THE road to glory starts on Saturday, when 24 teams take their first steps on the BARLA National Cup trail.
Another four have byes at the opening stage and I know I’m not the only observer who is delighted that there’s a healthy roll call this year after distressingly reduced numbers in recent seasons.
Who will make it through to the decider, which is set for the first weekend of November?
That’s very hard to say, but there will naturally be plenty of focus on how Thatto Heath Crusaders and Orrell St James fare.
That’s understandable, given that Thatto are the holders and that Orrell took them very close in a pulsating affair down Post Office Road at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium.
Quite a few other sides catch the eye, not least Sharlston Rovers, who confirmed that their long-standing cup pedigree remains vibrant with their epic triumph over Cutsyke Raiders in the recent BARLA Yorkshire Cup final.
Rovers are at Fryston Warriors in what should be a climactic clash of Castleford and Wakefield outfits.
In truth every single one of Saturday’s twelve ties are hugely attractive and if I receive a call, as I often do, from my old friend Alan Simpson, who is a real lover of his grassroots Rugby League, asking which games (and off-field grub) I can recommend, I really will be spoilt for choice.
I can only advise fans of the amateur game, and for that matter those who support professional sides, to get along to a tie near you (they’re listed elsewhere in this issue).
You’ll be regally entertained, it certainly won’t cost an arm and a leg, and I’m sure you’ll want to go back for more, including the ‘scran’.
In Furness, the Barrow and District League’s Barton Townley Cup kicks off (local rivalries should lead to some epic tussles) while, the following day, it’s the first round of the BARLA National Youth Cup competitions at Under 18, Under 16 and Under 14 level.
Again, grassroots aficionados will be spoilt for choice. Take in a game near you if you can, even if it’s a ‘friendly’ (is there really quite such a thing in Rugby League I have to ask?).
I’ve not been provided with any fixtures by the RFL but I have managed to dig a few out from our governing body’s website. They’re featured elsewhere in today’s pages.
I’d not been given details of last Saturday’s pre-season games either so I was taken a tad by surprise that evening to receive no less than thirteen match reports, which was obviously good news and yet again highlights just how pro-active National Conference League clubs are.
Two things stood out for me.
The number of upsets (if that’s an accurate term for a victory by a lower-ranked team over one from a higher division in a ‘friendly’, when different factors can apply to those when the fare is obviously more serious) was high, with five taking place, while another two games ended as draws and several others went close.
Yes, there were no competition points at stake in any of the games – although the highly emotional Lewis Holgate Memorial fixture in Cumbria between Hensingham and Kells obviously carried real resonance – but nevertheless the snapshot of scorelines on the last Saturday of February augurs well, I think, for a competitive National Conference League campaign.
The other thing that stood out was that a couple of players in the match between Skirlaugh and Myton Warriors – who both happened to score – had the same name, Kieron Smith, as verified by the hosts’ PRO Ashley Simpson (who, incidentally, was a key figure in Skirlaugh’s excellent side of three decades ago – isn’t it wonderful to see blokes like him giving so much back to the sport?).
Perhaps, though, on reflection, I shouldn’t be massively surprised. After all, there was plenty of confusion when I was press officer at Hunslet, as the club’s finance (now community) director shared my name. There were some right mix-ups because of that, I can tell you!
Finally, I was gratified to learn over the weekend of yet another positive development in the Women’s Student arena.
The second Grand Final, again between Liverpool and Northumbria, will be played on Sunday, March 9, at Dewsbury and just a couple of days later, on Tuesday, March 11, a ‘taster session’ will be held at Newcastle University, where hopes are high that a new team will be formed.
Robin Hardcastle-Broadbent, who has enjoyed plenty of success with Illingworth’s girls’ team, is a driving force behind the initiative, as is Newcastle University’s men’s team coach Ieuan Bodman, and the pioneers are wisely linking with neighbouring Northumbria, not to mention Newcastle’s women’s rugby union side.
Anyone interested in getting involved (and I’m sure there will be plenty) either as an existing or potential future student at Newcastle should email R.Broadbent1@newcastle.ac.uk for further information.
I reckon this exciting development will be a huge success.