SATURDAY, August 15, 2026 could perhaps be described as a day on which very little will happen on the amateur Rugby League scene.
That is, if you happen to be totally focused on the National League Premier and First Divisions, or even on the various National Conferences (ie. Cumbria, North West, South, Yorkshire A and Yorkshire B).
There’s just four fixtures scheduled in the top two flights (including the Premier Division match between Heworth and Thatto Heath and the Division One derby involving Shaw Cross Sharks and Dewsbury Celtic, both of which have been put back from last Saturday, when three games were called off because of hard pitches as the hot weather continues to impact) and not too many in the Conference Regions.
However, there’s plenty going on elsewhere.
For example it’s the semi-finals of the BARLA National Cup, and two absolutely cracking ties are in prospect, with the grassroots game’s big guns having been paired in a way that guarantees a cross-county final.
West Hull will be strong favourites to account for Featherstone Lions in one of the semis. After all, Wests are top of the National League Premier Division, with a 100 percent record.
The Lions, though, head Yorkshire B (admittedly, a lower tier) but these are Featherstone lads of course and Rugby League players from that area know what the sport is all about, as has been proven many times over the years. The Green and Golds will take them lightly at their peril.
In the other tie, Leigh Miners Rangers are at home to Ince Rose Bridge. These are two more sides with fine pedigrees and even if neither appear to be quite at the pinnacle of the amateur scene, the Miners and the Bridge still seem to have what it takes to beat anyone on the day.
It’s too close to call, in my opinion, as to which of those will prevail, especially as the tie is a derby.
Everything seems to be nicely set-up for the Lancashire versus Yorkshire clash in the final, at Castleford, on Saturday, October 31.
That’s a change of venue, with the Millennium Stadium, Featherstone having been the preferred destination for BARLA in recent years.
The Tigers will perhaps be stretched a little in terms of providing enough changing rooms, but I’m sure any issues will be sorted well before an event which will also embrace the 1973 Cup final.
There are ways and means, if need be, and I still have a vivid memory of interviewing the players of Hull KR and Hunslet directly after the 1996 Plate final, both sets of players having to get changed in a warehouse a few hundred yards from Wembley Stadium, which at that time, only had two changing rooms, understandably requisitioned by the two Challenge Cup finalists.
Many people seem to still be unaware of what the 1973 Cup is about. It is, in fact, similar to the Plate (which only lasted one year) in that it’s open only to teams who lost in the first round of the National Cup, having actually turned up rather than been ‘walked over’.
As such, I think it’s a cracking idea which – unlike the Plate – will hopefully have legs and continue for many a year. Time will tell on that one, of course.
Who will feature at Castleford? I suppose most grassroots fans will expect Hunslet ARLFC to win at Blackbrook and perhaps Fryston, helped by home advantage, to hold off Cumbrians Distington. We’ll see on both counts, won’t we?
There are also big days in Ireland and Wales – although, sadly, not Scotland.
It’s Grand Final day in Dublin, where Banbridge Broncos will take on Longhorns at Garda Westmanstown in a game preceded by the Women’s Grand Final (I understand that Dublin City Exiles and Galway Tribes will contest that one).
The action, though, will start with a Masters match, with a nice touch being the fact that the two teams – Northern Vikings and Southern Blues – will wear the colours of Dublin Blues and Bangor Vikings, who contested the first Irish Grand Final 30 years ago.
Then there’s Wales, which I’ve long maintained is in rude health, despite what may or may not be happening on the professional scene.
Welsh bosses have organised a double-header of a climax at The Gnoll, Neath, on Saturday which, following a number of complications in the build-up, will start with the Shield final, in which Bridgend Blue Bulls and Rhondda Outlaws will face off at noon.
The Cup final, between unbeaten JES Group Rugby League Conference champions South Wales Jets and runners-up Aberavon Fighting Irish, will follow at 4pm.
Those grassroots Rugby League enthusiasts who, like me, embrace expansion really are spoilt for choice, although the fact that the games are taking place over two days gives folk the chance to take in two events.
Unfortunately, the Scottish Grand Final between Edinburgh Eagles and Border Barbarians won’t be taking place as planned at Hawick on Sunday, due to rugby union commitments.
Back to Leigh, though, and I hear that the Miners’ neighbours, Leigh East, are on the lookout for a coach for next year. This is a key job and I’m sure East will have no shortage of applicants.
Elsewhere, Rugby League’s Grand Day Out took place at the Common Edge Community Sports Village, Blackpool on Saturday.
The event, said the Rugby Football League in its preview, involved 27 learning disability teams, eight physical disability sides and lots of Tryz programme activity.
Some 500 participants with physical and learning disabilities were scheduled to take part and I hope to receive full details from the RFL this week, which I’ll aim to pass on to readers in next week’s League Express.
Meanwhile, as reported elsewhere in today’s issue, four intrepid Rugby League men and their back-up team will be undertaking a daunting five-day challenge over the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend – for a fantastic cause.
Jimmy Gittins, Ryan Glynn, John Power and Pete Stephenson, all of whom sustained serious injuries while playing, will be visiting grounds, and taking in matches, from Wigan to Huddersfield to Hull to Workington to Warrington (for the 1895 Cup final), with full use being made of their Batec wheelchair armbikes, all in support of the Seriously Injured Players Fund.
Further information will be supplied by the RFL. Meanwhile a Just Giving page has been opened.
Jimmy, John, Pete and Ryan – and many others – deserve as much financial backing as can be mustered, plus, of course, moral support as they undertake a daunting physical challenge.
Finally, back to playing Cluedo again (other board games are available).
GameDay has provided North West Men’s League fixtures for next week, and my attention was alerted by the fact that Hindley Stags are listed twice.
On closer inspection, one of Hindley’s games – against Oldham St Annes A – is shown as being at Portico Vine, which seemed odd. Were Portico the actual opponents, was my first thought – then I saw that two other NWM games are also shown as being at Portico, and with staggered kick-off times, which suggests that the Vine are hosting a triple-headed finals day, starting at 11am.
I’m as sure as I can be that that’s the case, so my advice (despite the RFL’s apparent lack of interest in publicising the occasion properly, or in clarifying why Hindley are listed twice) is get to the hospitable St Helens club if you can. The first game (Hindley’s) is listed as an 11am start, with two more to follow, the last at 3pm.
And I’d be interested if readers can tell me what they actually encounter if they manage to get there.