What promises to be a roller-coaster of a 2022 National Conference League campaign kicks off with a bang on Saturday, when champions Thatto Heath Crusaders entertain perennial title aspirants Siddal.
The result of the match could go some way to determining who will pick up the League Leaders’ trophy ahead of the end-of-season play-offs, which will establish the eventual champions.
Another huge fixture will take place in Cumbria where Lock Lane, who pulled off a sensational victory at Oldham in the Betfred Challenge Cup before losing honourably to Rochdale Mayfield, are at last year’s runners-up Wath Brow Hornets. The game has been switched from Castleford because of fire damage in the Lane’s dressing room area.
Any new NCL season throws the spotlight on the new kids on the block. Seaton Rangers, of Workington, are at home to Eastmoor Dragons, and Doncaster outfit Bentley are at home to Seaton’s Cumbrian neighbours Hensingham in what should be a closely contested Third Division.
Fixtures
Saturday 5 March 2022
PREMIER DIVISION: Egremont Rangers v Hunslet Club Parkside; Leigh Miners Rangers v Pilkington Recs; Rochdale Mayfield v York Acorn; Thatto Heath Crusaders v Siddal; Thornhill Trojans v West Hull; Wath Brow Hornets v Lock Lane.
DIVISION ONE: Featherstone Lions v Kells; Milford v Oulton Raiders; Myton Warriors v Saddleworth Rangers; Skirlaugh v Hull Dockers; West Bowling v Stanningley; Wigan St Patricks v Ince Rose Bridge.
DIVISION TWO: Crosfields v Barrow Island; Dewsbury Celtic v Bradford Dudley Hill; Heworth v Dewsbury Moor Maroons; Hunslet Warriors v Beverley; Normanton Knights v Wigan St Judes; Woolston Rovers v Clock Face Miners.
DIVISION THREE: Batley Boys v Millom; Bentley v Hensingham; East Leeds v Drighlington; Leigh East v Shaw Cross; Seaton Rangers v Eastmoor Dragons; Waterhead Warriors v Oldham St Annes.
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Tom Whitehead of Oldham St Annes will miss his club’s next twelve games after being found guilty of abuse of the match official, and threats, in the pre-season friendly against East Leeds on Saturday 5 February.
Whitehead was suspended for eight matches on each count, with four suspended until the beginning of March next year.
The Saints won the fixture 18-12.
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Allan Coleman’s 32-player England Community Lions Under 19s train-on squad will convene at Leigh Miners Rangers on Saturday 6 March.
The party, which was selected following a trial earlier this month at Pilkington Recs, will be reduced to 21 players for the autumn’s European Championships.
Coleman admitted: “I was really excited by the amount of quality at Pilks. We could have picked many more if I’m honest. Unfortunately, though, we can’t and it’s going to be even more of a difficult job now, cutting it back to 21.
“The squad gives us a real balance of quality, with three or four options for every position. That’s going to bring some challenges but also, I feel, will be the best quality for England.”
The line-up includes players from Cottingham Tigers, of Hull, Cumbrian outfit Lowca and Wakefield side Westgate Common. “There are some kids out there that progressively come through the age groups of international representation, but there are also some who don’t potentially get seen,” said Coleman. “I think how we do the Lions programme now, especially through Alan Davidson, is we reach out to as many clubs as we possibly can. It doesn’t matter what division they are in, it’s important they get as much opportunity as anyone else. That’s where you’ll see these hidden gems and it gives everyone a fair playing field.
“It’s really important that these clubs get exposure as well, then hopefully it grows their club. That’s also really important for us all on the Lions programme.”
The squad is: Jake Smith, George Painter (both Cottingham Tigers), Bradlee Radford (East Hull), Andy Djeukam (East Leeds), Logan Holgate (Hensingham), Bradley Wheeler (Hunslet Club Parkside), Harry Penny (Ince Rose Bridge), Blaine Graham (Kells), Josh Wagstaff (Langworthy Reds), Tyler Birtle, Noah Lancelott, Matthew Parkes (all Leigh Miners Rangers), Mitchell Todd (Lowca), Jack Newbiggin, Rio Wilson-McQuistan (all Millom), Mark Alban, Toby Hughes (both Newton Storm), Dylan Turner (Oldham St Annes), Luc Slater (Orrell St James), Ryan Lockett (Pilkington Recs), Harvey Oldroyd (Siddal), Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney (Stanningley), Connor Goldthorpe, Kieran Dean (both Thatto Heath Crusaders), Callum Murphy, Scott Parnaby (both Waterhead Warriors), Max Tordoff, Archie Halmshaw (both West Bowling), Kieran Welburn (West Hull), Josh Leeson (Westgate Common), Kian Cockshott (Wibsey Warriors), Ryan Wood (Wigan St Judes).
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Forty ambitious young Norwegian players will visit Saddleworth, high on the Pennines, in early June in an initiative driven by Anne Haigh, who lives in the parish and who is president of Rugby League Norge.
Anne, a Norwegian who married Peter Haigh, a Saddleworth man, became heavily involved in Rugby League when her son, Lars, began playing for Saddleworth Rangers; Lars is now coaching one of the club’s junior teams.
She and her colleagues have arranged for 40 youngsters from the land of her birth to enjoy a long weekend of Rugby League activity between Thursday 2 June and Monday 6 June.
The players, who are aged from 13 to 15, will experience an Elite Kids Coaching camp on the Friday and will, that evening, attend the Betfred Super League fixture between Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos.
The following day, they will take part in a series of touch games and training at Saddleworth, with some of the girls in the party joining the girls’ team at Waterhead. And the trip will be rounded off with matches against Saddleworth at various age levels.
Haigh, whose grandchildren Enzo, Viggo and Henrik play at Saddleworth, while her oldest grandson Levis has played for the Norwegian team, said: “It’s very exciting to have so many young people making the trip. It will give them an excellent opportunity to deepen their understanding of the sport, to be able to attend a live game and to make new friends, which is integral to the touring experience.”
Revealing that as part of the ongoing youth activities currently taking place in Norway, a recent group held a fancy dress touch rugby session to celebrate Valentine’s Day, she added: “Our ethos is to make Rugby League fun for young people. Fancy dress and playing in the snow are just two of the ideas they have come up with this year, and I am sure they will have some more for when it comes to the trip to England.”
A sponsor is being sought for the trip. Potential backers should email Anne Haigh at anne.haigh@rugbyleague.no
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Wales have appointed Gary Taylor as assistant coach ahead of the 2022 Wheelchair World Cup.
Taylor replaces Lyndon Price, who is stepping down for personal reasons.
Price, who has helped Wales to three Celtic Cup triumphs since joining the coaching team in 2018, will focus on his duties as head coach of Torfaen Tigers after this year’s Celtic Cup, which is taking place during the summer. He will, until then, be shadowed by Taylor, who as a player earned 28 caps, scoring three tries and nine goals on his way to collecting five Celtic Cup titles. He will also take on the role as Player Welfare Officer until after this year’s World Cup.
He said: “I’m absolutely shocked and proud to be given the opportunity to work with Steve and the Welsh team/family.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing where we can take this Wales squad, especially with the World Cup coming up in the autumn.”
Wales head coach Stephen Jones said: “It was with regret that I received the news that Lyndon is leaving his role. He and I have, over the last couple of years, formed a great working partnership with the squad. I thank him for all of his hard work and wish him every success in his future coaching roles.
“Gary, meanwhile, will bring a lot to the coaching team and the fact that the players all know him from his time as a Wales international will help make for a smooth transition.
“He was already in the process of becoming the player welfare officer for the World Cup. His easy, approachable nature – as well as his mental health first aid training, and his welfare role at North Wales Crusaders – made him our obvious choice for the role.”
He concluded: “Lyndon’s resignation made my decision to offer Gary the assistant coach role an easy one, and I look forward to building another successful partnership.”
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Recent inductees to Latchford Albion’s Hall of Fame included founding player Geoff Kingham.
Kingham, who had previously been a soccer player, adapted quickly to his new code, operating successfully as a goalkicking fullback from the Warrington outfit’s launch in 1945.
A try scorer in Albion’s first-ever victory in April 1945, in a friendly match against Eagle Sports B, he also claimed Latchford’s first touchdown in a league game, crossing against neighbours Rylands in September of the same year.
He set a club record, in 1948, of 13 goals (from 14 attempts) in a victory over Farnworth. And, when Latchford became the first amateur club from Warrington to face professional opposition in 1951, he played in both legs of the first round Challenge Cup tie against Leigh, who were held to 19-0 at Albion but prevailed 43-0 at Hilton Park.
Kingham was captain of both Latchford and Lancashire when Albion won the Warrington Amateur RFL Senior Championship in 1953 and, twelve months later, made his mark in the two-leg Challenge Cup tie against Wigan. Although the Cherry and Whites won 41-2 at Central Park, Albion produced an impressive 40-20 scoreline at home. Kingham made headlines by pulling off two try-saving tackles on Wigan’s recent star recruit Billy Boston who, that summer, would tour Australia with Great Britain.
Latchford official Andy Rowlinson said: “Following an online appeal we tracked down family members in North Wales and have invited them down to our first game of the season.
“Unfortunately Geoff passed away in the 1970s, but his nephew has all his memorabilia including Lancashire caps dated back to 1948.”
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