The deadline for applications for the summer-based Women’s and Girls’ Leagues passed on Friday with the Rugby Football League revealing, during the day, that “lots of new clubs and teams” were signing up.
Further information is likely to emerge this week, while a management meeting for the Girls’ League is to take place during the next few days.
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The draw for the semi-finals of the Castleford & Featherstone ARL’s David Poulter Open Cup is: Fryston Warriors v Featherstone Lions or Cutsyke Raiders; Lock Lane v Fryston Warriors A.
Dates to be confirmed.
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The 2022 Yorkshire Men’s League, which kicks off on Saturday 5 March and is due to climax in Grand Finals on Saturday 1 October, will comprise some 103 teams.
The sides have been split into eleven divisions, and Community Game Competition Administrator Andy Sweet hopes to be in a position to release fixtures this week.
Castleford Panthers, who have re-formed their Open Age team after a hiatus of several years, have been placed in Division Seven A.
The sections, subject to any late tweaks, will be:
PREMIER DIVISION: Brighouse Rangers, Cutsyke Raiders, Doncaster Toll Bar, East Hull, Fryston Warriors, New Earswick All Blacks, Nottingham Outlaws, Queensbury, Siddal Academy, Westgate Common.
DIVISION ONE: Almondbury Spartans, Bramley Buffaloes, Hunslet Club Parkside, King Cross Park, Lindley St Josephs, Oulton Raiders, Sharlston Rovers, Skirlaugh Bulls, West Hull Academy.
DIVISION TWO: Farnley Falcons, Fryston Warriors A, Greetland All Rounders, Illingworth, Myton Warriors, Newsome Panthers, Odsal Sedbergh, Ossett Trinity Tigers, Wibsey Warriors.
DIVISION THREE: Dewsbury Moor Maroons, Elland, Goole Vikings, Heworth, Hull Wyke, Keighley Albion, Sheffield Hawks, West Bowling Academy, Wyke, York Acorn.
DIVISION FOUR: Crigglestone All Blacks, Dodworth Miners, Kippax & Swiliington Miners, Kirkburton Cougars, Moorends-Thorne Marauders, Scarborough Pirates, Stanley Rangers, Stanningley, Thornhill Trojans, Underbank Rangers.
DIVISION FIVE: Birstall Victoria, Dearne Valley Bulldogs, Derby Elks, Garforth Tigers, Seacroft Sharks, Sherwood Wolf Hunt, Skipton Knights, Todmorden.
DIVISION SIX: Bentley, Drighlington, East Leeds, Eastmoor Dragons, Hunslet Warriors, Normanton Knights, Saddleworth Rangers, Shaw Cross Sharks.
DIVISION SEVEN A: Castleford Panthers, Cutsyke Raiders A, Hemsworth Dragons, Kinsley Hotel Raiders, Methley Warriors, Rycroft Hammers, Sheffield Forgers, Westgate Common A.
DIVISION SEVEN B: Birkenshaw Blue Dogs, Bramley Buffaloes A, Brighouse Rangers A, King Cross Park A, Leeds Akkies, Queensbury A, Silsden Storm, Wyke A.
DIVISION SEVEN C: Beverley, Cottingham Tigers, Harrogate Hawks, Hull Dockers, Kingswood Knights, Lambwath Lions, New Earswick All Blacks A.
MERIT LEAGUE: Almondbury Spartans A, Kippax & Swillington Miners A, Batley Boys, Dearne Valley Bulldogs A, Dewsbury Celtic, Emley Moor, Farnley Falcons A, Garforth Tigers A, Goole Vikings A, Kirkburton Cougars A, Lock Lane, Newsome Panthers A, Sheffield Tigers, Wibsey Warriors A, Doncaster Toll Bar A.
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The Scottish Rugby League’s domestic season is, says Operations Director Ollie Cruichshank, due to start around April time.
He and his colleagues are in the process of finalising their league ahead of the coming campaign.
The 2021 season was contested by Edinburgh Eagles, Fife Lions, Forth Valley Vikings, Glasgow and Strathmore Silverbacks.
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Iggesund Cumberland League secretary Lorraine Degraff is currently working on draft fixtures for the new season.
CARL will be without Seaton Rangers, who have joined the National Conference League, and Barrow outfit Walney Central, who have switched to the North West Men’s League.
Degraff told League Express: “We potentially have 14 sides, including a number of ‘A’ teams but some are still to be confirmed so I‘m not 100 per cent sure on actual numbers at the moment.”
A meeting has been called for next Monday (24 January) at which those issues can be resolved.
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The ‘Life with the Lionesses’ initiative – the brainchild of Julia Lee – will take a step closer to becoming reality early next month when work will begin on archiving records spanning the first 25 years of Women’s international Rugby League.
Volunteers, who will also be involved in fact finding, will be based at the University of Huddersfield’s Heritage Quay – part of the University of Huddersfield – each Friday, from 11 February, from 10am-4pm, with the archiving process due to be completed by the end of January 2023.
Lee was, among her many achievements, one of the first women to referee men’s Rugby League, back in the 1980s. The project will be administered by her company Common-sense Initiative and will aim to uncover, document and celebrate the history of women in Rugby League – and inspire future generations.
She said: “We’ve been offered lots of Rugby League memorabilia by women who have been involved with the game over the years as players, coaches, match officials, administrators, or supporters. One of the first jobs is to go through everything, document individual and team statistics, and then to archive it. And we need all the help we can get.”
Donated items will be held at Heritage Quay, the home of Rugby League heritage, and volunteers will have opportunities to meet inspiring women Rugby League players. They will, in addition, receive full training by leading professionals in researching, cataloguing and archiving, with practical opportunities to use these skills. And there will also be networking opportunities with other people on the project, professionals, and women in Rugby League.
Lee, who has spent many years working to have the role of women in Rugby League recognised, said: “It’s a fascinating subject to research and we will be asking our volunteers to help with fact finding as well as archiving untold stories.
“We are already in touch with former players such as Brenda Dobek, from West Yorkshire, who started playing Rugby League over 30 years ago and is one of the most revered women players and successful rugby coaches ever.”
The project, which was awarded £89,825 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to engage with women both inside and outside of Rugby League to deliver a programme of activities that will raise the profile of the history of the women’s game. In addition, it will celebrate the achievements of women involved in Rugby League and use the stories of rugby’s women pioneers to inspire new generations.
Travel expenses will be paid and volunteers should possess organisational skills and good attention to detail.
Anyone wishing to become involved should email jane.phillips@csi2012.co.uk
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A fundraising Under 13s cross-code match between Wigan St Judes and Wigan RUFC will be played on Saturday 29 January in aid of the family of 35-year-old Wigan Spring View player Gaz Roper, who was the victim of a hit and run driver in the borough early on New Year’s Day.
He was pronounced dead at the scene and leaves a wife Rachel and six children aged between 10 months and twelve years old. One son, Oscar, plays for both St Judes and Wigan rugby union.
The match, at Wigan St Judes’ Parson’s Meadow ground, will kick off at 11.00am. There will, in addition, be a barbecue and a raffle.
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Grassroots clubs have been reminded by the Rugby Football League that last Friday (14 January) was the deadline for amateur outfits to inform the governing body whether they plan to pay membership fees – which are being introduced this year, and which are compulsory – on behalf of their players and participants.
Kelly Barrett, the RFL’s Head of Delivery Community Game Competitions, said on Friday: “After this week it will be assumed that, for any clubs who haven’t responded, participants will be paying for themselves.”
The RFL has also set guidelines for clubs that play on artificial pitches. Barrett stated: “Pitches should be tested prior to any competitive matches taking place; thereafter, pitches shall be retested every two years and a copy of the test certificate must be submitted to the RFL Operations Department.”
Barrett, meanwhile, reminded clubs that coaches must complete the appropriate CoachRight online course prior to the start of the new season, the options being Primary (U6s-U11s), Youth (U12s-U18s) and Adult (Open Age). Similarly, the 2022 Game Day Manager course, which must be undertaken every two years, is now also available. And an additional resource for club chairs to deliver to their Game Day Managers, to promote and support positive spectator behaviour, will be issued this week.
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Barrow & District League Secretary Terry Barker has confirmed that at least six teams will contest the 2022 season, which is set to launch on Friday 1 April.
The sides already inked in are Barrow Island, Dalton, Hindpool, Millom, Roose Pioneers and Ulverston.
Askam and Walney Central, whose first teams will compete in the North West Men’s League, will also be involved – subject to squad strength.
The league campaign will be preceded by the popular Frank Reid 6-a-side competition, which will be played on Friday evenings throughout March.
Meanwhile the draw for the first round of the prestigious Barton Townley Cup is Millom v Askam; Hindpool v Barrow Island; Dalton v Walney Central; Ulverston v Roose Pioneers. Ties to be played Saturday 26 February (other than for the Ulverston-Roose game, for which a date has to be announced).
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Ambitious Northumbrian outfit Cramlington Rockets are moving swiftly to replace head coach Jordan Robinson.
Robinson, who guided the Rockets to North East Cup glory last season, when the side also reached the Grand Final, has stepped down because of growing work commitments at Newcastle Thunder, where he is general manager.
Cramlington chair Jeff Ball said: “We are very grateful to Jordan, not just for delivering our first piece of senior silverware but for all his efforts over the years.
“He has rightly been recognised as one of the UK’s leading Rugby League volunteers in the past, but I imagine people still do not appreciate the work he has put in behind the scenes to raise the standards of the club and to offer opportunities to enjoy our sport to as many young people as possible.
“He leaves with our eternal thanks, and we look forward to seeing him still around the club, but as a fan.”
The Rockets – who were the Rugby Football League’s National Club of the Year in 2017 and who have maintained those high standards over the ensuing five years – are now seeking a successor. Applicants should email info@cramlingtonrockets.co.uk with full details.
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Richard Knights took his place in the Siddal dugout for the first time on Saturday, when the National Conference League bigwigs beat Great Britain Police 28-0 in the first round of the Betfred Challenge Cup.
Knight has joined the Halifax outfit from neighbouring Underbank, who he guided through the NCL ranks and into last season’s Championship play-offs before Rangers opted to switch to the Yorkshire Men’s League. “For me this is the biggest coaching role outside of the professional game,” he said.
“Siddal is a club that you expect to see challenging near the top end of the NCL and I know there is a very talented group of players here, as well as a crop of exciting young talent in the Under 23s side that was crowned Yorkshire Men’s League champions in 2021.
“I’ve come here to test myself and I’m going to put my heart and soul into this great opportunity.”
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