Where did you go 2025

[groundhopper]

Time to open the thread for a new year.

This is open to all levels of the game but the idea is for something many on here would not dot. Ideally not just match reports but the club, players you were not expecting at that level or just a good day out. An ideal report would be on Hull in Amsterdam with details of ground more than your night time activities in that interesting city. Challenge cup tiles especially in the early round would be great.

Having visited Waterhead on Saturday which is covered well elsewhere, yesterday was at Salford University. I have only be to a handful of uni grounds, Loughborough in the Challenge Cup, Nottingham and Oxford used by the open age club, Warwick and Leicester which are multiple pitch and very open grounds.

Salford play on the edge of the campus and to start the thread negatively is probably the worst venue I have watched the sport on and there are some challengers. Having walked the length of Chapel Street, the directions seemed interesting, turn into Peel Park and follow the river and the sports ground is beyond. Peel Park may have been nice once but the uni has encroached onto most of it and the campus has no buildings of architectural merit or any indication of any planning, I doubt they have a school of architecture. The ground comes into view, a cage with barbed wire surround. This has been plonked in the middle of a field with no landscaping and no facilities apart from one broken dug out. I never found the changing rooms and there was nowhere pitchside for a toilet etc. it is not even lined up with anything else in the area as if the installers were told just put in anywhere

On entering the first thing noted was there were only football markings. Fifteen mins in I noticed there were in fact faint blue and yellow lines on the surface but so faint it was unclear what sport these were for.

Despite this the referee, who is a touch judge in the Challenge Cup this weekend had an excellent game and even gave one decision that a kick off had not gone foroward 10 yards.

As to the match, this was in I think Northern 1 which is the third level and against Manchester Met. It was fairly one sided and finished 12 52 to the visitors who scored two tries early on. It is difficult to compare standards between competitions but the main thing is that there were probably many players and a few spectators new to the game and that is in itself excellent. There was a separate thread on this, excellently reasoned on this forum.

There do seem to be a number of forfeits in this competition and some may be late on. the BUCS website does seem accurate for venues but anyone wishing for a midweek fix would have to expect sometimes having a wasted trip.     

 

Hopefully others will report especially from this weekends game although if as I hope I am Broncos v Goole, other will be commenting on the match better than I can in the Challenge Cup thread 

        

[ricky]

19 minutes ago, groundhopper said:

the campus has no buildings of architectural merit or any indication of any planning, I doubt they have a school of architecture

Sorry to disappoint:

BSc (Hons) Architecture degree in the School of Science Engineering and Environment

Would agree that Salford Uni cannot compete with the effortless elegance of the University of Manchester

[Hopping Mad]

Off to Mount Pleasant, Batley (for the first time in several years), to watch the Dewsbury Moor Maroons-Dewsbury Rams Challenge Cup second round tie (25/1). Finished 6-50 (0-32 HT). £15 admission, £3 for a 20-page programme, teamsheets free, 1,252 attended.

As a contest, disappointingly done and dusted after just 12 minutes, when the League One semi-professionals led 18-0. Best spell for the NCL's Moor was the five minutes or so immediately after half-time, during which Jack Clarkson touched down off a spilled bomb and, from wide on the left, Gregory Colbridge converted.

Rams scored six tries (four converted) in the first half, when they were playing down the Mount's slope, and three (all converted) in the second. Two apiece for stand-off Dan Coates and second row Joe Summers. Scrum-half Jacob Hookem scored a try and kicked the seven conversions. Moor conceded far too many penalties and, in the second half, had prop Aaron James (66) and loose forward Bradley Adams (76) sin binned for tackles the ref didn't like the look of.

Not much of a game, to be honest (certainly, for a neutral). The teams were clearly short on matchplay at the start of their seasons. A heavy, disintegrating pitch didn't help.

Guy on the gate told me Batley offered the best deal for staging the tie. He said the RFL took exception, at Moor's ground, to the 100-yard walk from dressing rooms to pitch and to the size of the dugouts (four seats not enough).

Edited January 25 by Hopping Mad

[groundhopper]

London Broncos v Goole

Could post under Challenge Cup or Goole thread but most of those interested will have watched on TV if not live, so nothing I can add regrading the individual performances.

I think this the third or fourth Broncos game here but I had only attended for the Southern Conference final previously for RL. I tried to count how many venues I had seen Broncos on and I think including road games at Aberavon and Leicester this is no 13. I think I have missed about 10 more over the years.  Whilst I like what we call a traditional ground, this is now dated with uncomfortable bench seats only and I am not sure it would be suitable for regular games. admission was £11 for an over 65.

Whilst really looking forward the game and having no idea how the teams would perform, the first half lacked interest until Goole scored on about 38. The second half was as many will have seen one way traffic and the result seemed fair.

One early season game is not enough to make a prediction as new players will come in for Broncos but my estimate of the attendance at 400/500 including many form Goole is a concern for the club. I assume all other matches will be at Wimbledon.

The location of Rosslyn Park is nice, not far from the Thames and Barnes Station is only 5 mins away so maybe a ground to be used more often despite my thoughts above. 

I arrived early and took a walk up to Richmond Park and back.

In view of the discussions above re universities, of slight interest I walked past the University of Roehampton which is a new one on me. 

Finally went to Hurricanes this afternoon and was disappointed in Siddal but think this was due to the ability of the new look Hurricanes rather than any failings on their part. The last time I saw Siddal in the cup they pushed Swinton hard at the Shay.

 

[groundhopper]

Newcastle Thunder 0 North Wales C 60

Needed to take one of the daughters back to York Uni so whilst another 100 miles, a good opportunity to visit Blaydon as I missed previous games here.

it is an understatement to say things are difficult for RL in the North East right now. Finances dictate local players   but the amateur league feel apart last year and with nothing on the websites of the traditional clubs about training, there may be nothing this year, although it usually starts in May. What is clear is the local pool is not good enough even with a good manager.

That will be hard to change as only 150 in attendance including 20 with the visitors and nothing to suggest any match day income apart from gate receipts.

Thunder did not look like scoring and whilst some spirited defence, the game was as one sided as the score suggests. in view of this difficult to comment on the visitors prospects. 

I have seen seasons with Coventry Bears where many games were about keeping the score low or were over within 20 mins so I know what it is like. Typically I missed what sounds like one of Hurricanes best performances yesterday, Some real enthusiasts kept that going and with much recent improvements, there is hope for Thunder. 2025 is clearly a season to survive.

I think it would be a topic for another thread but all the games at St James Park does not seen to have a legacy. it a great day out but if the local teams are not winning it is a hard sell.

As to Bladon's ground, it is not one I enjoyed. Typically for RU everything is about the bars. It is then a walk across a muddy car park, which the players also have to make to the pitch. This has a stand for maybe 500 with the most uncomfortable bench seats. A small tea bar exists adjacent.

Sometimes little things annoy, with the seats uncomfortable I walked to the opposite side. Two mins into the game, I was told I could not stand there. with no reason  given. Hardly a major event but if I was local, I might have thought I am not welcome here and they cannot afford to lose any potential new fans.   

 

[groundhopper]

2 matches this weekend, firstly Sheffield Hawks 44 Harrogate Hawks 14 Saturday then Goole v Midlands Sunday.

The first was a memorial match for Hawks former player Koby Hurst who died I think in 2021. A larger crowd in attendance than any previous Hillsborough/ Hawks fixture maybe 120 to 150. The match was played to the north of the city at Parson Cross a basic facility with four football and Rugby pitches some distance from the changing rooms. This is an exposed venue especially if winds come from the North East.

Both teams are in division 6 of the Yorkshire Mens League, with only an entry division lower in the structure. Taking this into account, this was a good standard and an enjoyable game.

 

[groundhopper]

Having now seen both Goole and Hurricanes twice this season, I see no reason why both wont make the play offs.

There are decent match reports elsewhere and I am not going to attempt to do the same only to a lower standard .

The crowd at Goole included a number of Cas and Leeds fans as well as from both Hull Clubs. These may be from the town or elsewhere but sensibly priced season tickets will have helped.

I had visited the ground before, twice for football but also for the first game for the Vikings amateurs, I believe a home defeat against Dewsbury Moor 'A' and have a prog from that one but nothing was available today.

The ground is a work in progress with all existing facilities demolished and the main side fenced off pending redevelopment.   In the meantime there are 2 50 seat stands and a small covered terrace but with no elevation and a running track, coupled with people walking in front of the seats, the view is not great.

Not brilliant conditions for playing but I though both defences were good hence the prediction above.    

[groundhopper]

Saturday March 1 

Heysham Atoms 30 Aspatria 20 

Another match for a memorial trophy, this time for Leslie Morgan.

Heysham although in Lancashire are isolated in League terms and cannot be considered Heartlands. Despite this they have played continually since 1986 and are members of the Premier Division of the North West Counties. 

They played at Trimpell Sports Ground for almost most of their existence but moved to the local RU club Vale of Lune, an arrangement which was brief and are now at King George V playing fields which has a sign on the entrance indication it opened in 1935. This is the first time they have played since their early years in the town they are named after and they are known as the Atoms, as founded by workers at the nuclear power station. 

The visitors play in the Cumbrian league and are the most northern members.

A crowd of over 100 attended on a roped off pitch, with about 30 with the visitors. I was told the two teams meet frequently pre season. The score was a fair reflection of play although for a friendly the ref was certainly tested occasionally.

Travelled by train and leaving Morecambe station is a depressing start to a visit to the town, a single  platform surrounded by out of town style shops where the town centre should be and few amenities for a seaside resort. There was a statue on the seafront and the wetherspoons is named after Eric Bartholomew. known to all as Eric Morecambe who was born in the town but this has been removed after vandalism. There seemed little else.

For those who like trains, one went past the ground about half an hour before the start. I was surprised to see a train as it was well away from the route in and I was told Heysham has one train a day.   

[Sports Prophet]

I reckon this topic would get more traction if the title was tweaked slightly to “Where did you go in 2025 & Who should stay away longer”

[groundhopper]

Sat 22 March

Flimby 42 Cockermouth 18

If I ever manage to visit all the RL grounds in England and Wales, it will require more visits to Cumbria than the bank balance allows, especially as i am no longer willing to drive 400 plus miles in a day, but trying to do two a year. 

Unfortunately fixtures make this difficult but three were home yesterday and settled on the above. I had driven past the ground before which looked to be a field with no facilities at all.

On arrival there were few people around and no sign of dressing rooms but I was able to confirm the game was on, The changing rooms are in the village social club which cannot be seen from the pitch.

The ground was roped on one three sides

Flimby had dropped out of the league I think three years ago and returned last season. There are possibly too many clubs for the amount of players with Glasson 2 miles in Maryport dropping out last year but have returned. Considering Maryport has 11000 people and Flimby barely 2000, this remains a real heartland

Scoring went 12 0 then 12 12 at half time before the hosts pulled away.

With some local players unable to commit to long distances and I think 5 teams in the NCL, there were some good players involved and two tries from accurately kicks chased well, were the highlights of the game.

Two other excellent features. firstly the crowd exceeded 200 with a good number with the visitors. The other was a single page team sheet albeit with nothing more than the club matches and teams. This was a nice addition to my collection until my six year old knocked a kettle of water over it in the hotel.   

   

[Mumby Magic]

Probably onlying new stadium for me this season was Ernest Wallon in Toulouse. Luckily been to most within the league structure.

 

 

 

[yanto]

18 hours ago, groundhopper said:

There are possibly too many clubs for the amount of players with Glasson 2 miles in Maryport dropping out last year but have returned. Considering Maryport has 11000 people and Flimby barely 2000, this remains a real heartland

 

 

   

Ellenborough Rangers are also from Maryport so four clubs within that area.

[gogledd]

On 24/02/2025 at 14:24, groundhopper said:

Having now seen both Goole and Hurricanes twice this season, I see no reason why both wont make the play offs.   

Goole Vikings out of sorts this week then? Or perhaps  readers should be looking at Crusaders for one of the top spots? Crusaders now 2 wins from 2 games.... Midlands still doing well and clung onto a two point lead to remain top of the league

Another new ground.....Goole RUFC this week instead of the Victoria Ground, as that has bulldozers tearing up the pitch for the stadium redevelopment. We still managed an hour in the Tom Pudding micropub before continuing our journey onto Goole RUFC.

Although we were well received after the game, we weren't allowed into the clubhouse before of during the game as it was reserved for sponsors - still there was plenty of food and drink available for those that wanted it...the trouble was stand out in the cold wind coming in from the Ouse and the North Sea.

[groundhopper]

Chester Gladiators 24 Higginshaw 38

Chester, in those days the Wolves, were almost the first amateur RL team I watched after reading about a game between them and Worcester in c1998 at Droitwich. Chester were I think Widnes based players and travelled by coach, took one look at the pitch and decided the ruts were dangerous and refused to play. My knowledge of the game was even less than now,  but the decision was clearly correct. I think they won the summer conference that year.

I have seen then three times at home since, first at the RU ground, also used by North Wales Crusaders and later at the county council ground and a one off game where they played Wigan Bulldogs as a curtain raiser to Crusaders v Wigan played at Wrexham RU.

The club have therefore been going for over 25 years with I think a couple of years out.

At this stage of the season I frequently review facebook to see who has moved and saw that they had lost use of the council ground and after playing at the Ru for their first game they were at Blacon Hub.

On arrival at the ground the hub seemed to be a Chester FC run facility with no signs of any rugby posts. A kids game had finished and I found someone locking up who sent me across a field and through a hedge to the Pavilion ground where players were warming up.

Early thoughts on the venue were not over positive with only changing rooms open and very few people around. The hosts at this stage only had 14 players.

Higginshaw were always ahead and the result was a fair reflection.

At the start the crowd barely reached 20 with half with the visitors. 

There were some positive signs. seeing I was noting the score a couple of people approached me assuming I was a club official and by the end there were 5 of us, the others all lived close to the ground and had either seen the posts up or heard the players. One thought it was touch RU because of the play the ball. All loved it and said they would come back for the next game. Blacon is a huge estate and the potential must exist. I think youth would thrive here but the club dont have the resources for youth teams. It really is an area where a development officer could bring huge results but those days appear to be permanently finished.    

     

[gogledd]

3 hours ago, groundhopper said:

Chester Gladiators 24 Higginshaw 38

Chester, in those days the Wolves, were almost the first amateur RL team I watched after reading about a game between them and Worcester in c1998 at Droitwich. Chester were I think Widnes based players and travelled by coach, took one look at the pitch and decided the ruts were dangerous and refused to play. My knowledge of the game was even less than now,  but the decision was clearly correct. I think they won the summer conference that year.

I have seen then three times at home since, first at the RU ground, also used by North Wales Crusaders and later at the county council ground and a one off game where they played Wigan Bulldogs as a curtain raiser to Crusaders v Wigan played at Wrexham RU.

The club have therefore been going for over 25 years with I think a couple of years out.

At this stage of the season I frequently review facebook to see who has moved and saw that they had lost use of the council ground and after playing at the Ru for their first game they were at Blacon Hub.

On arrival at the ground the hub seemed to be a Chester FC run facility with no signs of any rugby posts. A kids game had finished and I found someone locking up who sent me across a field and through a hedge to the Pavilion ground where players were warming up.

Early thoughts on the venue were not over positive with only changing rooms open and very few people around. The hosts at this stage only had 14 players.

Higginshaw were always ahead and the result was a fair reflection.

At the start the crowd barely reached 20 with half with the visitors. 

There were some positive signs. seeing I was noting the score a couple of people approached me assuming I was a club official and by the end there were 5 of us, the others all lived close to the ground and had either seen the posts up or heard the players. One thought it was touch RU because of the play the ball. All loved it and said they would come back for the next game. Blacon is a huge estate and the potential must exist. I think youth would thrive here but the club dont have the resources for youth teams. It really is an area where a development officer could bring huge results but those days appear to be permanently finished.    

     

I play for Chester Gladiators Masters....

Thanks for the write up  - but there are a couple of things to pick up on. The pitch has only just opened and has changing rooms at the pitch and at the Chester FC facility (4G Pitches) and is a move from our previous ground at the Cheshire Sports Club.

The club have run two successful youth teams and minis in the past and are hoping to do so again with the pitch now near the Blacon estate. We also use St. Teresa's Catholic Club for the post-game social and food, so there opportunity there to build links to the community. I'd agree that a development officer would be a huge benefit.

Good to hear that people would be back to watch the next game - perhaps a few could be persuaded to try Masters!!

[17 stone giant]

I went to Saracens v Harlequins

On 23/01/2025 at 09:51, groundhopper said:

the idea is for something many on here would not do.

 

[Anita Bath]

was your GPS on the blink

Just kidding…I also frequent the dark side when there are no league games nearby.

[groundhopper]

April 5 2025

Harrogate Hawks 72 Sheffield Hawks 4

Yorkshire division 6

I saw these two meet only a month ago in Sheffield and a comfortable home win resulted. The tables were fully reversed today and in a match possibly more one sided then the score.

On the field Sheffield were torn apart and on multiple occasions a home player broke through the defensive line and there was no cover, resulting in four players running towards the posts  totally unopposed.

This is division 6 and the visitors had new players and also suffered a number if injuries which was a factor.

Off the field SH remain strong, most of the crowd were with them, many including kids in replica shirts and I think they must rum more junior, ladies and girls teams than anyone outside the heartlands and hopefully this was just a bad day for the open age. They remain one of my favourite clubs at this level.

By contrast, Harrogate seem to be only a team. This was the first game at their new home of Knaresborough RU and there was no off field presence, the few people there were running the team not anything else but things need to be built up and Harrogate Knaresborough does not seem promising RL territory. In addition Harrogate RU play at National 2 and had a vital home game which cannot have helped.

Good luck to both   

 

[Mr Plow]

1 hour ago, groundhopper said:

By contrast, Harrogate seem to be only a team. This was the first game at their new home of Knaresborough RU and there was no off field presence, the few people there were running the team not anything else but things need to be built up and Harrogate Knaresborough does not seem promising RL territory. In addition Harrogate RU play at National 2 and had a vital home game which cannot have helped.

Good luck to both   

 

Think Harrogate are mostly union players. Moortown RU are in their second season of running a league team in YML and have been playing out of Moortown RU and get decent crowds. Idk why more union clubs don’t run a league side in summer

[Hopping Mad]

After a bolt-from-the-blue two-night hospital stay, followed by a fortnight's recuperation, I felt up to making the short drive to Elmpark Way, Heworth, yesterday (5/4), to watch a clash of National Conference League founder members. 

A stoppage time Harrison Briggs interception try enabled Heworth to lead Division One rivals Egremont Rangers 12-10 at half-time. If anything, Rangers, hampered by a warm-up calf injury to star player Keiran Glenn, were the better side in the first half. Heworth dominated the second. In the 47th and 51st minutes, the Villagers ran in converted tries, with an unconverted try in the 66th opening out a 28-10 lead.

To their credit, despite trailing 10-34, Rangers didn't give up. In the last few minutes, the Cumbrians were held up in goal then knocked on when over the Heworth line. Egremont's persistence was rewarded with a 79th-minute try under the posts, although there was time for Heworth to add a Max Rhodes penalty (the wing contributed six goals) from the last action of the game. 36-16 the final score.

Centre George Elliott scored two of Heworth's six tries. Rangers ran in three, including a brace from scrum half Matt Bewsher. Official home man of the match was wing Joeli Varo, the former Midlands Hurricanes and British Army player, who marked his Villagers debut with a 73rd-minute try, set up very nicely by Briggs and Fraser West.

On a gloriously sunny (if not exactly warm) afternoon, circa 165 attended. Admission was £3 (£1.50 concessions), with a 16-page, printed programme available for a quid.

Heworth run no fewer than 21 teams - men, boys, women and girls - and a youth game was just finishing when I arrived, about an hour before kick-off. Immaculate facilities. A thriving rugby league hub!

Edited April 6 by Hopping Mad

[Devon Ram]

On 25/01/2025 at 17:21, Hopping Mad said:

Off to Mount Pleasant, Batley (for the first time in several years), to watch the Dewsbury Moor Maroons-Dewsbury Rams Challenge Cup second round tie (25/1). Finished 6-50 (0-32 HT). £15 admission, £3 for a 20-page programme, teamsheets free, 1,252 attended.

As a contest, disappointingly done and dusted after just 12 minutes, when the League One semi-professionals led 18-0. Best spell for the NCL's Moor was the five minutes or so immediately after half-time, during which Jack Clarkson touched down off a spilled bomb and, from wide on the left, Gregory Colbridge converted.

Rams scored six tries (four converted) in the first half, when they were playing down the Mount's slope, and three (all converted) in the second. Two apiece for stand-off Dan Coates and second row Joe Summers. Scrum-half Jacob Hookem scored a try and kicked the seven conversions. Moor conceded far too many penalties and, in the second half, had prop Aaron James (66) and loose forward Bradley Adams (76) sin binned for tackles the ref didn't like the look of.

Not much of a game, to be honest (certainly, for a neutral). The teams were clearly short on matchplay at the start of their seasons. A heavy, disintegrating pitch didn't help.

Guy on the gate told me Batley offered the best deal for staging the tie. He said the RFL took exception, at Moor's ground, to the 100-yard walk from dressing rooms to pitch and to the size of the dugouts (four seats not enough).

£3 for a 20-page programme, teamsheets free, 1,252 attended. WHAT prog i was at this game never seen a prog ?

[Hopping Mad]

3 hours ago, Devon Ram said:

£3 for a 20-page programme, teamsheets free, 1,252 attended. WHAT prog i was at this game never seen a prog ?

They were on sale outside the ground: by the players' entrance on Heritage Road and between the cricket ground end stand and the turnstile on the Heritage Stand side. Impossible to miss the women sellers. Perhaps they'd all been sold by the time you arrived. Cover scan attached.

Edited April 9 by Hopping Mad

[Devon Ram]

16 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

They were on sale outside the ground: by the players' entrance on Heritage Road and between the cricket ground end stand and the turnstile on the Heritage Stand side. Impossible to miss the women sellers. Perhaps they'd all been sold by the time you arrived. Cover scan attached.

Never heared anybody say, picked one up Sunday at the Hurricanes game only Prog i have seen for about 2 seasons.