

Conference League South is good but my one concern is the lack of a step up for teams above the East and London premiers. Not convinced anyone other than Eastern Rhinos wants a step up though and the travelling to the south west puts them off

 

Thanks for that. Yes Bristol to Lands End further than you think!

 

Though some talk of Cornwall Rebels challenging themselves and in time Southern Conferece. Pipe dream?

 

Is it too much to expect London Premier-SE to have cross over fixtures for a longer season?

[bowes]

Short answer is the south east clubs (apart from perhaps Southampton) couldn't exist outside of the RU season and to be honest can barely raise a team not in the RU season. Cross over with east premier could be one for the future.

Not sure whether they should split CLS west and east and include Cornish Rebels and a team Devon in a south west/Wales division whilst CLS east consists of midlands, east and London or whether they should leave CLS as is then look a few years from now to combine the best 5 each from London premier and east premier

[jannerboyuk]

Including Devon and Cornwall clubs in a Wales division would be...problematic. Can't see why both West Country league cups couldn't result in a grand final between the winners. Plymouth versus bristol would be great!

[bowes]

Including Devon and Cornwall clubs in a Wales division would be...problematic. Can't see why both West Country league cups couldn't result in a grand final between the winners. Plymouth versus bristol would be great!

I meant a division above the Welsh division of say:

Raiders

Valley Cougars

Torfaen Tigers

Cardiff City

Gloucestershire Warriors

Bristol Sonics

Devon United

Cornish Rebels

 

Most of them are CLS and so travelling anyway.

 

Then switch Nottingham to NCL, Sheffield Hallam to Yorkshire premier and create a new CLS parallel to the above CLW

 

Coventry Bears A

Leicester

Northampton

Oxford

Hemel A (surely something can be done)

Skolars A

Eastern Rhinos

SW London Chargers

 

Stretch the fixtures to 18 by playing some teams three times with an element of regionalism to it

[jannerboyuk]

Most of those clubs may be travelling now but Devon and Cornwall will struggle mightily, those journeys to wales will be a nightmare with no real history of rivalry with the welsh that glaws and brizzle have. Even a home game for a Devon United would a travel nightmare for lots of players. The only realistic future is three strong clubs in Plymouth, Exeter/Torbay and Cornwall. What league they could play in though which wouldn't kill them is a puzzle.

[henage]

Please ,please let league get a foot hold in the south west , what better way to spend a week , game , boadyboarding , kayak , camping .

[Janner]

Redruth (Cornish Rebels) to Llanelli (Raiders) is 253 miles / 4hrs 45 mins according to AA routes, that's probably why that wouldn't work.

Plans are in hand to promote the three game Devon v Cornwall series with, hopefully, a rep team from the West of England division in the future to make a tri series. These teams would seemingly provide a great mini tour for heartland teams in future,