O’Neills been confirmed as the National Conference League’s official sportwear partner.
Under the arrangement, which is scheduled for this year and beyond, touchline apparel for all 48 clubs will readily identify official team coaches, trainers, physios, and substitutes. O’Neills will also provide a dozen water bottles for each club.
O’Neills UK Sales Manager Paul Berry said: “When NCL chair Trevor Hunt and his committee asked us to consider working with their competition we jumped at the chance.
“We identified an opportunity to help highlight official team touch line staff through the provision of coloured t-shirts, in a similar way to that in Super League and international fixtures. It was felt it would help referees and match officials to better manage the touchlines, and we were happy to oblige.”
He continued: “The community game is the heartbeat of the sport and we’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to do business with a number of NCL clubs over the past few years, which has allowed us to build up a strong portfolio of customers within the Rugby League sector. You now see O’Neills kit at every level of Rugby League, from grassroots Under 7s teams right through to some of the top teams within Super League and the NRL.
“Last year it was great to see St Helens being crowned Super League Champions wearing our kit – and Penrith Panthers being crowned NRL Champions, also in O’Neills kit , just ten years after we entered the UK market.”
Berry concluded: “O’Neill’s Sportswear are proud to be known as the brand leader globally within Rugby League and we certainly felt that we wanted to put something back into Rugby League at community level to support the clubs, their volunteers and their players.”
Hunt added: “It’s fantastic that a company of the standing of O’Neills is partnering the National Conference League, and we’re delighted to have them on board. Every one of the NCL clubs will benefit from this, and it will certainly add yet another high-quality element to the presentation of our competition.”
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Team Colostomy UK, who will launch their 2022 campaign with a fixture against York Lokos on Sunday 3 April – a match that will act as a curtain-raiser to the Betfred League One clash between Hunslet and Oldham at the South Leeds Stadium – will go into the contest resplendent in new kit.
The side will, in addition, have the backing of Widnes Vikings stars Owen Farnworth and Sam Wilde, who were guest coaches when Team Colostomy UK played Chorley Panthers last year.
Farnworth first became involved through being a Chorley player and has remained connected ever since, particularly as Panthers player/coach Kav Ellison, who himself has a stoma, also plays for Team Colostomy UK.
Wilde and Farnworth are, meanwhile, also supporting Team Colostomy’s range of merchandise, which is now available online at https://colostomyuk.bigcartel.com/
All proceeds will be used towards enabling more people with a stoma to play Rugby League.
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The London Junior League’s traditional pre-season 9s tournament was revived earlier this month, after a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, with teams heading to Eastern Rhinos’ base in Colchester, Essex, from as far afield as London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Surrey.
Some 30 games, at Under 18s and Under 16s, were staged at the palatial new multi-million pounds facility at Colchester Sports Park, with Matt Cowan, Peter Hamer, Gareth Winnard and Henry Winnard impressing as match officials.
Brentwood Eels lifted the Under 18s Cup, and Eastern Rhinos collected the Plate. The Rhinos were also Plate winners at Under 16s, with the main prize at that age group going to Bromley Bengals.
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Kevin Penny, who thrilled the crowds as a flying winger with Warrington Wolves, Wakefield Trinity, Widnes Vikings, Swinton Lions and Rochdale Hornets, is preparing to turn out for Warrington All-Stars against the Rugby League All-Stars next month by training with National Conference League outfit Leigh East.
Penny, now 34, played his last game in September 2017, for Rochdale against Bradford Bulls, nearly four years before the All-Stars game at Victoria Park, Warrington is due to take place on Sunday 3 April.
He said: “I’ve just been enjoying retirement really, living a normal life and spending some time with my family; I’ve got two young kids.
“I had a pretty serious injury towards the end of my career, so I gave everything a bit of a rethink, but East’s assistant coach Alex Thompson is a good mate of mine and he asked me to come down for a bit of a run out.
“It’s been a while since I’ve stretched my legs and I thought I would give it a go, as a bit of a favour, and see what happens.”
He continued: “I’m really looking forward to the All Stars game. There’s a few big names in there already, such as Adrian Morley and Kevin Brown, while Chris Riley has said he’s playing, and Paul Wood too.
“It’s being played, I believe, for the charity ‘Life for a Kid’ and as a family man I’m all for that!”
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The Hull & District League’s prestigious Johnny Whiteley MBE Trophy, which had been put ‘on hold’ during the Covid-19 lockdowns, is to resume this summer.
Hull ARL bosses have been given added reason to resurrect the competition through the death of the former Hull FC star and Great Britain coach last month, at the age of 91.
Joe Kemp, the league’s PRO and Vice Chair, said: “We are hoping to once again hold the Trophy final at The Sewell Group Craven Park, either at the end of May or the beginning of June. Negotiations with Hull KR chief executive Paul Lakin depend on how many teams are interested in taking part. Quite a few have shown a lot of enthusiasm, including from the armed forces. Tony Eccles of the Army ARL is in constant touch and is keeping his lads informed. Who knows, a few could end up being spotted as previous players with Super League teams?”
Kemp continued: “The game was going to be organised anyway, before the sad passing of the great man. John loved presenting the trophy to the winning sides, he also loved the banter with the losers. Having been played for well over a decade it would be inconceivable to just let the Johnny Whiteley Trophy drift into the annals of history.”
He reflected: “Embassy were the first winners of the Trophy in a match played at Dockers’ Willows Ground, in a hard fought game against Bransholme, when referee Les Holland gave a controversial penalty – the rest is history.
“The Hull & District League then changed the competition to East v West. Johnny loved it when it was played in his backyard, so to speak, at the old boneyard that is St Georges Road, the late great Councillor Nadine Fudge and her ward being the sponsor, with Councillor Sean Chaytor and the Marfleet Ward doing the honours when Craven Park hosted the annual event.
“The West of the City had the upper hand over the years, but the East team got their name on the trophy, in a memorable game, when the match had to be moved to St Richards after a rain-lashed Craven Park was unplayable; Paul Oliver, coming out of retirement again, received the man of the match for the East side.”
Kemp concluded: “Any teams interested should contact Hull & District League secretary Tony Randerson as soon as possible on 077 5189 5455.”
Alternatively, Kemp can be contacted on 077 9248 9194.
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The draw for the semi-finals of the Castleford & Featherstone ARL’s Edgar Hanson Invitation Cup is: Lock Lane v Cutsyke Raiders; Sherburn Bears v the loser of the outstanding David Poulter Open Cup tie between Fryston Warriors and Featherstone Lions.
Dates to be agreed between the clubs.
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