PERSPECTIVES – they can be everything, or just about everything.
It’s something I often reflected on in a previous life, when I dealt with the aftermath of motor accidents. Details of what had actually happened, as described by those involved, could vary dramatically.
I came to realise that the parties weren’t lying (mostly). Rather, they often genuinely remembered the incident in which they’d been involved precisely as they stated on their report form.
Players’ memories of games they’ve taken part in can be a bit like that.
So are ongoing discussions regarding the National Community Rugby League strategy – or at least they seem to me to be.
Martin Coyd OBE of the Community Board felt that last Monday’s meeting with the Cumbria Amateur Rugby League and members clubs went well, and I’ve no reason to disbelieve him.
Paul Williamson of CARL also reckons that the gathering went well (again, I’ve no cause to demur) but the pair’s respective ‘takes’ don’t quite tally.
Perhaps everyone involved is, to a degree, seeing and recalling, albeit unconsciously, what they want to see and remember. Perhaps.
More dramatically, a statement by North West Youth activists is harder-hitting while, even more dramatically, the National Conference League are, as mandated by member clubs, now taking legal action against the RFL, on whom pressure is mounting.
Alan Parker, who is one of the most respected blokes one the amateur scene, especially in his native Hull (and who is on exceptionally good terms with both of the city’s professional clubs) has now put in his two penn’orth as he is among those who are worried that the BARLA National and Youth Cups are under threat through the NCRL initiative.
We’ll see whether his concerns are actually unfounded. I hope they are.
There is, quite frankly, more intrigue in this caper than there was in the long-running spat between the RFL and the British Amateur Rugby League Association, which is saying something. And I certainly don’t recall BARLA ever taking legal action against the RFL.
This dreadful spat is certainly more difficult to unravel, at the moment at least. Partly for that reason, but mainly because I’ve little to add to proposals I’ve outlined in this column for many years, I’ve decided to keep my own counsel for now and leave folk to simply reflect on what those who are directly involved are saying and, perhaps more importantly, doing.
Turning, happily, to on-field action, Sheffield Hallam University is the place to be this Saturday.
The entirely proven England Student Rugby League trials process continues, after regional selection games around the land, with three matches, as revealed elsewhere, involving Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West and Yorkshire.
Get there (admission is free) for the 1.30pm start and stay, if you can, until the very end, which should be around 7.00pm.
It promises to be a tremendous day in which players will not only be striving to be on the winning side, but to impress Origin selectors with personal displays of quality.
I hope to be able to announce the date of the North versus South Origin game, through which the England team will be picked, sooner rather than later.
And finally, what about the draw for the first round of next year’s Betfred Challenge Cup?
Some superb ties are in prospect and, over the next few weeks, I aim to focus further on some of the clubs involved.