European Championship 2020

[Greg]

Is there due to be a European Championship between Ireland. Scotland, Wales and France next year? It's incredible that Ireland has never won this event, particularly after their brilliant performances at the 2017 World Cup

[Guest]

We should add in Jamaica

[Oliver Clothesoff]

50 minutes ago, Greg said:

Is there due to be a European Championship between Ireland. Scotland, Wales and France next year? It's incredible that Ireland has never won this event, particularly after their brilliant performances at the 2017 World Cup

World Cup sides are typically very different to the sides picked for tournaments like this and qualifiers, so it’s little surprise that Ireland in particular have never won this. 

In answer to your original question, hope not. 

[Click]

1 hour ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

World Cup sides are typically very different to the sides picked for tournaments like this and qualifiers, so it’s little surprise that Ireland in particular have never won this. 

In answer to your original question, hope not. 

You don't want there to be a European Championship next season?

[JonM]

There was a RLEF proposal for a 6-team European Champonship in 2020, with Italy being added and England having until this summer to decide whether to take part. I assume that with the Kangaroos coming here, England won't be participating.

There's also a European u-19s comp happening in Italy in September 2020, with England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Serbia plus one qualifier (with Ukraine & others playing off to be this 8th team.)

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 hour ago, Click said:

You don't want there to be a European Championship next season?

Not particularly. 

I’ve mentioned it before on here but in short, I see little point in the open age national sides of Scotland, Ireland and Wales and would rather (I accept this is an unpopular opinion) see one blanket national side for all the British and Irish nations. 

I think that with little to no development officers in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, I see little point in those nations (though any volunteers they have are admirable IMO). Spending money on open age international sides to rent grounds out, travel costs to and from games, hotel bookings, insurance etc could be better spent employing development officers and growing the game from the bottom up. This winter for example, Wales’ governing body had to pay for their players to attend the World 9’s in Australia, Scotland’s had to pay for the rentals of a Police Ground on a Friday evening in the outskirts of Glasgow and Ireland’s had to pay to travel to Spain and Serbia. Personally, I think that money could have been spent elsewhere on developing the game from the bottom up.

Even £5,000 could go a long way for these smaller nations. Paying one person £10 an hour (Wales are advertising for PT community coaches at this wage currently) to be a development coach equates to 500 hours worth of coaching, or roughly, ten hours a week. 

[Greg]

Did the Welsh Men's international team play any matches in 2019?

[Eddie]

3 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Not particularly. 

I’ve mentioned it before on here but in short, I see little point in the open age national sides of Scotland, Ireland and Wales and would rather (I accept this is an unpopular opinion) see one blanket national side for all the British and Irish nations. 

I think that with little to no development officers in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, I see little point in those nations (though any volunteers they have are admirable IMO). Spending money on open age international sides to rent grounds out, travel costs to and from games, hotel bookings, insurance etc could be better spent employing development officers and growing the game from the bottom up. This winter for example, Wales’ governing body had to pay for their players to attend the World 9’s in Australia, Scotland’s had to pay for the rentals of a Police Ground on a Friday evening in the outskirts of Glasgow and Ireland’s had to pay to travel to Spain and Serbia. Personally, I think that money could have been spent elsewhere on developing the game from the bottom up.

Even £5,000 could go a long way for these smaller nations. Paying one person £10 an hour (Wales are advertising for PT community coaches at this wage currently) to be a development coach equates to 500 hours worth of coaching, or roughly, ten hours a week. 

I agree about Ireland and Scotland but Wales are a(n arguably) traditional RL nation with two semi pro teams, some established amateur teams and a long history of Welsh born players playing at the highest level, including now, so are a valid separate national team imho. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

47 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I agree about Ireland and Scotland but Wales are a(n arguably) traditional RL nation with two semi pro teams, some established amateur teams and a long history of Welsh born players playing at the highest level, including now, so are a valid separate national team imho. 

True, that’s a valid point. Think there could be more done. There must be more Regan Grace’s, Ben Flower’s etc in Wales, not sure if any clubs scout down there anymore. 

[JonM]

1 hour ago, Greg said:

Did the Welsh Men's international team play any matches in 2019?

Don't think so - the first season since 1990-91 when they didn't. They did take part in the World 9's in Sydney though.

[glossop saint]

16 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

True, that’s a valid point. Think there could be more done. There must be more Regan Grace’s, Ben Flower’s etc in Wales, not sure if any clubs scout down there anymore. 

Didn't Hull or Wigan or someone sign a clutch of Welsh U18s or something a year or so ago? Very vague I know but I was sure that a big group of Welsh youngster who had just beaten/pushed England joined a club. It would be interesting to see if any of those lads progress into the first team. 

[Whippet13]

4 hours ago, glossop saint said:

Didn't Hull or Wigan or someone sign a clutch of Welsh U18s or something a year or so ago? Very vague I know but I was sure that a big group of Welsh youngster who had just beaten/pushed England joined a club. It would be interesting to see if any of those lads progress into the first team. 

I think it's Halifax, my understanding is they have 5 young Welsh born players at the club.

[wackojacko]

On 19/12/2019 at 10:10, JonM said:

There was a RLEF proposal for a 6-team European Champonship in 2020, with Italy being added and England having until this summer to decide whether to take part. I assume that with the Kangaroos coming here, England won't be participating.

There's also a European u-19s comp happening in Italy in September 2020, with England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Serbia plus one qualifier (with Ukraine & others playing off to be this 8th team.)

Believe Ukraine beat Turkey in the qualifiers to gain the final berth.

[The Longhorns RL]

Hi 

Games played this year 

Longhorns
 7 league games .3 reserve games .1 challenge cup -development cup x 4 with Athboy ,all Ireland final 
4 x 18’s 9 a side games .
4 x 16’s games 

Dublin exiles 
8 league games .1 reserve game .all Ireland final .2x 9’s Games 
4 x 16’s games 

Galway 
6 league games 1 reserve game development cup x 4 development cup with barrow 
4 x18’s 9 a side games 

Athboy 
4 league games- development cup x4 with longhorns 
4 x 18’s 9 a side 
4 x16’s games 

Barrowcudas -
7 league games 2 reserve games -developlment cup x 4 with Galway 
4 x18’s games
4 x 16’s Games 

Banbridge Broncos -
5 reserve games-development cup x 4(with ducks ),2 x9’s games 
2 x 16’s games 

Lisburn ducks -1 adult game -development cup x 4(with Broncos )

Belfast eagles -3 x16’s

Ulster barbarians -2 x9’s 

1 Under 16 longhorns /Athboy vs oldham st Anne’s 

Irish clubs vs Norway x1
Irish clubs vs England lions under 23’s 
Irish clubs vs featherstone rovers x2
Irish clubs vs keighley cougars 
Ireland 19’s vs Wales x2 Scotland x2
Ireland students x3 Wales ,England ,Scotland 

Masters games
2 teams 
Roi masters 
Ulster masters 
x 2 games each at last count 

Ireland seniors x 2 World Cup qualifiers

[stevevalerugby]

On 20/12/2019 at 12:24, Whippet13 said:

I think it's Halifax, my understanding is they have 5 young Welsh born players at the club.

Not Halifax though they do have 4 Welsh youngsters who have come through the Welsh system Sion Jones, Connor and Curtis Davies and Fraser Stroud. Sion ,Connor and Curtis have all made 1st team debuts and all got their 1st caps for the full Welsh side during the 2018 European Championships in which they qualified for the 2021 World Cup. All three are also fluent Welsh speakers to boot.

[fighting irish]

On 20/12/2019 at 13:49, The Longhorns RL said:

Hi 

Games played this year 

Longhorns
 7 league games .3 reserve games .1 challenge cup -development cup x 4 with Athboy ,all Ireland final 
4 x 18’s 9 a side games .
4 x 16’s games 

Dublin exiles 
8 league games .1 reserve game .all Ireland final .2x 9’s Games 
4 x 16’s games 

Galway 
6 league games 1 reserve game development cup x 4 development cup with barrow 
4 x18’s 9 a side games 

Athboy 
4 league games- development cup x4 with longhorns 
4 x 18’s 9 a side 
4 x16’s games 

Barrowcudas -
7 league games 2 reserve games -developlment cup x 4 with Galway 
4 x18’s games
4 x 16’s Games 

Banbridge Broncos -
5 reserve games-development cup x 4(with ducks ),2 x9’s games 
2 x 16’s games 

Lisburn ducks -1 adult game -development cup x 4(with Broncos )

Belfast eagles -3 x16’s

Ulster barbarians -2 x9’s 

1 Under 16 longhorns /Athboy vs oldham st Anne’s 

Irish clubs vs Norway x1
Irish clubs vs England lions under 23’s 
Irish clubs vs featherstone rovers x2
Irish clubs vs keighley cougars 
Ireland 19’s vs Wales x2 Scotland x2
Ireland students x3 Wales ,England ,Scotland 

Masters games
2 teams 
Roi masters 
Ulster masters 
x 2 games each at last count 

Ireland seniors x 2 World Cup qualifiers

I didn't realise that there was so much activity in Ireland. This is great news to me. Congratulations to everyone involved. I hope you can continue to develop (a la Newcastle) from here on. Happy New Year! 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

On 20/12/2019 at 13:49, The Longhorns RL said:

Hi 

Games played this year 

Longhorns
 7 league games .3 reserve games .1 challenge cup -development cup x 4 with Athboy ,all Ireland final 
4 x 18’s 9 a side games .
4 x 16’s games 

Dublin exiles 
8 league games .1 reserve game .all Ireland final .2x 9’s Games 
4 x 16’s games 

Galway 
6 league games 1 reserve game development cup x 4 development cup with barrow 
4 x18’s 9 a side games 

Athboy 
4 league games- development cup x4 with longhorns 
4 x 18’s 9 a side 
4 x16’s games 

Barrowcudas -
7 league games 2 reserve games -developlment cup x 4 with Galway 
4 x18’s games
4 x 16’s Games 

Banbridge Broncos -
5 reserve games-development cup x 4(with ducks ),2 x9’s games 
2 x 16’s games 

Lisburn ducks -1 adult game -development cup x 4(with Broncos )

Belfast eagles -3 x16’s

Ulster barbarians -2 x9’s 

1 Under 16 longhorns /Athboy vs oldham st Anne’s 

Irish clubs vs Norway x1
Irish clubs vs England lions under 23’s 
Irish clubs vs featherstone rovers x2
Irish clubs vs keighley cougars 
Ireland 19’s vs Wales x2 Scotland x2
Ireland students x3 Wales ,England ,Scotland 

Masters games
2 teams 
Roi masters 
Ulster masters 
x 2 games each at last count 

Ireland seniors x 2 World Cup qualifiers

Out of interest; 

1) is there any rugby below 16’s level?

2) how many development coaches are there?

[The Longhorns RL]

2 hours ago, fighting irish said:

I didn't realise that there was so much activity in Ireland. This is great news to me. Congratulations to everyone involved. I hope you can continue to develop (a la Newcastle) from here on. Happy New Year! 

 

-also there were 2 x 16 rep games vs Scotland 
-and  couple of games at 14/15 

No development officers -

[fighting irish]

I'm amazed (and disappointed) that we haven't got a ''how to'' guide for development officers, or amateur enthusiasts who want to spread the game.

We have now (I believe) some very good examples of best practise in Hemel Hempstead and Newcastle of how to do it but we haven't created the guide. We should document their methods, which could save people in new areas years of trial and error (and a heap of wasted money).

I just don't understand why, when we are all worried about the games decline, we just hope that amateurs in new areas will persevere (in error) for years and years, while the professional people whose responsibility it is to nurture the game stand by and do nothing.

If we can't afford development officers (that's an entirely different argument) the least we can do is provide newcomers with the best advice available.