THE Youth Four Nations competitions got off to a cracking start on Saturday when Scotland tested hosts England at both Under 18 and Under 16 level – certainly at the younger age group – despite defeat in both matches.
The results augur well for the rest of the tournament, with the series reaching the second stage this Saturday (May 31) when Wales entertain Ireland at both age groups.
Wales, imaginative as always, have added to the attraction of the occasion by turning it into a triple-header, with an Under 14 representative game between East Wales and West Wales taking place at 1.00pm.
The Under 16 international kicks-off at 11.00am while the Under 18s of Wales and Ireland will go head to head at 3.00pm.
All compelling reasons, I think, for grassroots fans to get along to The Gnoll, Neath for what should be a superb day and a real chance to monitor the undoubted Rugby League talent coming through in both Wales and Ireland.
That of course is nothing new – both countries, especially Wales, have served our code wonderfully well going right back to the heady days of the Northern Union and, indeed, even in the pre-split rugby era.
While Rugby League has a long history in the Celtic lands (even if, for long periods, at arm’s length) it isn’t quite the same in the Armed Forces, although the sport really has bedded in well in the last three decades or so.
It’s been a very busy week, for example, for the RAF, who played Wales Students, with the RAF Academy taking on Thornhill Trojans A in Dewsbury.
The ‘flying arm’ went well in both games, prevailing over Wales Students before, after having been 24-22 ahead against the Trojans, conceding three tries in the last few minutes to end up on the wrong end of a 38-24 scoreline which didn’t perhaps reflect the contest as a whole.
The RAF are hosting a Tri-Series, which will involve their counterparts from Australia and New Zealand, in July and I’m already looking forward to the games with keen anticipation.
Meanwhile another important section of our sport was also in the spotlight the Friday before last, when Leeds Beckett University met the University of Leeds in a curtain-raiser to the Leeds Rhinos versus Hull FC Super League clash.
Student stalwart Abe Kerr is keen to play regular matches before Super League games and he is absolutely right to take that stance.
Players deserve the hight profile – the style of Rugby League they play can be highly attractive – and spectators who get in early are undoubtedly in for a treat.
Hopefully such curtain-raisers will become increasingly common at all our Super League (and, in my opinion, other) fixtures.
And, following last week’s successful ‘relaunch’ of Rugby League in the capital (is there a surer and safer pair of hands in our sport than those of Gary Hetherington?), there was more positive news from London.
Martin Coyd OBE was able to relate: “Brixton Bulls, Solent Spitfires, Aldershot & Fleet, Swindon St George and Medway Dragons participated in the Southern Masters RL festival in Brompton. A wonderful day, great people and some great football in the Spirit of Masters.”
Apposite sentiments. You have to be confident about the future of Rugby League in the south of England.
Meanwhile, I learned late last week that Pat Crawshaw, a former vice-president of the Rugby Football League and a real stalwart of the Women’s and Girls’ games (a list of the duties she’s performed could perhaps entirely fill my column for several weeks) recently (and very typically) popped in and out of hospital on the same day for surgery after having been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Pat’s in the process of undergoing further treatment which, again so very characteristically, she seems to view mainly as a nuisance because it’s been getting in the way of her daily swim.
The words fortitude, common sense and humour perfectly describe Pat’s attitude to the rollercoaster that is life and I’m sure that everyone involved in Rugby League who has been lucky enough to have had the slightest acquaintance with her will join me in wishing her well. Certainly the staff at the Rugby Football League haven’t been slow in presenting her with a huge, and beautiful, bouquet.
Finally, it’s the Hunslet RL Ex-Parkside Former Player’s Association’s annual reunion luncheon this Sunday. Those who played for the club prior to the sale of the famous ground in 1973 who haven’t yet booked their seats should contact Peter Jarvis on 07775 694454.
