CONFUSION he say…
I’m misnaming the mythical (I think) Chinese philosopher, because there seem to be misunderstandings and misinterpretations all round as the Rugby Football League’s appropriation of much of the English grassroots game hovers to within a month of becoming reality on the field of play.
Some long-serving stalwarts are, indeed, wondering whether the RFL are making it up as they go along, certainly following a couple of episodes reported in last Monday’s League Express.
That’s the feeling emerging in some amateur Rugby League circles as the RFL, whose National Community Rugby League initiative will become reality in early March, appear on course to perform as many U-turns as our Prime Minister.
Just seven days ago, for example, League Express readers learnt that neither Ince Rose Bridge nor Stanningley will, in the end, be docked points for the 2026 season (sanctions that had been imposed by the now-dissolved National Conference League after an unpleasant crowd disturbance at the end of last October’s Division One promotion play-off final at Featherstone Rovers).
Readers were also informed, by the RFL, that the Pennine League’s belief that there will be no place for them in the era of the NCRL were “incorrect”, while, under the radar at that stage, the winter-based Women’s Amateur Rugby League were bracing themselves for the climax of their last season.
Where are we, a week on?
Well, the RFL’s director of performance and development Marc Lovering has reiterated that Stanningley and Ince Rose Bridge will, indeed, not have points deducted.
But I have to wonder whether the fact that it was Wednesday evening before the RFL replied to my email of early the previous morning (and my reminder on Tuesday) seeking clarification reflected some possibly heated exchanges at headquarters, given that Alan Smith (the RFL’s community game senior administrator, who had also run the NCL) had only days earlier confirmed to both Stanningley and Ince that the points deductions WILL apply this year.
That’s a huge about-turn, albeit internally at the RFL (although one with big consequences for clubs and organisations outside headquarters).
And Pennine League chair Sue Taylor admits to being confused as, on her analysis and perhaps anyone else’s, everything the RFL has said and done, including Lovering’s latest statement, that any winter men’s rugby will be run by the Yorkshire Men’s League, lends credence to the Pennine believing that their days are numbered and their consequent ‘end of an era’ press release.
It’s all leaving me quite baffled, frankly, even if most if not all developments in recent years have, in my opinion, pointed to the Pennine League and the Women’s Amateur Rugby League Association both being, as far as the RFL has been concerned, on ‘borrowed time’ (although not, emphatically, the National Conference League – the RFL’s hatchet job on what I’ve often described as the amateur game’s flagship league really did come as out of the blue as a sidewinder from a previously unseen defender).
It’s upsetting that the Pennine League are now no more, and Saturday’s fixture between Farnley and Boothtown was the last, bringing the curtain down on more than half a century of action for a competition that was, certainly, truly vibrant and rendered playing amateur Rugby League for blokes like me – my team was in the Yorkshire League – very fashionable.
But I’m also troubled as much as anything by the forthcoming demise of the Women’s Amateur League.
I’ve written many times of my concerns over how professional clubs’ interest in the female game, which had previously been next to non-existent, seemed to suddenly explode out of nowhere, with some teams simply being formed by destroying established and well-established outfits.
I speculated that professional clubs might, at some meeting or other, have grasped that running a women’s team could help access public funding and that, if that was the case, those clubs were in it for the wrong reasons entirely (I have to stress, though, that the RFL stated that such funds are ringfenced).
And I also ventured that the female game’s future was therefore in danger because, should Sport England’s support dry up for whatever reason, we could be in bother as that could likely signal the end of professional clubs’ interest, while hacked-off volunteers at defunct amateur teams had simply walked away.
One WARL stalwart said: “In the 1960s, Dr Beeching culled the railways which didn’t go down well. Is the RFL in the shape of Martin Coyd doing the same in the future of the amateur game? The only winner will be the 15-a-side code.”
We’ll see how things progress from March, won’t we?
In the RFL’s defence, I agree that something had to be done as the men’s game, at amateur level, is certainly ailing, even though much the same can be said of all other team sports in this country, including football, rugby union and cricket. At least no one can say that the RFL aren’t addressing the problem.
On a brighter note, BARLA’s Youth and Junior Cups (both National and Yorkshire) kick off this weekend and there’s quite a few games in store. Hopefully this will not prove to be the last year in which these competitions take place.
And it’s also going to be a busy year for the Silverbacks – the amateur side, run by Jonny Morgan with lots of help from Paul ‘Keka’ Ward and others – who raise thousands of pounds for a range of charities.
The Silverbacks play a Shaw Cross Legends team in March (more to follow on that nearer the time) and Queens in late April.
I’m sure that many readers will have done a double-take’ on reading that last phrase.
Yes, Queens – a side respected and, to be blunt, feared in equal measure – will be back on the pitch, after having folded a few years ago. And what a pitch they will be playing on, and for what a worthy cause!
Ex-Queens packman Martin Richardson, who is a legendary figure in amateur circles, tells me that almost 50 of the north Leeds outfit’s former players are keen to take part in a match being played on behalf of Charlotte Child, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Queens will, without question, be there in force. I’ve seen at first hand, when I’ve been at charity events, those lads’ generosity when the chips are down for members of the Rugby League family. Many others will, I’m sure, vouch for the veracity of that statement.
Another reason to get to that game, on Saturday, April 25, is that it’s being played at Bus Vale, which for many years hosted the Leeds and District League’s end-of-season finals, not to mention other big games. I’m not the only person who will be delighted to stand, again, on those famous grassed banks.
Get the dates in your diaries – Saturday, March 14 (noon) at Shaw Cross, and Saturday, April 25 (2.00pm) at Bus Vale.