In contrast to the bitterly cold December evening, the forty or so Harlequins RL fans that made the trek over to The Stoop last night were given a warm welcome by new CEO Paul Brown. The event, the first in a proposed series, is intended to reconnect club and fans, to address concerns, and to share information where possible. Over the course of two hours Brown and head coach Brian McDermott covered a whole host of on and off field matters, ranging from attendances, marketing, match day experiences, merchandising, the franchising process (euphemistically re-titled “licenses” by Red Hall), player recruitment and development structures.
Brown was never less than honest about the scale of challenges faced, in particular admitting that a major sponsor for the forthcoming season has yet to be finalised, although a potential trade off between pure revenue and the capacity of the major sponsor to raise the profile of Quins RL may be considered. On a more positive note it was confirmed that the link-up with Harlequins RU would run through till at least 2010, assuaging fears that 2008 could see it come to an end. The rugby union outfit have been immensely supportive of Quins RL, recognising that it takes time to build a stable proposition following years of instability, whilst there are still many ways the rugby league club can learn from the recent successes of the rugby union club.
It was openly acknowledged that crowd figures remain poor and that a more integrated strategy towards raising attendances is required. Throughout the Super League era the club has produced innovative and individually successful marketing activities, but has failed to find a common thread linking them together to build continuous improvement. The distribution of tickets through amateur clubs, through the schools development programme and similar community activities were all raised, with the ultimate concession that all of these channels and many others, working in concert, will be required to deliver growth.
Proactive attempts are being made to raise media profile, but the domination of the media landscape by soccer, especially in print media, is one driven by the demands of the media business itself and is not easily resolved. The growth of rugby league participation in London may be impressive, but a chicken and egg situation exists with media coverage; the Quins RL brand and the profile of the sport as a whole needing to be raised so they become more valuable to the media. Media contact Joanna Lester has driven recent improvements in the club’s information strategy, boosting the news feed to the website and the supply of press releases that can be picked up by sports editors, whilst the overall online media strategy is under review.
From a franchising/licensing perspective the management recognise that a London based license is not a given, the RFL is taking the matter extremely seriously, if not only to ensure that the end result is a step forward, but to prevent legal challenges from clubs that miss out. A robust, balanced package of measures will be required, including sound long-term business planning, player development commitments, the delivery of a modern entertainment package, as well as competitiveness on the pitch. Whilst crowd figures will undoubtedly be a negative, it will almost certainly be offset by the positive role played spreading rugby league beyond traditional markets.
The introduction of the active salary cap in 2008 will increase the technical demands on administration, but it is not one that holds any fear. Whilst some clubs may feel they can gain advantage by testing the cap to its limit, or by finding loopholes, the management of Quins RL recognise that for smaller clubs a commitment to establishing a genuine level playing field is worth far more than the short-term benefits of subverting the cap.
Moving to on field matters McDermott was upbeat about the strength of his squad, citing the stability of retaining 21 out of 25 first grade players from last season and previous criticism aimed at the club for making wholesale changes every year. He admitted that there will be no big name signings this year, with just one further signing alluded to, but the squad has retained stars such as Scott Hill and Mark McLinden, with great things expected from Hill in particular following a patchy first season. The key is that a strong core team now exists, with enough depth in place to cover injuries to first pick players.
The decision of Henry Fa'afili to renege on his contract was clearly a disappointment, with the matter now in the hands of the club’s legal representatives. McDermott was open about the difficulty attracting big name players but refused to countenance paying over the odds, suggesting that the short-term franchising concerns of certain clubs had allowed some fairly average players to inflate their salaries. A process has now been put in place to vet potential signings more thoroughly, to ensure they understand the challenges faced by relocating to London, but to also reduce the risk of the club being let down in future.
McDermott made it clear he is leading a deliberate player recruitment and development strategy, both to reduce the reliance on players brought in, but also to ensure compliance with new competition rules on locally developed players. The progress being made by the club’s player development system is something that genuinely excites McDermott, a man not known for flights of fantasy. Although he stresses that the system is not yet perfected, he is quick to point out the trickle of first team squad players emerging; such as Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Tony Clubb and Michael Worrincy who are already establishing themselves, and those on their way through such as Lamont Bryan and Will Sharp.
What is particularly pleasing for McDermott is that unlike teams in rugby league’s northern heartlands, who fight over a geographically limited talent pool, Quins RL sits alone atop an expanding pyramid of feeder clubs and development programmes whose youngsters aspire towards just one professional club. It is only a matter of time before the current trickle becomes a fully fledged conveyor belt of talent.
The overall message from the club is one of optimism, tinged with a refreshing honesty and pragmatism about the realities faced. It’s clear that Paul Brown wants to involve the supporters in the direction of the club, not only as a way of placating concerns, but to find positive ways forward.
Thursday 20 December 2007
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Kent Ravens ready to party
Kent Ravens will be holding a Christmas party at new home Princes Park this coming Friday.
Fans will be able to take advantage of the excellent hospitality facilities at the state of the art stadium in Dartford which hosted its first rugby league game back in August. The event will provide a fitting setting for The Ravens to celebrate the remarkable progress made both on and off the pitch since foundation in 2004. The club has made real efforts to develop community ties in the area, especially the tireless work carried out by the Bacon family.
The fun starts at 7pm with admission free for all. For more details see the Ravens website.
Fans will be able to take advantage of the excellent hospitality facilities at the state of the art stadium in Dartford which hosted its first rugby league game back in August. The event will provide a fitting setting for The Ravens to celebrate the remarkable progress made both on and off the pitch since foundation in 2004. The club has made real efforts to develop community ties in the area, especially the tireless work carried out by the Bacon family.
The fun starts at 7pm with admission free for all. For more details see the Ravens website.
London RL website re-launched
The RFL backed London rugby league website londonrl.com re-launched yesterday with a re-skin and a host of new features. Anybody interested in getting involved in RL in London and the South can get updates on courses, events, fixtures as well as club details.
Monday 17 December 2007
Quins RL fans brave the cold for seasonal cheer
Many Quins RL fans braved the bitter cold yesterday afternoon to attend the Christmas fun day down at The Stoop. Visitors were treated to a full programme of musical entertainment, an appearance by the Harlequin Hearts, and a variety of activities for children.
Those who shunned the warmth of the Kings Bar entertainments may have caught a glimpse of new signing David Howell who took part in a training run out with the academy squad despite only arriving in London that morning.
Reports from the club suggest that the recent academy recruitment programme is also progressing well with prospective young players being put through their paces over the last couple of Sunday’s at the Roehampton Vale training ground.
A fans forum in scheduled to take place at The Stoop this Wednesday at 7pm when new CEO Paul Brown will be outlining his views on the future of the club.
Those who shunned the warmth of the Kings Bar entertainments may have caught a glimpse of new signing David Howell who took part in a training run out with the academy squad despite only arriving in London that morning.
Reports from the club suggest that the recent academy recruitment programme is also progressing well with prospective young players being put through their paces over the last couple of Sunday’s at the Roehampton Vale training ground.
A fans forum in scheduled to take place at The Stoop this Wednesday at 7pm when new CEO Paul Brown will be outlining his views on the future of the club.
Thursday 13 December 2007
London Club Challenge details unveiled
The details of this year’s London Club Challenge between Harlequins RL and London Skolars have been confirmed, with kick off at 1pm on Tuesday 22nd January, at the Artillery Garden, Moorgate.
Fears that the event would be a corporate only affair have proved groundless as all three hundred tickets have gone on sale at just £10 each, with corporate hospitality available as an optional extra. A stellar line up of sponsors have been announced with ETF Securities Ltd, Selftrade, Flow Traders and the London Stock Exchange all putting their name to the game.
Quins have also announced a second friendly fixture four days later away at Bridgend based Celtic Crusaders. However, the game to kick of at 5.30pm at Brewery Field, has raised eyebrows due to the decision to play four 15 minute quarters. In theory the structure will allow the coaching staff of both clubs room to experiment with their line-ups whilst maximising intensity, but there is considerable scepticism about whether such experimentation will turn the game into little more than a convoluted training exercise.
Tickets details for the game between Quins and Skolars can be found here. Details of the game between Quins and Crusaders here.
Fears that the event would be a corporate only affair have proved groundless as all three hundred tickets have gone on sale at just £10 each, with corporate hospitality available as an optional extra. A stellar line up of sponsors have been announced with ETF Securities Ltd, Selftrade, Flow Traders and the London Stock Exchange all putting their name to the game.
Quins have also announced a second friendly fixture four days later away at Bridgend based Celtic Crusaders. However, the game to kick of at 5.30pm at Brewery Field, has raised eyebrows due to the decision to play four 15 minute quarters. In theory the structure will allow the coaching staff of both clubs room to experiment with their line-ups whilst maximising intensity, but there is considerable scepticism about whether such experimentation will turn the game into little more than a convoluted training exercise.
Tickets details for the game between Quins and Skolars can be found here. Details of the game between Quins and Crusaders here.
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Harlequins RL reach out to the public
Quins RL are planning to hold a fans forum down at The Stoop on Wednesday 19th December. The event is being billed as a means for the club to get closer to its fans and supports a number of other initiatives launched recently aimed at raising the profile of rugby league in London.
In recent years the management of Quins RL have been criticised by some sections of the supporter base for distancing themselves from the fans, although much of this criticism is perhaps drawn from the club’s previous incarnation as London Broncos whose often hand to mouth existence required greater involvement from volunteers. Some have lamented a loss of community club spirit whilst others have seen the shift as a positive development placing the administration of the club on a more professional footing.
Other efforts intended to raise the club’s profile include the open day this coming Sunday and various promotions building awareness amongst local communities. Whilst at a London wide level Hector McNeil, chairman of London Skolars, is leading efforts to sell rugby league as a whole to the business community through initiatives such as the City of London RL Luncheon Club and the revamped London Club Challenge.
The marketing of rugby league in the capital is a hard sell, nowhere else in the UK has the same level of competition for leisure spend, whilst the sports entertainment market in particular is dominated by football. It is a mark of how competitive the market is that Quins RU is the only top flight rugby union team still based in Greater London, despite the supposed strength of the code in the area.
New Quins RL CEO Paul Brown is noted for the development work done establishing community links in his time at the helm of South London Storm and as a consultant for the RFL, he will need all of that experience to grow the Quins RL brand.
In recent years the management of Quins RL have been criticised by some sections of the supporter base for distancing themselves from the fans, although much of this criticism is perhaps drawn from the club’s previous incarnation as London Broncos whose often hand to mouth existence required greater involvement from volunteers. Some have lamented a loss of community club spirit whilst others have seen the shift as a positive development placing the administration of the club on a more professional footing.
Other efforts intended to raise the club’s profile include the open day this coming Sunday and various promotions building awareness amongst local communities. Whilst at a London wide level Hector McNeil, chairman of London Skolars, is leading efforts to sell rugby league as a whole to the business community through initiatives such as the City of London RL Luncheon Club and the revamped London Club Challenge.
The marketing of rugby league in the capital is a hard sell, nowhere else in the UK has the same level of competition for leisure spend, whilst the sports entertainment market in particular is dominated by football. It is a mark of how competitive the market is that Quins RU is the only top flight rugby union team still based in Greater London, despite the supposed strength of the code in the area.
New Quins RL CEO Paul Brown is noted for the development work done establishing community links in his time at the helm of South London Storm and as a consultant for the RFL, he will need all of that experience to grow the Quins RL brand.
Monday 10 December 2007
2008 London Club Challenge gamble
The organisers of the traditional pre-season trial game between London Skolars and Harlequins RL are reported to be switching the game away from its traditional late January weekend slot at New River to a corporate focused event played on the afternoon of Tuesday 22nd January at the Honourable Artillery Company ground near Moorgate.
Initial indications are that tickets for the match will be restricted to three hundred people at £55 per person including some form of corporate hospitality. The hope behind the move is that it will introduce potential corporate supporters to both clubs, which in turn will produce a much needed influx of capital into rugby league in London. The danger, however, is that the game may fail to sell, leaving the clubs out of pocket and existing supporters alienated by the exclusivity of the pricing policy.
It will be interesting to see the makeup of any potential Quins side; recent years have seen a line up based largely around academy and fringe first team players allowing a more competitive friendly than would be expected from a straight clash between a professional Super League club and a semi-professional National League Two outfit. Creating any new corporate event is likely to be a challenge, creating one around a match that has traditionally been little more than a training exercise is likely to be even harder.
As by far the smaller of the two clubs London Skolars arguably have the most to lose from the event failing, a home game against Super League opposition early in the year usually attracts a decent crowd by regular season standards and with it a much needed cash boost. An expensive corporate event would need to deliver sufficient ticket sales to cover costs as once tickets have gone on sale any cancellation would leave both clubs looking very shoddy to the investors they are desperate to attract. If however just one significant investor were to come forward from the event then any short-term loss would be mitigated by the long-term benefit.
Initial indications are that tickets for the match will be restricted to three hundred people at £55 per person including some form of corporate hospitality. The hope behind the move is that it will introduce potential corporate supporters to both clubs, which in turn will produce a much needed influx of capital into rugby league in London. The danger, however, is that the game may fail to sell, leaving the clubs out of pocket and existing supporters alienated by the exclusivity of the pricing policy.
It will be interesting to see the makeup of any potential Quins side; recent years have seen a line up based largely around academy and fringe first team players allowing a more competitive friendly than would be expected from a straight clash between a professional Super League club and a semi-professional National League Two outfit. Creating any new corporate event is likely to be a challenge, creating one around a match that has traditionally been little more than a training exercise is likely to be even harder.
As by far the smaller of the two clubs London Skolars arguably have the most to lose from the event failing, a home game against Super League opposition early in the year usually attracts a decent crowd by regular season standards and with it a much needed cash boost. An expensive corporate event would need to deliver sufficient ticket sales to cover costs as once tickets have gone on sale any cancellation would leave both clubs looking very shoddy to the investors they are desperate to attract. If however just one significant investor were to come forward from the event then any short-term loss would be mitigated by the long-term benefit.
Sunday 9 December 2007
Harlequins RL ease recruitment worries
The club moved to ease concerns over the lack of depth in the back division by signing Canberra Raiders player David Howell. Powerfully built, twenty-four year old Howell can cover the wing and fullback positions, but is most likely to fill the centre slot vacated by the departed Paul Sykes. His arrival will also hopefully provide the club with breathing space to nurture home grown youngster Tony Clubb as a long-term first team centre.
Howell joins the club amongst mixed signals over his commitment and desire to play in the UK. He is understood to be disappointed not to feature in Canberra’s plans and hopes to return to the NRL after his spell in London. Quins fans are unlikely be too perturbed about such a prospect as any return to the NRL would require Howell to demonstrate some fine form over the next two seasons.
The former St George-Illawarra junior found limited opportunities at the Dragons where he was behind Kangaroo centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper seeing him switch to the Raiders in 2005. He played forty-eight first grade games during his time in the Australian capital, but after two seasons as a first choice player his appearances were restricted by injuries in 2007. He comes to Quins with a reputation as a solid performer who is prone to unfortunate errors under pressure. However Quins fans will give him the benefit of the doubt given the club’s past reputation for picking up unheralded signings who prove themselves to be inspired choices.
In other news London Skolars head coach Latham Tawhai will be making the trip across the capital to join Brian McDermott’s backroom staff as an assistant coach. Kiwi Tawhai, a former journeyman in the lower leagues, led the Skolars to their best ever standing last season and will link up with Bill Peden and Rob Powell to form one of the brightest young coaching teams in the Super League. He will be replaced at New River by former Leigh boss and fellow New Zealander Tony Benson.
Howell joins the club amongst mixed signals over his commitment and desire to play in the UK. He is understood to be disappointed not to feature in Canberra’s plans and hopes to return to the NRL after his spell in London. Quins fans are unlikely be too perturbed about such a prospect as any return to the NRL would require Howell to demonstrate some fine form over the next two seasons.
The former St George-Illawarra junior found limited opportunities at the Dragons where he was behind Kangaroo centres Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper seeing him switch to the Raiders in 2005. He played forty-eight first grade games during his time in the Australian capital, but after two seasons as a first choice player his appearances were restricted by injuries in 2007. He comes to Quins with a reputation as a solid performer who is prone to unfortunate errors under pressure. However Quins fans will give him the benefit of the doubt given the club’s past reputation for picking up unheralded signings who prove themselves to be inspired choices.
In other news London Skolars head coach Latham Tawhai will be making the trip across the capital to join Brian McDermott’s backroom staff as an assistant coach. Kiwi Tawhai, a former journeyman in the lower leagues, led the Skolars to their best ever standing last season and will link up with Bill Peden and Rob Powell to form one of the brightest young coaching teams in the Super League. He will be replaced at New River by former Leigh boss and fellow New Zealander Tony Benson.
Monday 3 December 2007
Harlequins RL November round-up
November proved to be a month of off field progress for the Quins marketing and promotions machine, with the club getting involved in a number of initiatives to drive awareness around the capital. There were also encouraging signs that revenue from ticket sales would be up year on year although some fans are unhappy about the steep price rises of certain seats.
In on field matters there were positives reports from the early pre-season work, with injury victims Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg back in full training. The club also ramped up its development work through the Community Coaching Programme, a recruitment programme for potential academy players and new opportunities for talent scouts.
On a less positive note the club appear resigned to the reality that former Warrington winger Henry Fa'afili will renege on the contract he signed for next season in order to remain with French rugby union side Biarritz. However, Fa'afili’s decision may in the passing of time be seen as a blessing to the club, given that he was allegedly recruited to play centre, a position in which he has looked rather less assured than his regular wing slot.
In on field matters there were positives reports from the early pre-season work, with injury victims Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg back in full training. The club also ramped up its development work through the Community Coaching Programme, a recruitment programme for potential academy players and new opportunities for talent scouts.
On a less positive note the club appear resigned to the reality that former Warrington winger Henry Fa'afili will renege on the contract he signed for next season in order to remain with French rugby union side Biarritz. However, Fa'afili’s decision may in the passing of time be seen as a blessing to the club, given that he was allegedly recruited to play centre, a position in which he has looked rather less assured than his regular wing slot.
Thursday 22 November 2007
Quins RL Festive Open Day
Quins RL have announced a festive open day at The Stoop on Sunday 16th December. Fans can watch the squad training session, with appearances from the Harlequin Hearts, mascots Buck & Dusty and a visit from Father Christmas. The event featuring a number of indoor and outdoor activities begins at 3 pm and entrance is free.
More information here.
More information here.
Friday 9 November 2007
Paul Brown talks Rugby League
An interview with new Quins RL CEO Paul Brown is now up on the South London Storm website, discussing his time at the helm of the Storm and his thoughts on rugby league in London.
See here for details.
See here for details.
Thursday 1 November 2007
Scouting opportunities at Harlequins RL
Following the recent changes at the club Quins RL are looking to expand the scouting network launched last season. Details can be found here on the club website.
Harlequins RL October round-up
October proved to be a busy month for Quins RL, as the off season restructuring hit full swing.
The month began brightly with the Quins collecting the Fair Play trophy at the annual Man of Steel awards. Unfortunately back-rower Henry Paul caused a few ripples in the press by picking up the trophy whilst intoxicated, although plenty of fans welcomed the ensuing publicity in the national media.
On the playing front Lamont Bryant made the step-up from the academy by being offered professional terms for next year, whilst fans favourite Joe Mbu signed a new contract, reward for some solid performances at the end of the season. Rising star forward Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook also put pen to paper on a new three year deal ending speculation that he was heading in the direction of a big northern club. The squad was also boosted by the arrival of second-row Dwayne Parker from Castleford, in what will be his second spell with the club following a loan spell with London Broncos back in 2005.
Off the field the major shock came with the announced departure of Director of Player Development Tony Rea, following more than a decade with the club as a player, coach and administrator. An integral part of the set-up for so long Rea will be missed by many as a continuous link across the entire Super League area. Although reportedly leaving to pursue other coaching opportunities the speculation is that Rea’s role had become untenable given the recent restructuring within the club.
The month closed with chairman Ian Lenagan’s takeover of Wigan Warriors confirmed, and the announcement of a much needed new management structure. Long-time advisor, and former director of the club, Keith Hogg was appointed as the new chairman, whilst the highly rated Paul Brown of South London Storm became the new chief executive.
With the immediate future of the club settled fans will now be looking for further announcements of signings and initiatives for the forthcoming season.
The month began brightly with the Quins collecting the Fair Play trophy at the annual Man of Steel awards. Unfortunately back-rower Henry Paul caused a few ripples in the press by picking up the trophy whilst intoxicated, although plenty of fans welcomed the ensuing publicity in the national media.
On the playing front Lamont Bryant made the step-up from the academy by being offered professional terms for next year, whilst fans favourite Joe Mbu signed a new contract, reward for some solid performances at the end of the season. Rising star forward Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook also put pen to paper on a new three year deal ending speculation that he was heading in the direction of a big northern club. The squad was also boosted by the arrival of second-row Dwayne Parker from Castleford, in what will be his second spell with the club following a loan spell with London Broncos back in 2005.
Off the field the major shock came with the announced departure of Director of Player Development Tony Rea, following more than a decade with the club as a player, coach and administrator. An integral part of the set-up for so long Rea will be missed by many as a continuous link across the entire Super League area. Although reportedly leaving to pursue other coaching opportunities the speculation is that Rea’s role had become untenable given the recent restructuring within the club.
The month closed with chairman Ian Lenagan’s takeover of Wigan Warriors confirmed, and the announcement of a much needed new management structure. Long-time advisor, and former director of the club, Keith Hogg was appointed as the new chairman, whilst the highly rated Paul Brown of South London Storm became the new chief executive.
With the immediate future of the club settled fans will now be looking for further announcements of signings and initiatives for the forthcoming season.
Tuesday 30 October 2007
Quins unveil new look leadership team
The speculation over the future of Harlequins RL following the acquisition of Wigan Warriors by chairman and majority shareholder Ian Lenagan was resolved yesterday at a press conference at The Stoop. Lenagan will step down from his day to day responsibilities for the club in early December, and will then be given two years by the RFL to reduce his shareholding below 25%.
Lenagan has ruled out a fire sale, claiming that any new investors must have the best interests of the club at heart, he has also committed to a £600,000 investment per season to the club whilst he remains the majority owner. Rumours circulate that potential new investors in the club are already in discussion with Lenagan, although there is speculation that his shareholding may be spread across more than one investor who would then join the club’s other main shareholder, former chairman David Hughes. It has however been made clear that the club is in a far stronger financial position than it was two years ago when Lenagan took over, being debt free and with the final year of an initial three year partnership with Harlequins RU still to run.
The new management structure at the press conference sees fomer London Broncos director Keith Hogg take over as chairman, with South London Storm chairman Paul Brown taking the hotseat as chief executive. Hogg, Group Sales Director of giant brewing company Scottish & Newcastle, is a long term supporter and advisor to the club and will provide much needed continuity. Business consultant Brown is a prominent figure in London rugby league community, well respected for his work for the RFL as a consultant on various development programmes and his success in building South London Storm into the capital’s top amateur club.
Fans will feel much more confident now that a clearer idea of how the club will operate post-Lenagan has been outlined, although there remains the possibility that any new investors may choose to shake-up the management structure again. The committed investment from Lenagan should help the club remain competitive in the interim, and hopefully extend its current partnership with the rugby union outfit. There will also be renewed hope that the arrival of a senior management team with such strong experience in sales and marketing will address some of the long identified weaknesses in the club's attempts to establish a greater presence in the highly competitive London sporting market.
The press release is here.
Lenagan has ruled out a fire sale, claiming that any new investors must have the best interests of the club at heart, he has also committed to a £600,000 investment per season to the club whilst he remains the majority owner. Rumours circulate that potential new investors in the club are already in discussion with Lenagan, although there is speculation that his shareholding may be spread across more than one investor who would then join the club’s other main shareholder, former chairman David Hughes. It has however been made clear that the club is in a far stronger financial position than it was two years ago when Lenagan took over, being debt free and with the final year of an initial three year partnership with Harlequins RU still to run.
The new management structure at the press conference sees fomer London Broncos director Keith Hogg take over as chairman, with South London Storm chairman Paul Brown taking the hotseat as chief executive. Hogg, Group Sales Director of giant brewing company Scottish & Newcastle, is a long term supporter and advisor to the club and will provide much needed continuity. Business consultant Brown is a prominent figure in London rugby league community, well respected for his work for the RFL as a consultant on various development programmes and his success in building South London Storm into the capital’s top amateur club.
Fans will feel much more confident now that a clearer idea of how the club will operate post-Lenagan has been outlined, although there remains the possibility that any new investors may choose to shake-up the management structure again. The committed investment from Lenagan should help the club remain competitive in the interim, and hopefully extend its current partnership with the rugby union outfit. There will also be renewed hope that the arrival of a senior management team with such strong experience in sales and marketing will address some of the long identified weaknesses in the club's attempts to establish a greater presence in the highly competitive London sporting market.
The press release is here.
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Tony Rea steps down
Quins RL Director Tony Rea has announced his decision to leave the club after thirteen years of service both on and off the pitch. Queensland born Rea initially joined the then London Broncos club in 1994 as a hooker and captained the side for two seasons until he retired from playing to take-up the position of chief executive in 1997. In 2000 he took over the role of interim head coach following the departure of the ill fated John Monie, but was eventually persuaded to take on the role permanently. He was to hold this role for nearly six years, until the arrival of current head coach Brian McDermott halfway through the 2006 season, upon which he took over the role of director responsible for recruitment and player development.
At times a controversial figure as coach, Rea is much admired by Quins fans for his loyalty to the club; and for several astute signings over the years including current stars Mark McLinden and Rob Purdham as well as past legends such as Lee Hopkins, Jim Dymock and Dennis Moran. In his current role as a director he has played a major role in the progression of home grown youngsters into the first grade playing ranks along with the development of a grass roots scouting network.
Rea has stated his intention to seek further coaching roles but is expected to stay with the club for the next few months whilst his responsibilities are handed over to others. His departure is likely to give greater responsibility for signings and player development to McDermott, but will still leave a huge void at a club which has benefited from both Rea’s vast experience as player, coach and administrator throughout its entire existence as a Super League club.
At times a controversial figure as coach, Rea is much admired by Quins fans for his loyalty to the club; and for several astute signings over the years including current stars Mark McLinden and Rob Purdham as well as past legends such as Lee Hopkins, Jim Dymock and Dennis Moran. In his current role as a director he has played a major role in the progression of home grown youngsters into the first grade playing ranks along with the development of a grass roots scouting network.
Rea has stated his intention to seek further coaching roles but is expected to stay with the club for the next few months whilst his responsibilities are handed over to others. His departure is likely to give greater responsibility for signings and player development to McDermott, but will still leave a huge void at a club which has benefited from both Rea’s vast experience as player, coach and administrator throughout its entire existence as a Super League club.
Sunday 7 October 2007
Harlequins RL: 2007 season in review
The 2007 season was one of mixed fortunes for Quins RL, one in which the term “punching above their weight” was frequently used to describe the efforts of a squad that looked light on go forward from the very start and was to get worse as a consequence of injuries. No one can doubt the efforts of the players, there was no shortage of commitment from those who pulled on the jersey, but the lack of strength in depth across the squad and the inability to find a settled combination conspired to rob the club of any chance to progress on the field.
The late departure of Solomon Haumono in the close season and the abortive signing of Sione Faumuina who passed through the club without ever wearing the shirt left the pack looking short on mobility and power. The gamble on former Kangaroo test forward Richard Villasanti also failed to bear fruits when he failed to recover from the serious knee injury that ultimately ended his career. There were however some positives; young prop Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook made the transition from promising fringe player to first choice pick, whilst club stalwart Joe Mbu who was controversially released to Doncaster at the end of the 2006 season returned in the club’s hour of need to lend his trademark solid, reliable, grafting presence.
The arrival of Scott Hill from Melbourne Storm, Julien Rinaldi from Les Catalans, and Danny Orr from Wigan Warriors led to questions over how the team’s organisational and creative options would line up; as it was injuries and illness that largely dictated the selections. The signing of Chris Melling turned out to be an inspired move as the former Wigan man established himself at fullback in the absence of Mark McLinden, but any battle for the number one shirt was to prove short lived as Melling also fell pray to injury problems.
The expectations of fans fell most heavily on former Kangaroo Hill, the classy standoff being seen as the key to the side’s progress. The early signs were that Hill and Orr were forming a sound understanding, but illness and injury disrupted the pairing, whilst at times Hill looked to be out of sync with his teammates. However, there were occasional signs of brilliance from the star signing which will hopefully signal a greater reward from the link-up in 2008.
Although the season began with a promising away victory at St Helens an erratic pattern emerged, with a series of losses followed by a series of wins, keeping the club out of the relegation dog fight but ultimately preventing qualification for the playoffs. An injury crisis from the middle of the season onwards delivered some remarkable results from a side that was frequently cobbled together from those players left available, but ultimately the squad ran out of steam in the final stages. A ninth place finish for the club was two places down from the previous year, but was probably a fair reflection of a season in which the performances on the field could be inspired one moment and directionless the next.
The closing stages of the season also brought speculation over the future of chairman Ian Lenagan, the Wigan born businessman who masterminded the club’s recovery from near oblivion three years ago through the partnership with Harlequins rugby union. Fears are running high amongst the fans that Lenagan will be leaving the club to take over his hometown team following the decision of current Wigan Warriors owner Dave Whelan to offload his stake. For now this particular question remains unanswered, current rumours are that the Lenagan family may ultimately take control both clubs, albeit with separate figureheads. It is to be hoped that the situation will be resolved quickly to avoid casting a shadow over the preparations for 2008.
2007 Player Ratings:
Stephen Bannister – a mid season signing from St Helens, the young second-row looks a promising prospect from his limited outings but questions about his temperament remain. 5/10
Tony Clubb – the young centre made only a handful of appearances, although promisingly there are signs that the club sees him as a centre rather than a makeshift winger as he was used in 2006. 2008 will hopefully be the season when Clubb can breakthrough, with the departures of Tyrone Smith and Paul Sykes opening up the centre births. 6/10
Matt Gafa – although primarily a winger Gafa demonstrated his utility value with some strong performances as a makeshift second-row during the club’s injury crisis. 7/10
Jon Grayson – an unheralded signing at the start of the season but proved a reliable presence in the pack, competent in both attack and defence. 6/10
Daniel Heckenberg – after a fairly quiet first season Heckenberg demonstrated his true value to the club with some outstanding performances at prop. His go-forward was clearly missed after injury cut short his season. 7/10
Scott Hill – the club’s marquee signing struggled to live up to the fans’ expectations but did show clear signs of his undoubted class. At times Hill looked out of sync with the players around him, although illness and injury also disrupted any chances of fully developing that understanding. Next season will hopefully see a more influential Hill emerge. 6/10
Lee Hopkins – the warhorse of the side, gave his all to the cause, although the physical effects of his fearless attitude and Trojan work rate started to slow his effectiveness. Hopkins will be much missed by the club following his return to Australia. 7/10
Zebastian Luisi – competition from Chris Melling and Mark McLinden at fullback saw Luisi restricted to a handful of appearances. A loyal and reliable servant to the club it is uncertain whether he will be retained for 2008. 5/10
Joe Mbu – the decision to release Joe to Doncaster at the end of 2006 backfired when the club failed to find a suitable replacement, returned at the end of the season with some quietly effective performances. 7/10
Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook – started the season as a promising young squad player, ended it as a first choice. Mobile, aggressive and with an eye for a try LMS is rapidly emerging as one of the best props in SL. 8/10
Mark McLinden – the arrivals of Scott Hill, Danny Orr and Chris Melling created a potential headache over how the combinations would work, as it was injuries made the question academic. A talismanic presence in the side, he offers extra options when running from fullback or a steady hand when operating in the halves. 8/10
Chris Melling – his arrival from Wigan launched speculation about where he would play, as it was he established himself as a first-rate fullback in McLinden’s absence, winning a GB call-up in the process. His own injury problems curtailed any rivalry for the fullback birth, but if will be interesting to see what 2008 brings when both players are available. 8/10
David Mills – the big prop offered much needed size to the Quins front-row which was missed when injured. A solid player, he will be lining up for Hull KR next season. 6/10
Danny Orr – signed from Wigan with Tommy Leuluai going the other way, Orr offered a more stable presence than the mercurial Leuluai and a more effective kicking game. 7/10
Henry Paul – settled into a hardworking back-row role and was missed during spells of injury. A little lacking in pace these days, Paul cut out some of the loose passing that marked his game on return from Union to become a stabilising influence on the Quins side. 7/10
Rob Purdham – the skipper and heartbeat of the Quins side, an influential figure in all aspects of the clubs play. 9/10
Chad Randall – settled into the side following a lower key first season, a solid defender and crisp distributor of the ball, often overlooked by the plaudits. 7/10
Julien Rinaldi – interchanged well with Randall and offered extra options in attack, a luxury player at times, Rinaldi was more useful to the side when on a roll than when under pressure. 7/10
Rikki Sheriffe – on loan at Doncaster for most of the season returned towards the end of the season scoring six tries in ten games. Quick, strong and brave but handling can be a problem when under pressure . 6/10
Tyrone Smith – a solid and reliable presence in the centre, Smith leaves the club this year after a three-year spell in the capital. 6/10
Andy Smith – signed from Bradford, the big winger failed to establish himself in the Quins side despite early promise. 5/10
Paul Sykes – leaves the club this year after an outstanding five year spell with London Broncos and Harelquins RL, rewarded for his consistent strong performances with his first Great Britain cap during the season. A massive loss to the club. 8/10
Karl Temata – the frequent lack of depth in the front-row saw Temata take on more of the workload and consequently had less opportunity to produce the bullocking runs he’s capable of. A rock in the pack. 7/10
Jon Wells – another season of assured performances from the intelligent winger, reads the game excellently and is a solid defender. 7/10
Michael Worrincy – effective during his limited performances, Worrincy like fellow youngster Tony Clubb is a player the club will be hoping kicks on in 2008. 6/10
The late departure of Solomon Haumono in the close season and the abortive signing of Sione Faumuina who passed through the club without ever wearing the shirt left the pack looking short on mobility and power. The gamble on former Kangaroo test forward Richard Villasanti also failed to bear fruits when he failed to recover from the serious knee injury that ultimately ended his career. There were however some positives; young prop Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook made the transition from promising fringe player to first choice pick, whilst club stalwart Joe Mbu who was controversially released to Doncaster at the end of the 2006 season returned in the club’s hour of need to lend his trademark solid, reliable, grafting presence.
The arrival of Scott Hill from Melbourne Storm, Julien Rinaldi from Les Catalans, and Danny Orr from Wigan Warriors led to questions over how the team’s organisational and creative options would line up; as it was injuries and illness that largely dictated the selections. The signing of Chris Melling turned out to be an inspired move as the former Wigan man established himself at fullback in the absence of Mark McLinden, but any battle for the number one shirt was to prove short lived as Melling also fell pray to injury problems.
The expectations of fans fell most heavily on former Kangaroo Hill, the classy standoff being seen as the key to the side’s progress. The early signs were that Hill and Orr were forming a sound understanding, but illness and injury disrupted the pairing, whilst at times Hill looked to be out of sync with his teammates. However, there were occasional signs of brilliance from the star signing which will hopefully signal a greater reward from the link-up in 2008.
Although the season began with a promising away victory at St Helens an erratic pattern emerged, with a series of losses followed by a series of wins, keeping the club out of the relegation dog fight but ultimately preventing qualification for the playoffs. An injury crisis from the middle of the season onwards delivered some remarkable results from a side that was frequently cobbled together from those players left available, but ultimately the squad ran out of steam in the final stages. A ninth place finish for the club was two places down from the previous year, but was probably a fair reflection of a season in which the performances on the field could be inspired one moment and directionless the next.
The closing stages of the season also brought speculation over the future of chairman Ian Lenagan, the Wigan born businessman who masterminded the club’s recovery from near oblivion three years ago through the partnership with Harlequins rugby union. Fears are running high amongst the fans that Lenagan will be leaving the club to take over his hometown team following the decision of current Wigan Warriors owner Dave Whelan to offload his stake. For now this particular question remains unanswered, current rumours are that the Lenagan family may ultimately take control both clubs, albeit with separate figureheads. It is to be hoped that the situation will be resolved quickly to avoid casting a shadow over the preparations for 2008.
2007 Player Ratings:
Stephen Bannister – a mid season signing from St Helens, the young second-row looks a promising prospect from his limited outings but questions about his temperament remain. 5/10
Tony Clubb – the young centre made only a handful of appearances, although promisingly there are signs that the club sees him as a centre rather than a makeshift winger as he was used in 2006. 2008 will hopefully be the season when Clubb can breakthrough, with the departures of Tyrone Smith and Paul Sykes opening up the centre births. 6/10
Matt Gafa – although primarily a winger Gafa demonstrated his utility value with some strong performances as a makeshift second-row during the club’s injury crisis. 7/10
Jon Grayson – an unheralded signing at the start of the season but proved a reliable presence in the pack, competent in both attack and defence. 6/10
Daniel Heckenberg – after a fairly quiet first season Heckenberg demonstrated his true value to the club with some outstanding performances at prop. His go-forward was clearly missed after injury cut short his season. 7/10
Scott Hill – the club’s marquee signing struggled to live up to the fans’ expectations but did show clear signs of his undoubted class. At times Hill looked out of sync with the players around him, although illness and injury also disrupted any chances of fully developing that understanding. Next season will hopefully see a more influential Hill emerge. 6/10
Lee Hopkins – the warhorse of the side, gave his all to the cause, although the physical effects of his fearless attitude and Trojan work rate started to slow his effectiveness. Hopkins will be much missed by the club following his return to Australia. 7/10
Zebastian Luisi – competition from Chris Melling and Mark McLinden at fullback saw Luisi restricted to a handful of appearances. A loyal and reliable servant to the club it is uncertain whether he will be retained for 2008. 5/10
Joe Mbu – the decision to release Joe to Doncaster at the end of 2006 backfired when the club failed to find a suitable replacement, returned at the end of the season with some quietly effective performances. 7/10
Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook – started the season as a promising young squad player, ended it as a first choice. Mobile, aggressive and with an eye for a try LMS is rapidly emerging as one of the best props in SL. 8/10
Mark McLinden – the arrivals of Scott Hill, Danny Orr and Chris Melling created a potential headache over how the combinations would work, as it was injuries made the question academic. A talismanic presence in the side, he offers extra options when running from fullback or a steady hand when operating in the halves. 8/10
Chris Melling – his arrival from Wigan launched speculation about where he would play, as it was he established himself as a first-rate fullback in McLinden’s absence, winning a GB call-up in the process. His own injury problems curtailed any rivalry for the fullback birth, but if will be interesting to see what 2008 brings when both players are available. 8/10
David Mills – the big prop offered much needed size to the Quins front-row which was missed when injured. A solid player, he will be lining up for Hull KR next season. 6/10
Danny Orr – signed from Wigan with Tommy Leuluai going the other way, Orr offered a more stable presence than the mercurial Leuluai and a more effective kicking game. 7/10
Henry Paul – settled into a hardworking back-row role and was missed during spells of injury. A little lacking in pace these days, Paul cut out some of the loose passing that marked his game on return from Union to become a stabilising influence on the Quins side. 7/10
Rob Purdham – the skipper and heartbeat of the Quins side, an influential figure in all aspects of the clubs play. 9/10
Chad Randall – settled into the side following a lower key first season, a solid defender and crisp distributor of the ball, often overlooked by the plaudits. 7/10
Julien Rinaldi – interchanged well with Randall and offered extra options in attack, a luxury player at times, Rinaldi was more useful to the side when on a roll than when under pressure. 7/10
Rikki Sheriffe – on loan at Doncaster for most of the season returned towards the end of the season scoring six tries in ten games. Quick, strong and brave but handling can be a problem when under pressure . 6/10
Tyrone Smith – a solid and reliable presence in the centre, Smith leaves the club this year after a three-year spell in the capital. 6/10
Andy Smith – signed from Bradford, the big winger failed to establish himself in the Quins side despite early promise. 5/10
Paul Sykes – leaves the club this year after an outstanding five year spell with London Broncos and Harelquins RL, rewarded for his consistent strong performances with his first Great Britain cap during the season. A massive loss to the club. 8/10
Karl Temata – the frequent lack of depth in the front-row saw Temata take on more of the workload and consequently had less opportunity to produce the bullocking runs he’s capable of. A rock in the pack. 7/10
Jon Wells – another season of assured performances from the intelligent winger, reads the game excellently and is a solid defender. 7/10
Michael Worrincy – effective during his limited performances, Worrincy like fellow youngster Tony Clubb is a player the club will be hoping kicks on in 2008. 6/10
Sunday 16 September 2007
Jones signs-off with a win
Retiring scrumhalf Stacey Jones inspired Les Catalans to a victory over Quins yesterday in Perpignan. The Kiwi legend ensured that the Dragons finished the season with a victory over the Quins following defeats in the three previous meetings this campaign, as well as the distinction of claiming at least one victory over every other side in the competition.
A match report is here.
Catalans Dragons: (18) 30
Tries: Stacul, Wilson 2, Greenshields 2
Goals: Jones 5
Harlequins RL: (4) 14
Tries: Sykes 2, Clubb
Goals: Sykes
A match report is here.
Catalans Dragons: (18) 30
Tries: Stacul, Wilson 2, Greenshields 2
Goals: Jones 5
Harlequins RL: (4) 14
Tries: Sykes 2, Clubb
Goals: Sykes
Monday 10 September 2007
Skolars breakthrough season ends on low note
London Skolars ended what has been a breakthrough season with a narrow defeat away at Oldham. Despite the defeat the season saw the north London based outfit finish in their highest ever position, with a record eight wins in the National League Two competition.
A match report is here.
Oldham: (22) 28
Tries: Ford 2, Morton, Hoyle, Hodson
Goals: Morton 4
London Skolars: (6) 26
Tries: Tozer, Maitua, Simms 2, Nowland
Goals: Thorman 3
A match report is here.
Oldham: (22) 28
Tries: Ford 2, Morton, Hoyle, Hodson
Goals: Morton 4
London Skolars: (6) 26
Tries: Tozer, Maitua, Simms 2, Nowland
Goals: Thorman 3
Sunday 9 September 2007
Quins heap misery on doomed Salford
Harlequins RL picked off bottom club Salford yesterday in their final home game of the season. The Reds are almost certain to be relegated at the end of the season, providing the eventual winner of National League One meets the criteria for promotion to the Super League.
Quins still remain mathematically capable of squeezing into the playoffs, but the likelihood is extremely unlikely, with a win in their final game away at Les Catalans next week still leaving them reliant on other results.
A match report is here.
Harlequins RL: (10) 22
Tries: R Sheriffe 2, L McCarthy-Scarsbrook, J Rinaldi
Goals: P Sykes 3
Salford: (10) 16
Tries: L Dorn, J Wilshere, R Barnett
Goals: D Hodgson, J Wilshere
Quins still remain mathematically capable of squeezing into the playoffs, but the likelihood is extremely unlikely, with a win in their final game away at Les Catalans next week still leaving them reliant on other results.
A match report is here.
Harlequins RL: (10) 22
Tries: R Sheriffe 2, L McCarthy-Scarsbrook, J Rinaldi
Goals: P Sykes 3
Salford: (10) 16
Tries: L Dorn, J Wilshere, R Barnett
Goals: D Hodgson, J Wilshere
Saturday 1 September 2007
Return to St Helens fails to inspire Quins
Harlequins RL brought their UK based away travels for the season to an end with a disappointing defeat away to league leaders St Helens yesterday. A brace of tries for winger Ricki Sheriffe did little to soften the blow as the London outfit simply lacked the power to compete with the reigning champions. In an ironic twist Quins began the Super League season with an encouraging win over St Helens on the same ground back in February whilst yesterday’s defeat all but ended any hope Quins had of making the end of season playoffs.
A match report is here.
St Helens: (12) 32
Tries: Cayless, Graham, Wellens, Flannery, Gilmour
Goals: Tyrer 6
Harlequins RL: (10) 10
Tries: Sheriffe 2
Goals: Paul
A match report is here.
St Helens: (12) 32
Tries: Cayless, Graham, Wellens, Flannery, Gilmour
Goals: Tyrer 6
Harlequins RL: (10) 10
Tries: Sheriffe 2
Goals: Paul
Monday 27 August 2007
Saints make it two in a row
There was to be no fairytale ending to Saturday’s Challenge Cup Final as St Helens finally overcame the plucky underdogs from Perpignan to claim back to back victories in the competition. However, there was much to be positive about as the game returned to its spiritual home, even if there is still much room to improve the experience.
For half an hour the game was a tight affair, the Catalans can consider themselves a little unlucky to see Jason Crocker’s touchdown chalked off by the video referee in what was an extremely tight call, but there was no doubt about the brilliance of James Roby’s opening try as the young hooker weaved his way through a mesmerised Dragons defence. To their credit the Catalans hit back almost immediately through Younes Khattabi and they could do little about the missed forward pass that gifted Saints winger Ade Gardner a try just before halftime and his team a slightly undeserved 12 – 4 lead going into the break.
In the second-half the power of the Saints pack and the speed of the backline took its toll on a Dragons outfit who started to wilt in the wide open spaces of the Wembley pitch. Saints fullback Paul Wellens put daylight between the two sides just after the break with an opportunist try capitalising on an error from opposite number Clint Greenshields. Youngster Paul Clough effectively ended the match as a contest ten minutes later, capping a strong run with a try.
To their credit the Catalans never gave up hope and when winger Justin Murphy pounced on an uncharacteristic error from Wellens to race away for a classic poachers try it was just reward for their efforts. Any fears of a collapse failed to materialise, although a second try from Gardner underlined the dominance of a St Helens side that ultimately never looked like losing the game.
The decision to jointly award the Lance Todd Trophy for the man of the match jointly to Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce, the first time such an award has been made, raised mant eyebrows. Whilst Wellens had a fine game, it was Saints standoff Pryce who had the single biggest impact on the proceedings, with a highly influential display in attack.
The new Wembley itself provided a magnificent venue for the eighty-four thousand plus crowd (it was noticeable that the empty seats were mainly confined to the Club Wembley areas), although the current absence of entertainment facilities in the area around the stadium compares it unfavourably with last year’s venue in Cardiff. It is to be hoped that planned redevelopment work will provide the surrounding environs will a more fitting location for the carnival atmosphere of the Challenge Cup.
Catalans Dragons: (4) 8
Tries: Khattabi, Murphy
St Helens: (12) 30
Tries: Roby, Gardner 2, Wellens, Clough
Goals: Long 5
For half an hour the game was a tight affair, the Catalans can consider themselves a little unlucky to see Jason Crocker’s touchdown chalked off by the video referee in what was an extremely tight call, but there was no doubt about the brilliance of James Roby’s opening try as the young hooker weaved his way through a mesmerised Dragons defence. To their credit the Catalans hit back almost immediately through Younes Khattabi and they could do little about the missed forward pass that gifted Saints winger Ade Gardner a try just before halftime and his team a slightly undeserved 12 – 4 lead going into the break.
In the second-half the power of the Saints pack and the speed of the backline took its toll on a Dragons outfit who started to wilt in the wide open spaces of the Wembley pitch. Saints fullback Paul Wellens put daylight between the two sides just after the break with an opportunist try capitalising on an error from opposite number Clint Greenshields. Youngster Paul Clough effectively ended the match as a contest ten minutes later, capping a strong run with a try.
To their credit the Catalans never gave up hope and when winger Justin Murphy pounced on an uncharacteristic error from Wellens to race away for a classic poachers try it was just reward for their efforts. Any fears of a collapse failed to materialise, although a second try from Gardner underlined the dominance of a St Helens side that ultimately never looked like losing the game.
The decision to jointly award the Lance Todd Trophy for the man of the match jointly to Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce, the first time such an award has been made, raised mant eyebrows. Whilst Wellens had a fine game, it was Saints standoff Pryce who had the single biggest impact on the proceedings, with a highly influential display in attack.
The new Wembley itself provided a magnificent venue for the eighty-four thousand plus crowd (it was noticeable that the empty seats were mainly confined to the Club Wembley areas), although the current absence of entertainment facilities in the area around the stadium compares it unfavourably with last year’s venue in Cardiff. It is to be hoped that planned redevelopment work will provide the surrounding environs will a more fitting location for the carnival atmosphere of the Challenge Cup.
Catalans Dragons: (4) 8
Tries: Khattabi, Murphy
St Helens: (12) 30
Tries: Roby, Gardner 2, Wellens, Clough
Goals: Long 5
Saturday 25 August 2007
Skolars playoff dream ends
A New River crowd boosted by visitors in town for the Challenge Cup Final saw London Skolars fall to a disappointing defeat against playoff rivals York City Knights last night. The defeat ends the Skolars chances of making the National League Two playoffs.
A match report is here.
London Skolars: (0) 0
Tries:
Goals:
York: (16) 34
Lowe 3, Sullivan, Godfrey
Goals: McDonald, Liddell, Esders 5
A match report is here.
London Skolars: (0) 0
Tries:
Goals:
York: (16) 34
Lowe 3, Sullivan, Godfrey
Goals: McDonald, Liddell, Esders 5
Friday 24 August 2007
Challenge Cup Final returns to spiritual home
The Rugby League Challenge Cup returns to its spiritual home Wembley Stadium tomorrow afternoon as holders St Helens take on first time finalist Les Catalans Dragons. The match will be the first time rugby league has been played at the new stadium, and brings to a close a break of eight years since the last final took place at the old stadium back in 1999.
This final poses a genuine enigma, the Catalans being the first non-British side to reach the final since it was first contested in 1897. The participation of the French team is even more remarkable given that the club is in only its second season in the top flight Super League competition, and the fact that it only came into existence in 2001 following the merger of Perpignan club sides XIII Catalan and Saint Estève.
The other finalists St Helens have a far more illustrious track record in the competition they won at Twickenham last year; the Saints have lifted the trophy ten times in nineteen previous appearances since they lost the inaugural final to Batley in 1897. St Helens have undoubtedly been the standout team of the Super League era, although whilst they currently top the league table on points difference above Leeds Rhinos they are a side that has show far more vulnerability than the one that swept all before them last season.
The interest in the game’s return to Wembley has resulted in an effective sell-out, with the only issue being the possible take-up of 15,000 Club Wembley seats that have been pre-sold to mainly corporate investors for the next ten year. The logistics of transporting fans from a team in the South of France to North London mean that the Catalans supporters making the journey will be heavily outnumbered by their counterparts from Lancashire, but in true Challenge Cup style the French side are likely to have the lion’s share of the neutral spectators to boost their voices.
On the injury front the Catalans enter the game hoping that former Queensland State of Origin representative Casey McGuire will be fit following a torn pectoral muscle, whilst prop forward Mathieu Griffi may also be back following a layoff. Skipper Jerome Guisset will also return having been rested in last weekend’s defeat at Warrington. The Saints only notable absence is long-term victim Paul Sculthorpe, the former Great Britain captain, with standoff Leon Pryce making his return from a three match ban.
A series of intriguing clashes are expected right across the pitch; the Catalans are noted for their big, physical forward pack, ably led by the vastly experienced Guisset. Former Kiwi prop Alex Chan provides an intimidating presence in the front row, whilst ex-Kangaroo back-row Jason Croker has the experience and all round game to keep the pack ticking over. St Helens will be led by veteran hooker Keiron Cunningham, the sole survivor of Saints 1996 visit to Wembley, and his young apprentice James Roby. Rugged prop Nick Fozzard will be desperate to make an impression having been left out last year, whilst Samoan impact forward Maurie Fa'asavalu is a fearsome weapon to unleash on a tiring defence.
In the backs St Helens arguably have the edge with a back five packed with international experience, notably ex-Kangaroo centre Matt Gidley and current Great Britain fullback Paul Wellens, the reigning Man of Steel. The Dragons standout back is centre Adam Mogg, a State of Origin winner last year with Queensland and one of the leading contenders for this season’s Man of Steel.
But the clash predicted to determine the outcome is between the midfield generals Sean Long and Stacey Jones. The quicksilver Long has already secured his place in Challenge Cup history with a record three Lance Todd Trophy awards, the best British scrumhalf of his generation, he remains a controversial figure within the game due to his erratic contributions to the international scene and a betting scandal three years ago. In contrast Stacey Jones is arguably the second best scrumhalf of the past decade, behind only the great Andrew Johns, the Kiwi legend is the consummate strategist.
Les Catalans Dragons will go into their inaugural final as clear underdogs; with a warm afternoon forecasted it will requite a huge effort to combat the champagne football of St Helens across the wide open spaces of Wembley. So-called “expansion” clubs (it is debateable whether a club from the French rugby league heartlands warrants such a tag) have a patchy record in the show piece event, London Broncos fell to the final’s heaviest ever defeat against Leeds in 1999, but the previous year Sheffield Eagles produced the competitions biggest ever upset downing massive favourites Wigan.
Whatever the result is it is to be hoped that the final produces a match befitting the return of rugby league’s “grand day out in the sun” to its spiritual home.
This final poses a genuine enigma, the Catalans being the first non-British side to reach the final since it was first contested in 1897. The participation of the French team is even more remarkable given that the club is in only its second season in the top flight Super League competition, and the fact that it only came into existence in 2001 following the merger of Perpignan club sides XIII Catalan and Saint Estève.
The other finalists St Helens have a far more illustrious track record in the competition they won at Twickenham last year; the Saints have lifted the trophy ten times in nineteen previous appearances since they lost the inaugural final to Batley in 1897. St Helens have undoubtedly been the standout team of the Super League era, although whilst they currently top the league table on points difference above Leeds Rhinos they are a side that has show far more vulnerability than the one that swept all before them last season.
The interest in the game’s return to Wembley has resulted in an effective sell-out, with the only issue being the possible take-up of 15,000 Club Wembley seats that have been pre-sold to mainly corporate investors for the next ten year. The logistics of transporting fans from a team in the South of France to North London mean that the Catalans supporters making the journey will be heavily outnumbered by their counterparts from Lancashire, but in true Challenge Cup style the French side are likely to have the lion’s share of the neutral spectators to boost their voices.
On the injury front the Catalans enter the game hoping that former Queensland State of Origin representative Casey McGuire will be fit following a torn pectoral muscle, whilst prop forward Mathieu Griffi may also be back following a layoff. Skipper Jerome Guisset will also return having been rested in last weekend’s defeat at Warrington. The Saints only notable absence is long-term victim Paul Sculthorpe, the former Great Britain captain, with standoff Leon Pryce making his return from a three match ban.
A series of intriguing clashes are expected right across the pitch; the Catalans are noted for their big, physical forward pack, ably led by the vastly experienced Guisset. Former Kiwi prop Alex Chan provides an intimidating presence in the front row, whilst ex-Kangaroo back-row Jason Croker has the experience and all round game to keep the pack ticking over. St Helens will be led by veteran hooker Keiron Cunningham, the sole survivor of Saints 1996 visit to Wembley, and his young apprentice James Roby. Rugged prop Nick Fozzard will be desperate to make an impression having been left out last year, whilst Samoan impact forward Maurie Fa'asavalu is a fearsome weapon to unleash on a tiring defence.
In the backs St Helens arguably have the edge with a back five packed with international experience, notably ex-Kangaroo centre Matt Gidley and current Great Britain fullback Paul Wellens, the reigning Man of Steel. The Dragons standout back is centre Adam Mogg, a State of Origin winner last year with Queensland and one of the leading contenders for this season’s Man of Steel.
But the clash predicted to determine the outcome is between the midfield generals Sean Long and Stacey Jones. The quicksilver Long has already secured his place in Challenge Cup history with a record three Lance Todd Trophy awards, the best British scrumhalf of his generation, he remains a controversial figure within the game due to his erratic contributions to the international scene and a betting scandal three years ago. In contrast Stacey Jones is arguably the second best scrumhalf of the past decade, behind only the great Andrew Johns, the Kiwi legend is the consummate strategist.
Les Catalans Dragons will go into their inaugural final as clear underdogs; with a warm afternoon forecasted it will requite a huge effort to combat the champagne football of St Helens across the wide open spaces of Wembley. So-called “expansion” clubs (it is debateable whether a club from the French rugby league heartlands warrants such a tag) have a patchy record in the show piece event, London Broncos fell to the final’s heaviest ever defeat against Leeds in 1999, but the previous year Sheffield Eagles produced the competitions biggest ever upset downing massive favourites Wigan.
Whatever the result is it is to be hoped that the final produces a match befitting the return of rugby league’s “grand day out in the sun” to its spiritual home.
Skolars kick-off weekend of rugby league
London Skolars this evening look to kick-off a weekend of rugby league in London when they take on York at New River this evening. The Skolars who have been in a rich vein of form lately will be looking to take the points needed to keep alive their National League Two playoff hopes.
Whilst attention may be diverted away from New River tomorrow for the showpiece Challenge Cup Final Sunday will see the return of the annual Middlesex 9s competition, complete with real ale festival.
For more information about tonight’s match, or the Middlesex 9s, click here.
Whilst attention may be diverted away from New River tomorrow for the showpiece Challenge Cup Final Sunday will see the return of the annual Middlesex 9s competition, complete with real ale festival.
For more information about tonight’s match, or the Middlesex 9s, click here.
Monday 20 August 2007
Skolars boost playoff hopes in Blackpool
London Skolars boosted their National League Two playoff hopes with a win away at Blackpool Panthers yesterday. The side’s eighth win of the season leaves them in seventh place on the ladder, just one point behind York.
The win caps a remarkable run of eight victories in eleven games since the beginning of July, following a difficult start to the season.
Blackpool Panthers: (4) 20
Tries: Sloman, Stoute 3
Goals: Gambles 2
London Skolars: (22) 34
Tries: Hodgkinson, Barker, Thorman, Shears, Louw, Aggrey
Goals: Thorman 5
Hainault crowned London League Champions
Hainault Bulldogs capped their inaugural season with a 30 – 4 win over Eastern Raiders on Saturday afternoon to pick up the London Amateur Rugby League title (match report here).
In the final of the London League Shield competition Feltham Y.O.I. overcame Kent Ravens II 72 – 10.
The emergence of Hainault and the stregnth of competition in the London League this season is a major sign of encouragement for the RLC Region South competition that has lacked depth in recent years due to sides moving up to the RLC Premier.
In the final of the London League Shield competition Feltham Y.O.I. overcame Kent Ravens II 72 – 10.
The emergence of Hainault and the stregnth of competition in the London League this season is a major sign of encouragement for the RLC Region South competition that has lacked depth in recent years due to sides moving up to the RLC Premier.
Sunday 19 August 2007
Quins drop a point against Wigan
Harlequins RL will feel disappointed today after sharing the points with Wigan Warriors yesterday afternoon, in a game marred by poor officiating. Referee Ben Thaler, who as video referee was at the centre of several controversial decisions against Quins last week, turned in an inconsistent performance that again raises doubt over the success of the RFL’s decision to employ fulltime Super League referees.
It took just four minutes for Thaler’s influence to be felt, ironically missing a clear example of crossing from the Wigan side before compounding the mistake by awarding a penalty against Quins for a one on one ball steal. Wigan fullback Pat Richards wasn’t complaining as he gratefully accepted the two points.
The home side snatched back the lead after a quarter of an hour when second-row Matt Gafa produced a great run to touch down for the Quins. Three minutes later Scott Hill showed his experience to find his way over for the second try and Henry Paul added the conversion to extend the lead to 10 – 2.
It was former Quins halfback Thomas Leuluai who pulled Wigan back into the game just into the second quarter, shrugging off some weak tackles with a powerful run to the line. Richards added the conversion to make it 10 – 8.
On the half hour mark Quins fullback Mark McLinden picked up a controversial try, hooker Chad Randall looked to have knocked on but it was adjudged to have come off a Wigan hand and McLinden was in support to puncture the flat footed Warriors defence. Henry Paul added the conversion, giving the home side a 16 - 8 advantage going into the break.
The second half saw Trent Barrett collect two tries to level the scores at 16 all, but it was the decision of Thaler to disallow a McLinden try for the second week running on the basis of a dubious obstruction call that was to prove crucial to the game. As the half wore on the home crowd became increasingly vocal in their frustrated at the referees apparent unwillingness to keep the visitors on side or to stamp out the frequent holding down in the tackle, but the protestations were in vain.
The final stages saw both sides attempting drop goals to snatch the lead, but none found their mark. It was Quins who arguably squandered the best chances when on successive occasions they shunned opportunities to set-up properly for the one point by running the ball wide in the hope of sneaking a try.
Ultimately a point is of little use to either side, with both now looking outsiders to sneak into a playoff position.
Harlequins RL: (16) 16
Tries: Gafa, Hill, McLinden
Goals: Paul 2
Wigan: (8) 16
Tries: Leuluai, Barrett 2 Goals: Richards 2
It took just four minutes for Thaler’s influence to be felt, ironically missing a clear example of crossing from the Wigan side before compounding the mistake by awarding a penalty against Quins for a one on one ball steal. Wigan fullback Pat Richards wasn’t complaining as he gratefully accepted the two points.
The home side snatched back the lead after a quarter of an hour when second-row Matt Gafa produced a great run to touch down for the Quins. Three minutes later Scott Hill showed his experience to find his way over for the second try and Henry Paul added the conversion to extend the lead to 10 – 2.
It was former Quins halfback Thomas Leuluai who pulled Wigan back into the game just into the second quarter, shrugging off some weak tackles with a powerful run to the line. Richards added the conversion to make it 10 – 8.
On the half hour mark Quins fullback Mark McLinden picked up a controversial try, hooker Chad Randall looked to have knocked on but it was adjudged to have come off a Wigan hand and McLinden was in support to puncture the flat footed Warriors defence. Henry Paul added the conversion, giving the home side a 16 - 8 advantage going into the break.
The second half saw Trent Barrett collect two tries to level the scores at 16 all, but it was the decision of Thaler to disallow a McLinden try for the second week running on the basis of a dubious obstruction call that was to prove crucial to the game. As the half wore on the home crowd became increasingly vocal in their frustrated at the referees apparent unwillingness to keep the visitors on side or to stamp out the frequent holding down in the tackle, but the protestations were in vain.
The final stages saw both sides attempting drop goals to snatch the lead, but none found their mark. It was Quins who arguably squandered the best chances when on successive occasions they shunned opportunities to set-up properly for the one point by running the ball wide in the hope of sneaking a try.
Ultimately a point is of little use to either side, with both now looking outsiders to sneak into a playoff position.
Harlequins RL: (16) 16
Tries: Gafa, Hill, McLinden
Goals: Paul 2
Wigan: (8) 16
Tries: Leuluai, Barrett 2 Goals: Richards 2
St Albans claim RLC Premier South title
St Albans Centurions picked up the 2007 RLC Premier South title yesterday with a hard fought 18 - 10 win against the holding champions South London Storm.
The opening exchanges were a cagey affair, marked by frequent penalties from both sides, St Albans in particular looking rusty after a three-week rest period. So it was no surprise when the Storm put first points on the board through a try from winger Ollie Bloom after eleven minutes. A 40-20 kick from Storm scrumhalf Darren Bartley gave his side the field position to build pressure on the opposition line, before Bloom collected a smart cross field kick from Steve Guan to touch down in the left hand corner.
However, the Storm were to suffer a major setback ten minutes later when influential hooker Luke Bonner picked up a match ending injury attempting to burrow his way over the line.
The Centurions levelled the match on twenty-four minutes when centre Russ Kellaway scored a superb individual try, using some deceptive broken field running to weave his way through the Storm defence.
Storm hit the front again just three minutes from the break when a well-executed passing move saw Bartley deliver the final ball to Paul Bottomley who dove over for the try. Bartley converted to provide a six-point cushion.
The Centurions immediately stepped up the pressure at the other end, and duly earned a penalty for not standing square at the play the ball from the back-peddling Storm defence, providing hooker Richard Smith the opportunity to power his way over under the sticks. Craig Foster added the conversion to send the sides into the break 10 a piece.
The first ten minutes of the second half opened brightly with some end-to-end, free flowing rugby, with both sides dropping the ball in promising positions, before the St Albans side really began to click. Winger Rudi van der Merwe broke free of the Storm defence to race over and end the deadlock. Five minutes later his colleague on the other wing, Ollie Fountain, scored the try of the game with a weaving run through the Storm defence to make it 18 – 10.
At that stage the men from South London looked to be running out of steam, but managed to find a second wind as the game entered its final quarter. Loose forward Mickey Walker looked to have put the game back in contention with a well weighted chip over the Centurions defence on sixty-seven minutes, but the resulting touch down was ruled out by a very harsh offside call.
St Albans dug in and worked their way through the pressure with some solid, percentages rugby league, driving down the middle of the field and turning around South London with some intelligent positional kicking. Five minutes from time Centurions fullback Kristian Warner found himself in the sin-bin for a professional foul on his own ten metre line, but a tiring South London were unable to capitalise on the extra man advantage.
The Centurions will now have a week off before facing Welsh side Bridgend Blue Bulls in Bristol to claim a place in the final of the national competition.
St Albans Centurions: (10) 18
Tries: Kellaway, Smith, van der Merwe, Fountain
Goals: Foster
South London Storm: (10) 10
Tries: Bloom, Bottomley
Goals: Bartley
The opening exchanges were a cagey affair, marked by frequent penalties from both sides, St Albans in particular looking rusty after a three-week rest period. So it was no surprise when the Storm put first points on the board through a try from winger Ollie Bloom after eleven minutes. A 40-20 kick from Storm scrumhalf Darren Bartley gave his side the field position to build pressure on the opposition line, before Bloom collected a smart cross field kick from Steve Guan to touch down in the left hand corner.
However, the Storm were to suffer a major setback ten minutes later when influential hooker Luke Bonner picked up a match ending injury attempting to burrow his way over the line.
The Centurions levelled the match on twenty-four minutes when centre Russ Kellaway scored a superb individual try, using some deceptive broken field running to weave his way through the Storm defence.
Storm hit the front again just three minutes from the break when a well-executed passing move saw Bartley deliver the final ball to Paul Bottomley who dove over for the try. Bartley converted to provide a six-point cushion.
The Centurions immediately stepped up the pressure at the other end, and duly earned a penalty for not standing square at the play the ball from the back-peddling Storm defence, providing hooker Richard Smith the opportunity to power his way over under the sticks. Craig Foster added the conversion to send the sides into the break 10 a piece.
The first ten minutes of the second half opened brightly with some end-to-end, free flowing rugby, with both sides dropping the ball in promising positions, before the St Albans side really began to click. Winger Rudi van der Merwe broke free of the Storm defence to race over and end the deadlock. Five minutes later his colleague on the other wing, Ollie Fountain, scored the try of the game with a weaving run through the Storm defence to make it 18 – 10.
At that stage the men from South London looked to be running out of steam, but managed to find a second wind as the game entered its final quarter. Loose forward Mickey Walker looked to have put the game back in contention with a well weighted chip over the Centurions defence on sixty-seven minutes, but the resulting touch down was ruled out by a very harsh offside call.
St Albans dug in and worked their way through the pressure with some solid, percentages rugby league, driving down the middle of the field and turning around South London with some intelligent positional kicking. Five minutes from time Centurions fullback Kristian Warner found himself in the sin-bin for a professional foul on his own ten metre line, but a tiring South London were unable to capitalise on the extra man advantage.
The Centurions will now have a week off before facing Welsh side Bridgend Blue Bulls in Bristol to claim a place in the final of the national competition.
St Albans Centurions: (10) 18
Tries: Kellaway, Smith, van der Merwe, Fountain
Goals: Foster
South London Storm: (10) 10
Tries: Bloom, Bottomley
Goals: Bartley
Saturday 18 August 2007
Double-header at Twickenham Stoop
Rugby league fans are looking forward to a feast of rugby league at The Stoop this afternoon, as St Albans Centurions on South London Storm in the Final of the Rugby League Conference South at 12:40 pm, followed by the Super League game between Harlequins RL and Wigan Warriors at 3:00 pm.
St Albans who finished divisional minor premiers in the RLC Premier South will be slight favourites to overturn reigning champions South London, but a tight game is likely. The Centurions have had several weeks rest since booking their place in the final so should be injury free, if not a little ring rusty. In contrast the Storm only booked their place in the final last week with a victory over third placed London Skolars II on a baking hot afternoon at Storm Park.
In the Super League game both Quins and the Warriors will be desperate to boost their chances of a playoff place with a victory, although both sides are mathematically safe from the drop following Salford’s loss last night, both know that dropped points will be a serious blow to making the top six.
Quins continued their re-signing spree this week, with hooker Chad Randall and loose forward Henry Paul both extending their stay in the capital. On a less positive note it appears that stalwart centre Paul Sykes, the longest serving player at the club, is returning to former club Bradford at the end of the season due to family commitments.
The Quins injury problems show no sign of improving with prop Karl Temata ruled out, whilst Sykes also misses out on compassionate grounds. Youngsters Tony Clubb and Stephen Bannister come back into a side that has lost its last four league games. Wigan in contrast appears to have a virtually full strength squad.
St Albans who finished divisional minor premiers in the RLC Premier South will be slight favourites to overturn reigning champions South London, but a tight game is likely. The Centurions have had several weeks rest since booking their place in the final so should be injury free, if not a little ring rusty. In contrast the Storm only booked their place in the final last week with a victory over third placed London Skolars II on a baking hot afternoon at Storm Park.
In the Super League game both Quins and the Warriors will be desperate to boost their chances of a playoff place with a victory, although both sides are mathematically safe from the drop following Salford’s loss last night, both know that dropped points will be a serious blow to making the top six.
Quins continued their re-signing spree this week, with hooker Chad Randall and loose forward Henry Paul both extending their stay in the capital. On a less positive note it appears that stalwart centre Paul Sykes, the longest serving player at the club, is returning to former club Bradford at the end of the season due to family commitments.
The Quins injury problems show no sign of improving with prop Karl Temata ruled out, whilst Sykes also misses out on compassionate grounds. Youngsters Tony Clubb and Stephen Bannister come back into a side that has lost its last four league games. Wigan in contrast appears to have a virtually full strength squad.
Tuesday 14 August 2007
London ARL Finals: week 2 wrap-up
Hainault Bulldogs will be at home to Eastern Raiders the final of the London ARL competition this weekend.
The Bulldogs beat St Albans Centurions II at home on Saturday 50 –20 to book their place in the final, whilst Eastern Raiders overcame Southgate Skolars 24 – 10 at New River.
Kick-off is at 3 p.m. at The Kenel, Ilford Raiders RFC. See here for details.
Sunday 12 August 2007
Wildcats ease past Quins into top six
Harlequins RL suffered a 28 – 14 reversal away at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats this evening and can rue their luck as a string of dubious decisions swung the result in favour of the home side. The consistency with which controversial decisions went in favour of a solid Wildcats side arguably gave them the momentum with which to build their score, although the Quins only have themselves to blame for the poor handling and decision-making that saw too much possession squandered.
The first dubious decision came courtesy of video referee Ben Thaler after seven minutes when Wakefield standoff Jamie Rooney appeared to push the ball forward over the Quins try line but was given the benefit of the doubt. Mark McLinden subsequently had Quins reply chalked out by Thaler for a very dubious obstruction call.
There were no doubts about Wakefield’s second try from Ryan Atkins on twenty-two minutes, but Paul White’s try ten minutes later was given despite the final ball coming from a telegraphed forward pass ignored by the officials. It was the stroke of half-time before Scott Hill finally got the Quins on the scoreboard with a try in the corner to send the sides in at 14 – 4.
When Quins had a second try chalked out by Thaler after the break for an even more dubious obstruction decision it was clear that this was not to be their night. Fifty-two minutes in Wakefield forward Ned Catic took advantage of some poor play from Quins to pile on the pressure and the visitors looked to be out for the count. However ten minutes later Jon Wells finally found his way over the line, minutes after having a try chalked off in one of the video referee’s few sensible calls of the evening.
Arguably the most controversial moment of the game came after sixty-five minutes when Wakefield prop Ricky Bibey’s forearm smash on standoff Hill left the Quins man dazed with a gashed head that required off field treatment. The incident went unmissed by all the officials, leading to a moment of black humour a couple of minutes later when Julien Rindaldi conceded a penalty for a sloppy high tackle that rode up off the shoulder. It will be interesting to see whether the RFL take a hard line on Bibey given the governing body’s historic inconsistent approach to such offences.
Needing to score points quickly Quins decided to throw the ball around in the final quarter with largely unsuccessful results. Impressive Wakefield centre Atkins added a second try with five minutes to go putting the result beyond any doubt, before Tyrone Smith finally worked his way over for a Quins consolation try in the last minute.
Despite the poor officiating Wakefield proved good value for the win, completing a solid, well drilled performance that capitalised on Quins mistakes. Coach Brian McDermott will be concerned about the amount of possession his side turned over, as well as the injury toll to his already paper thin side which saw skipper Rob Purdham and fellow second-rowers Henry Paul and Lee Hopkins fail to complete the game.
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: (14) 28
Tries: Rooney, Atkins 2, White, Catic
Goals: Rooney 4
Harlequins RL: (4) 14
Tries: Hill, Wells, Smith
Goals: Orr
The first dubious decision came courtesy of video referee Ben Thaler after seven minutes when Wakefield standoff Jamie Rooney appeared to push the ball forward over the Quins try line but was given the benefit of the doubt. Mark McLinden subsequently had Quins reply chalked out by Thaler for a very dubious obstruction call.
There were no doubts about Wakefield’s second try from Ryan Atkins on twenty-two minutes, but Paul White’s try ten minutes later was given despite the final ball coming from a telegraphed forward pass ignored by the officials. It was the stroke of half-time before Scott Hill finally got the Quins on the scoreboard with a try in the corner to send the sides in at 14 – 4.
When Quins had a second try chalked out by Thaler after the break for an even more dubious obstruction decision it was clear that this was not to be their night. Fifty-two minutes in Wakefield forward Ned Catic took advantage of some poor play from Quins to pile on the pressure and the visitors looked to be out for the count. However ten minutes later Jon Wells finally found his way over the line, minutes after having a try chalked off in one of the video referee’s few sensible calls of the evening.
Arguably the most controversial moment of the game came after sixty-five minutes when Wakefield prop Ricky Bibey’s forearm smash on standoff Hill left the Quins man dazed with a gashed head that required off field treatment. The incident went unmissed by all the officials, leading to a moment of black humour a couple of minutes later when Julien Rindaldi conceded a penalty for a sloppy high tackle that rode up off the shoulder. It will be interesting to see whether the RFL take a hard line on Bibey given the governing body’s historic inconsistent approach to such offences.
Needing to score points quickly Quins decided to throw the ball around in the final quarter with largely unsuccessful results. Impressive Wakefield centre Atkins added a second try with five minutes to go putting the result beyond any doubt, before Tyrone Smith finally worked his way over for a Quins consolation try in the last minute.
Despite the poor officiating Wakefield proved good value for the win, completing a solid, well drilled performance that capitalised on Quins mistakes. Coach Brian McDermott will be concerned about the amount of possession his side turned over, as well as the injury toll to his already paper thin side which saw skipper Rob Purdham and fellow second-rowers Henry Paul and Lee Hopkins fail to complete the game.
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: (14) 28
Tries: Rooney, Atkins 2, White, Catic
Goals: Rooney 4
Harlequins RL: (4) 14
Tries: Hill, Wells, Smith
Goals: Orr
Storm blow away Skolars in semi-final
A game of two very different halves saw South London Storm blow away London Skolars II yesterday at Storm Park to book a place in the RLC Premier South final next weekend against St Albans Centurions. A brutal and at times bad tempered game saw the Skolars lack of discipline ultimately cost them the game.
Skolars took an early lead after five minutes when the left wing found himself in space following a poor clearing kick from the Storm. The Storm fullback did well to slowdown the break but was unable to complete the tackle allowing the winger to get up and complete his run into the corner.
It took just three minutes for the Storm to level the scores with Ollie Bloom powering his way over in the opposite corner following a well worked move that saw the ball moved quickly through a series of hands open up a hole in the Skolars defence. Five minutes later Skolars almost regained the lead when a touchdown under the Storm posts from the loose forward was ruled out for a double movement.
It was at this stage of the game that the Skolars discipline started to put them under pressure with a succession of penalties for high shots, flops and niggling play. A quick tap penalty from Storm skipper Al Emerson on eighteen minutes put them back in front, the conversion from Darren Bartley making the score 10 – 4. Minutes later the referees patience with the Skolars underhand tactics finally broke with Todd Egan binned for deliberately interfering at the play the ball. Bartley took almost immediate advantage of the man short in defence to make it 14 – 4.
In the closing ten minutes of the half it looked like the Skolars were finally starting to get their act together, forcing several repeat sets of possession from which they clawed their way back into the game, with two tries and a conversion levelling the scores at 14 a piece. An injury to a Storm player saw the game stopped for several minutes, and when play resumed it was the Skolars who again applied the pressure forcing a knock on just five metres out from the Storm line which gave them the platform to seize a 14 - 18 lead.
The defining moment of the game came as the first half entered a period of injury time; an instinctive trip from Skolars player David Afreh after he was stepped by a Storm player resulted in an instant dismissal. Storm loose forward Mickey Walker crashed over from the penalty and Bartley’s conversion saw the home side head into the break with a 20 – 14 advantage.
The result of Afreh’s dismissal became obvious in the second half as the twelve men of Skolars ran out of steam in the baking afternoon heat. Walker’s forty-fifth minute try effectively sealed the game, as the Skolars lost their composure and stepped up their roughhouse tactics, which only put them under further pressure from the resulting penalties. Four further tries from the Storm followed as the Skolars defence increasingly struggled to fill the holes and the home side exploited the extra space with testing kicks. The Skolars did manage a late consolation try on the stroke of fulltime to leave the final scores at 48 – 24, but it did little to offset the comprehensiveness off the defeat.
Storm are likely to face a much tougher test against minor premiers St Albans when they meet at The Stoop in the curtain raiser to Harlequins RL game against Wigan Warriors. South London fans can take advantage of a special discount offer to see both games by calling Laura Harrison at Quins RL on 020 8410 6098 and quoting "Storm".
South London Storm: (20) 48
London Skolars II: (18) 24
Skolars took an early lead after five minutes when the left wing found himself in space following a poor clearing kick from the Storm. The Storm fullback did well to slowdown the break but was unable to complete the tackle allowing the winger to get up and complete his run into the corner.
It took just three minutes for the Storm to level the scores with Ollie Bloom powering his way over in the opposite corner following a well worked move that saw the ball moved quickly through a series of hands open up a hole in the Skolars defence. Five minutes later Skolars almost regained the lead when a touchdown under the Storm posts from the loose forward was ruled out for a double movement.
It was at this stage of the game that the Skolars discipline started to put them under pressure with a succession of penalties for high shots, flops and niggling play. A quick tap penalty from Storm skipper Al Emerson on eighteen minutes put them back in front, the conversion from Darren Bartley making the score 10 – 4. Minutes later the referees patience with the Skolars underhand tactics finally broke with Todd Egan binned for deliberately interfering at the play the ball. Bartley took almost immediate advantage of the man short in defence to make it 14 – 4.
In the closing ten minutes of the half it looked like the Skolars were finally starting to get their act together, forcing several repeat sets of possession from which they clawed their way back into the game, with two tries and a conversion levelling the scores at 14 a piece. An injury to a Storm player saw the game stopped for several minutes, and when play resumed it was the Skolars who again applied the pressure forcing a knock on just five metres out from the Storm line which gave them the platform to seize a 14 - 18 lead.
The defining moment of the game came as the first half entered a period of injury time; an instinctive trip from Skolars player David Afreh after he was stepped by a Storm player resulted in an instant dismissal. Storm loose forward Mickey Walker crashed over from the penalty and Bartley’s conversion saw the home side head into the break with a 20 – 14 advantage.
The result of Afreh’s dismissal became obvious in the second half as the twelve men of Skolars ran out of steam in the baking afternoon heat. Walker’s forty-fifth minute try effectively sealed the game, as the Skolars lost their composure and stepped up their roughhouse tactics, which only put them under further pressure from the resulting penalties. Four further tries from the Storm followed as the Skolars defence increasingly struggled to fill the holes and the home side exploited the extra space with testing kicks. The Skolars did manage a late consolation try on the stroke of fulltime to leave the final scores at 48 – 24, but it did little to offset the comprehensiveness off the defeat.
Storm are likely to face a much tougher test against minor premiers St Albans when they meet at The Stoop in the curtain raiser to Harlequins RL game against Wigan Warriors. South London fans can take advantage of a special discount offer to see both games by calling Laura Harrison at Quins RL on 020 8410 6098 and quoting "Storm".
South London Storm: (20) 48
London Skolars II: (18) 24
Skolars outclass Thunder at Finchley
London Skolars completed a league double over Gateshead Thunder yesterday, with a 32 – 12 win at Finchley Rugby Club to keep alive their National League Two playoff hopes. The north London based club were forced to play the game away form their usual home at New River Stadium due to an athletics meet but put the hindrance behind them to get the result that leaves them just outside the top six.
A full match report will appear here.
London Skolars: (6) 32
Tries: Aggrey, Shears, Tozer, Lynton, Simms
Goals: Thorman 6
Gateshead Thunder: (8) 12
Tries: Stephenson 2, Peers
A full match report will appear here.
London Skolars: (6) 32
Tries: Aggrey, Shears, Tozer, Lynton, Simms
Goals: Thorman 6
Gateshead Thunder: (8) 12
Tries: Stephenson 2, Peers
Wakefield Vs Harlequins Preview
Harlequins RL go into tonight’s clash with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats knowing that winner will see themselves pushed back into the top six and closer to a coveted playoff spot.
In recent weeks the Quins bandwagon appears to have lost its way, suffering comprehensive defeats against Huddersfield and Leeds as a horrendous run of injuries has taken its toll on Brian McDermott’s already limited squad. The return of influential captain Rob Purdham last week wasn’t enough to halt a rampant Rhinos side, but fans will be hoping he can spark some inspiration against the Wildcats.
The news that wingers Rikki Sheriffe and Matt Gafa and forwards Karl Temata and Jon Grayshon have re-signed for next season has been welcomed by fans, but is tempered by the decision of warhorse second-row Lee Hopkins to retire at the end of the season. All five players have been important in shouldering the burden of the injury crisis.
Wakefield go into the game on the back of a defeat against Bradford, an early season run of form eventually turned patchy and when the two sides met at The Stoop back in April the result was a draw. Coach John Kear has rebuilt much of his side this season, converting the Wildcats from a side heavily reliant of imports to one that has made greater use of home grown players and has consequently seen them lift from a side that only beat the drop on the final game of last season to one challenging for the playoffs.
The game will be a big challenge for the Quins, but if they are to be serious challengers for the playoffs, and to prove to Chairman Ian Lenagan who has been linked to a bid for the Wigan Warriors that the club is moving forward, it’s one they need to win.
In recent weeks the Quins bandwagon appears to have lost its way, suffering comprehensive defeats against Huddersfield and Leeds as a horrendous run of injuries has taken its toll on Brian McDermott’s already limited squad. The return of influential captain Rob Purdham last week wasn’t enough to halt a rampant Rhinos side, but fans will be hoping he can spark some inspiration against the Wildcats.
The news that wingers Rikki Sheriffe and Matt Gafa and forwards Karl Temata and Jon Grayshon have re-signed for next season has been welcomed by fans, but is tempered by the decision of warhorse second-row Lee Hopkins to retire at the end of the season. All five players have been important in shouldering the burden of the injury crisis.
Wakefield go into the game on the back of a defeat against Bradford, an early season run of form eventually turned patchy and when the two sides met at The Stoop back in April the result was a draw. Coach John Kear has rebuilt much of his side this season, converting the Wildcats from a side heavily reliant of imports to one that has made greater use of home grown players and has consequently seen them lift from a side that only beat the drop on the final game of last season to one challenging for the playoffs.
The game will be a big challenge for the Quins, but if they are to be serious challengers for the playoffs, and to prove to Chairman Ian Lenagan who has been linked to a bid for the Wigan Warriors that the club is moving forward, it’s one they need to win.
Wednesday 8 August 2007
Storm awaits Skolars
The results of last weekend’s RLC Premier games between South London Storm and Kingston Warriors (see here for report) and Kent Ravens and London Skolars II saw the Strom confirm home advantage for this weekend’s semi-final clash with Skolars.
Reigning RLC champions South London Storm are likely to be marginal favourites for the game given home advantage, but only finished above Skolars on points difference in the regular rounds. The Storm have found life harder in this year’s competition following their all conquering run in 2006, the departure of head coach to Rob Powell to the assistant coach position at Harlequins RL and the loss of several influential players including Tani Kingi, Mark Nesbitt, Andy Hames and Todd Brandon, weakening the side.
In contrast to the Storm’s own internal challenges 2007 also proved to be a landmark year in competitiveness of the RLC Premier South, with the decision of St Albans Centurions to drop down from last season’s National League Three competition giving the division a new powerhouse club.
London Skolars II, who previously competed as the Skolars development side under the moniker Haringey Hornets, also seem to have benefited from closer links to their senior side. Many of the players currently playing in the RLC Premier side have significant experience playing and National League Two level.
Storm vs Skolars will kick-off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday 11th at Storm Park, Thornton Heath, see here for more details.
Reigning RLC champions South London Storm are likely to be marginal favourites for the game given home advantage, but only finished above Skolars on points difference in the regular rounds. The Storm have found life harder in this year’s competition following their all conquering run in 2006, the departure of head coach to Rob Powell to the assistant coach position at Harlequins RL and the loss of several influential players including Tani Kingi, Mark Nesbitt, Andy Hames and Todd Brandon, weakening the side.
In contrast to the Storm’s own internal challenges 2007 also proved to be a landmark year in competitiveness of the RLC Premier South, with the decision of St Albans Centurions to drop down from last season’s National League Three competition giving the division a new powerhouse club.
London Skolars II, who previously competed as the Skolars development side under the moniker Haringey Hornets, also seem to have benefited from closer links to their senior side. Many of the players currently playing in the RLC Premier side have significant experience playing and National League Two level.
Storm vs Skolars will kick-off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday 11th at Storm Park, Thornton Heath, see here for more details.
Tuesday 7 August 2007
London ARL Finals: week 1 wrap-up
Reigning London ARL champions South London Storm II were knocked out of the competition at the weekend by St Albans Centurions II.
The Centurions will travel to Hainault Bulldogs this weekend for the first semi-final, Hainault qualify as London ARL minor premiers, a remarkable result in their debut season.
The second semi-final will see third placed Eastern Raiders travel to second placed Southgate Skolars (a joint venture between London Skolars and Southgate College).
Both quarter finals will be played on Saturday 11th August, for venues and times see club websites or London ARL website.
The Centurions will travel to Hainault Bulldogs this weekend for the first semi-final, Hainault qualify as London ARL minor premiers, a remarkable result in their debut season.
The second semi-final will see third placed Eastern Raiders travel to second placed Southgate Skolars (a joint venture between London Skolars and Southgate College).
Both quarter finals will be played on Saturday 11th August, for venues and times see club websites or London ARL website.
Greenwich fall to the Roosters
Greenwich Admirals defeat by Cambridgeshire side St Ives Roosters at the weekend ended the capital’s involvement in the Rugby League Conference Eastern Division. The Roosters will now go onto play division topping Bedford Tigers in the regional final this coming weekend to progress into the national finals series.
A match report can be found here.
More details of the game between Bedford and St Ives can be found here.
A match report can be found here.
More details of the game between Bedford and St Ives can be found here.
London Skolars clash moved
London Skolars National League Two home game against Gateshead Thunder this coming Saturday has been switched to Finchley Rugby Club to accommodate an athletics meeting at usual home New River Stadium.
More information can be found here.
More information can be found here.
Monday 6 August 2007
Skolars swoop on Hawks
London Skolars continued their recent run of good form with a 6 – 32 away win at Hunslet Hawks yesterday. The victory keeps alive their slim hopes of achieving a playoff spot, although realistically their slow start to the season makes such a prospect unlikely.
A match report can be found here.
Hunslet Hawks: (6) 6
Tries: Bravo
Goals: Robinson
London Skolars: (10) 32
Tries: Nowland 3, Hodgkinson, Webster
Goals: Thorman 5, Lynton
A match report can be found here.
Hunslet Hawks: (6) 6
Tries: Bravo
Goals: Robinson
London Skolars: (10) 32
Tries: Nowland 3, Hodgkinson, Webster
Goals: Thorman 5, Lynton
Quins wilt in the midday heat
Harlequins RL produced two starkly contrasting performances either side of the half-time break yesterday as they fell to a rampant Leeds Rhinos sides in the baking heat of The Stoop.
Quins started brightly with a Paul Sykes try after ten minutes, only to see the lead cancelled by Jamie Thackray’s trampling run ten minutes later. Consistent pressure from the home side saw the Rhinos give away a string of penalties which ultimately resulted in the sin binning of fullback Brent Webb on twenty-five minutes for three high tackles in less than ten minutes. The card came too late for many who felt that Webb deserved a full red for the first and worst of the three high shots which typified the niggling performance of the Rhino’s in the opening period.
With Leeds down a man Quins quickly capitalised on the advantage with Scott Hill, providing one of his better performances this season, squeezing over for a try, closely followed by Mark McLinden whose weaving run finished off a good passage of open play. Two conversions from Sykes took the home side into the break with a well deserved 16 – 6 lead.
It was after the break that things started to go wrong for Quins, a series of unforced errors and poor ball control placed them under unnecessary pressure, whilst Leeds cleaned up their own act. Eight minutes into the second half Webb took the chance to redeem himself with the try that sparked the visitors’ revival, his effort closely followed by one from Jordan Tansey to put the Rhinos back in front. Quins fans new it wasn’t to be their afternoon when referee Phil Bentham was conned into giving a penalty for a non-existent ball steal on fifty-five minutes, with Kevin Sinfield touching down from the resulting position.
From that point onwards the game was a one sided affair, characterized by Leeds capacity to strike from deep. The Quins had no answer to the Rhinos speed and the quality of their support play, Gareth Ellis, Scott Donald, and Jamie Peacock all adding tries. A seventy-fifth minute try from Danny Orr, briefly interrupted the flow of traffic, but that’s all it was as Danny McGuire replied immediately followed by a second try from Webb in the final minute.
Ultimately the game highlighted the difference in depth between the two sides, in particular a Leeds pack featuring no less than five full Great Britain internationals up against a Quins forward line down to just two regular prop forwards and a winger filling in at second-row. However, coach Brian McDermott will have identified elements of the performance in both halves for attention before next Sunday’s away game at Wakefield.
Harlequins RL: (16) 20
Tries: Sykes, Hill, McLinden, Orr
Goals: Sykes 2
Leeds: (6) 54
Tries: Thackray, Webb 2, Tansey, Ellis, Sinfield, Donald, Peacock, McGuire
Goals: Sinfield 7, Tansey 2
Quins started brightly with a Paul Sykes try after ten minutes, only to see the lead cancelled by Jamie Thackray’s trampling run ten minutes later. Consistent pressure from the home side saw the Rhinos give away a string of penalties which ultimately resulted in the sin binning of fullback Brent Webb on twenty-five minutes for three high tackles in less than ten minutes. The card came too late for many who felt that Webb deserved a full red for the first and worst of the three high shots which typified the niggling performance of the Rhino’s in the opening period.
With Leeds down a man Quins quickly capitalised on the advantage with Scott Hill, providing one of his better performances this season, squeezing over for a try, closely followed by Mark McLinden whose weaving run finished off a good passage of open play. Two conversions from Sykes took the home side into the break with a well deserved 16 – 6 lead.
It was after the break that things started to go wrong for Quins, a series of unforced errors and poor ball control placed them under unnecessary pressure, whilst Leeds cleaned up their own act. Eight minutes into the second half Webb took the chance to redeem himself with the try that sparked the visitors’ revival, his effort closely followed by one from Jordan Tansey to put the Rhinos back in front. Quins fans new it wasn’t to be their afternoon when referee Phil Bentham was conned into giving a penalty for a non-existent ball steal on fifty-five minutes, with Kevin Sinfield touching down from the resulting position.
From that point onwards the game was a one sided affair, characterized by Leeds capacity to strike from deep. The Quins had no answer to the Rhinos speed and the quality of their support play, Gareth Ellis, Scott Donald, and Jamie Peacock all adding tries. A seventy-fifth minute try from Danny Orr, briefly interrupted the flow of traffic, but that’s all it was as Danny McGuire replied immediately followed by a second try from Webb in the final minute.
Ultimately the game highlighted the difference in depth between the two sides, in particular a Leeds pack featuring no less than five full Great Britain internationals up against a Quins forward line down to just two regular prop forwards and a winger filling in at second-row. However, coach Brian McDermott will have identified elements of the performance in both halves for attention before next Sunday’s away game at Wakefield.
Harlequins RL: (16) 20
Tries: Sykes, Hill, McLinden, Orr
Goals: Sykes 2
Leeds: (6) 54
Tries: Thackray, Webb 2, Tansey, Ellis, Sinfield, Donald, Peacock, McGuire
Goals: Sinfield 7, Tansey 2
Saturday 4 August 2007
Skolars win but fail to spoil Ravens party
A party atmosphere descended on Princes Park, Dartford, last night as the Kent Ravens Rugby League team made their inaugural appearance at the new state of the art stadium. A crowd of around 500 were entertained by a full-blooded and at times frenetic Rugby League Conference Premier clash between the Ravens and visitors London Skolars.
The nerves of the Ravens players were palpable as the opening kick sailed out on the full and the Skolars used the resulting penalty to put them under early pressure. The Skolars almost capitalised immediately with the standoff’s clever dinking kick along the ground into the corner proving just too deep for the impressive speedster on the right wing.
The Ravens then took their chance to attack and a scoot from the play the ball by the fullback caught out the Skolars defence who resorted to giving away a penalty for holding down. The Kent side built on the possession to work the ball across the field, with forward Steve Scanlan showing great strength to bulldoze over the line and write a little piece of history with the first try at Princes Park four minutes in to the game. The Ravens lead lasted just three minutes, the Skolars right winger finding a gap out wide with his own scooting run into the corner to level the scores.
It was twenty minutes before the next score was to arrive, the Skolars kept the ball alive with some ambitious offloads which saw them eventually crash over close to the sticks. Skipper Kurt Pittman added the conversion to give his side a 6-point lead. This was the sign that the men from New River were to hit their first purple patch of the game, two minutes later a break and clever pass from the standoff found the fullback running an intelligent line to touch down beneath the sticks. A brave rally from the Ravens required some gutsy try line defence to deny them before the Skolars pulled out a long range move down the left hand touchline to find themselves under the sticks again.
The closing ten minutes of the first-half were to be a showcase for the Skolars right centre-wing partnership, first a break down the right hand flank saw the winger push the ball back inside as he was dragged into touch to put his centre in, then three minutes later the centre reciprocated with a long looping pass to send his winger into the corner following a well worked move orchestrated by the scrumhalf.
Despite some tired the legs, the Ravens remained committed and their persistence was rewarded with a second try when Daniel Smart smashed his way over on thirty nine minutes, with Thomas Claridge adding on the conversion to send the sides in to the break at 10 – 30.
The first five minutes of the second half saw both teams step up in attack, with both bombing gilt-edged chances with dropped balls under the challenge of some brutal, bone crunching defence. However, it took just eight minutes before the Skolars right centre found a way through some flat defence to stride away into the corner for the first try of the second half.
The Ravens again rallied and put the visitors under the most concerted period of pressure in the whole game. The home sides won themselves a series of back to back sets via a goal line dropout and a penalty for holding down, but despite being virtually camped on the opposition line they could find no way through. At times the scenes were almost slapstick as the Skolars defenders hurled themselves in front of the Ravens juggernaut in desperate, last ditch attempts to hold the line.
The Skolars finally broke the Ravens resolve on the hour mark, a solid set of six in attack punched them down the field and a drive over from close range extended the lead to 10 – 38. A minute later the standoff latched on to an offload thirty metres out to jink his way over and the floodgates had opened as the Skolars entered their second purple patch of the game. Three more tries followed in close succession as the visitors took advantage of some tiring defence on the Ravens left hand flank, before the right wing broke on the opposite side to feed the fullback for the final try on seventy five minutes.
To their credit the Ravens refused to let their heads go down and continued to take the fight to the Skolars to the very end, earning a standing ovation off the field from the vociferous partisan crowd. Ultimately it was the greater experience of the Skolars, many with experience in National League Two, which made the difference. The Skolars were quicker to get the second and third man to the tackle, showed more awareness in their support running and slicker handling of the ball in particular the crisp distribution of hooker Kurt Pittman from the play the ball.
Kent Ravens have come along way in the last three years and despite what the score line may suggest the side have great potential that will develop as they progress along their own learning curve. In Princes Park the Ravens have a stadium to be proud of and in Kent Ravens the town of Dartford has a rugby league side to be proud of.
Kent Ravens: (10) 10
London Skolars: (30) 68
The nerves of the Ravens players were palpable as the opening kick sailed out on the full and the Skolars used the resulting penalty to put them under early pressure. The Skolars almost capitalised immediately with the standoff’s clever dinking kick along the ground into the corner proving just too deep for the impressive speedster on the right wing.
The Ravens then took their chance to attack and a scoot from the play the ball by the fullback caught out the Skolars defence who resorted to giving away a penalty for holding down. The Kent side built on the possession to work the ball across the field, with forward Steve Scanlan showing great strength to bulldoze over the line and write a little piece of history with the first try at Princes Park four minutes in to the game. The Ravens lead lasted just three minutes, the Skolars right winger finding a gap out wide with his own scooting run into the corner to level the scores.
It was twenty minutes before the next score was to arrive, the Skolars kept the ball alive with some ambitious offloads which saw them eventually crash over close to the sticks. Skipper Kurt Pittman added the conversion to give his side a 6-point lead. This was the sign that the men from New River were to hit their first purple patch of the game, two minutes later a break and clever pass from the standoff found the fullback running an intelligent line to touch down beneath the sticks. A brave rally from the Ravens required some gutsy try line defence to deny them before the Skolars pulled out a long range move down the left hand touchline to find themselves under the sticks again.
The closing ten minutes of the first-half were to be a showcase for the Skolars right centre-wing partnership, first a break down the right hand flank saw the winger push the ball back inside as he was dragged into touch to put his centre in, then three minutes later the centre reciprocated with a long looping pass to send his winger into the corner following a well worked move orchestrated by the scrumhalf.
Despite some tired the legs, the Ravens remained committed and their persistence was rewarded with a second try when Daniel Smart smashed his way over on thirty nine minutes, with Thomas Claridge adding on the conversion to send the sides in to the break at 10 – 30.
The first five minutes of the second half saw both teams step up in attack, with both bombing gilt-edged chances with dropped balls under the challenge of some brutal, bone crunching defence. However, it took just eight minutes before the Skolars right centre found a way through some flat defence to stride away into the corner for the first try of the second half.
The Ravens again rallied and put the visitors under the most concerted period of pressure in the whole game. The home sides won themselves a series of back to back sets via a goal line dropout and a penalty for holding down, but despite being virtually camped on the opposition line they could find no way through. At times the scenes were almost slapstick as the Skolars defenders hurled themselves in front of the Ravens juggernaut in desperate, last ditch attempts to hold the line.
The Skolars finally broke the Ravens resolve on the hour mark, a solid set of six in attack punched them down the field and a drive over from close range extended the lead to 10 – 38. A minute later the standoff latched on to an offload thirty metres out to jink his way over and the floodgates had opened as the Skolars entered their second purple patch of the game. Three more tries followed in close succession as the visitors took advantage of some tiring defence on the Ravens left hand flank, before the right wing broke on the opposite side to feed the fullback for the final try on seventy five minutes.
To their credit the Ravens refused to let their heads go down and continued to take the fight to the Skolars to the very end, earning a standing ovation off the field from the vociferous partisan crowd. Ultimately it was the greater experience of the Skolars, many with experience in National League Two, which made the difference. The Skolars were quicker to get the second and third man to the tackle, showed more awareness in their support running and slicker handling of the ball in particular the crisp distribution of hooker Kurt Pittman from the play the ball.
Kent Ravens have come along way in the last three years and despite what the score line may suggest the side have great potential that will develop as they progress along their own learning curve. In Princes Park the Ravens have a stadium to be proud of and in Kent Ravens the town of Dartford has a rugby league side to be proud of.
Kent Ravens: (10) 10
London Skolars: (30) 68
Wednesday 1 August 2007
Speculation mounts over Lenagan bid for Wigan Warriors
Reports that Wigan RLFC major shareholder Dave Whelan is considering offloading his stake in the club has led to speculation that a consortium led by current Harlequins RL Chairman and majority shareholder Ian Lenagan is one of two contenders vying to gain control of the Super League club.
Whelan, who also controls Wigan Athletic Football Club and the JJB Stadium which both clubs share, is understood to be interested in selling following a series of events that have seen the club punished for breaching the Super League salary cap two years in succession, the team underachieve on the pitch and the decision of Chairman Maurice Lindsay to retire at the end of the season having increasingly become the target of criticism from fans.
Lenagan, a successful businessman and theatre entrepreneur born and raised in Wigan, has yet to confirm or deny any interest, but is reported as retaining both close links to his hometown and a lifelong support for the Wigan club
Should Lenagan acquire control of the Wigan club it would undoubtedly cast doubts on the long-term future of Harlequins RL, the London based club he took control of in 2005. It was Lenagan who was the driving force behind the London club’s partnership with the Harlequins rugby union club which saw the rugby league club relocate to The Twickenham Stoop and re-brand from their previous incarnation as London Broncos.
Many fans of Harlequins RL understandably appear to be concerned at this development, although it’s far from clear whether Lenagan would be forced to offload his stake in their club following the acquisition of any stake in Wigan RLFC. Without Lenegan Harlequins RL may be forced to look for new investors, or alternatively look towards their partners Harlequins RU for support.
The other candidate for Whelan’s stake in the club is understood to be Chorley born millionaire Trevor Hemmings, the owner of Littlewoods Pools and Blackpool Tower, who already has several sporting interests including the majority shareholding of Championship football club Preston North End.
Whelan, who also controls Wigan Athletic Football Club and the JJB Stadium which both clubs share, is understood to be interested in selling following a series of events that have seen the club punished for breaching the Super League salary cap two years in succession, the team underachieve on the pitch and the decision of Chairman Maurice Lindsay to retire at the end of the season having increasingly become the target of criticism from fans.
Lenagan, a successful businessman and theatre entrepreneur born and raised in Wigan, has yet to confirm or deny any interest, but is reported as retaining both close links to his hometown and a lifelong support for the Wigan club
Should Lenagan acquire control of the Wigan club it would undoubtedly cast doubts on the long-term future of Harlequins RL, the London based club he took control of in 2005. It was Lenagan who was the driving force behind the London club’s partnership with the Harlequins rugby union club which saw the rugby league club relocate to The Twickenham Stoop and re-brand from their previous incarnation as London Broncos.
Many fans of Harlequins RL understandably appear to be concerned at this development, although it’s far from clear whether Lenagan would be forced to offload his stake in their club following the acquisition of any stake in Wigan RLFC. Without Lenegan Harlequins RL may be forced to look for new investors, or alternatively look towards their partners Harlequins RU for support.
The other candidate for Whelan’s stake in the club is understood to be Chorley born millionaire Trevor Hemmings, the owner of Littlewoods Pools and Blackpool Tower, who already has several sporting interests including the majority shareholding of Championship football club Preston North End.
Tuesday 31 July 2007
Ravens ready to roost at Princes Park
The fans, players and administrators of Kent Ravens Rugby League Club are counting down the hours to the biggest event in the club’s short history, their inaugural match at the new Princes Park stadium in Dartford. The move to the stadium, which will be shared with Dartford Football Club, will highlight the remarkable progress the Ravens have made since forming in 2004.
Initially based in nearby Eltham, the men’s first team have worked their way up through the local amateur ranks, from the London League in 2004 to the Rugby League Conference Regional in 2006 and the Rugby League Conference Premier in 2007. The progress hasn’t only been limited to the men’s open age squad, a successful youth set-up has been developing whilst the club also boasts one of the south’s best women’s outfit.
Older rugby league fans will be aware of the code’s patchy history in Kent, most notably the short lived Kent Invicta club of the early 1980’s. Several amateur clubs have at various points left their mark, albeit many temporarily, on the history of rugby league in the area, but it is the Ravens who have hopefully laid the foundations for more substantial development.
This is not to say it’s all been plain sailing for the Ravens, the step up to the RLC Premier has been a big ask for the club. The southern division of the RLC Premier is arguably the toughest of all the regional divisions, a sign of the growing strength of amateur rugby league in the south of England. The Ravens currently sit bottom of the division and on Friday night face a London Skolars RLC Premier side hoping to leapfrog reigning champions South London Storm into second place and guarantee home advantage in the semi-final playoff against the Storm.
An upset against the Skolars would no doubt be the icing on the cake for the Ravens and most of the unprecedented 500 fans that have already bought tickets for the match, but win or loss the future is looking good for the Kent outfit.
* Tickets for the game priced at £5 will be available on the gate, for directions and ground details click here for the Kent Ravens official site.
Initially based in nearby Eltham, the men’s first team have worked their way up through the local amateur ranks, from the London League in 2004 to the Rugby League Conference Regional in 2006 and the Rugby League Conference Premier in 2007. The progress hasn’t only been limited to the men’s open age squad, a successful youth set-up has been developing whilst the club also boasts one of the south’s best women’s outfit.
Older rugby league fans will be aware of the code’s patchy history in Kent, most notably the short lived Kent Invicta club of the early 1980’s. Several amateur clubs have at various points left their mark, albeit many temporarily, on the history of rugby league in the area, but it is the Ravens who have hopefully laid the foundations for more substantial development.
This is not to say it’s all been plain sailing for the Ravens, the step up to the RLC Premier has been a big ask for the club. The southern division of the RLC Premier is arguably the toughest of all the regional divisions, a sign of the growing strength of amateur rugby league in the south of England. The Ravens currently sit bottom of the division and on Friday night face a London Skolars RLC Premier side hoping to leapfrog reigning champions South London Storm into second place and guarantee home advantage in the semi-final playoff against the Storm.
An upset against the Skolars would no doubt be the icing on the cake for the Ravens and most of the unprecedented 500 fans that have already bought tickets for the match, but win or loss the future is looking good for the Kent outfit.
* Tickets for the game priced at £5 will be available on the gate, for directions and ground details click here for the Kent Ravens official site.
Sunday 29 July 2007
History beckons as the Challenge Cup Final returns “home”
The results of this weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final fixtures have set-up the prospect of a truly historic final befitting the return of rugby league’s grand day out in the sun to its spiritual home Wembley.
Holders St Helens will be the favourites to retain the trophy they collected last season at Twickenham, their comfortable victory over Bradford showing that whilst this season’s form hasn’t hit the highs of last year when they swept all before them, they remain the most dangerous side in British rugby league. But the imagination is really being captured by Les Catalans Dragons, the Perpignan based side who will become the first non-British side to contest the final.
Some had claimed it was “written in the stars” that former cup kings Wigan would return to the scene of their former glories to collect the trophy for the first time from the new Wembley stadium. However, the rest of the rugby league community were far less generous in their aspirations for the club following the recent salary cap scandal. If Wigan were already unpopular for profligate ways during their period of dominance, they are arguably even more unpopular at present due to the widespread perception that the club is attempting to resurrect those glory days by less than fair means.
As it was any script written in the stars was brought down to earth by a gutsy performance from the Dragons, a breath taking first half showed just how good the men from Perpignan can be when they hit their stride whilst the second half saw them tough it out in the face of a cherry and white fight back. Nobody doubts that they will face a far sterner test than Wigan when they line up against Saints in just under a month, but Mick Potter’s men may feel they have nothing to lose and in the Challenge Cup fairy tales do occasionally come true as Sheffield Eagles proved in 1998.
Rugby league fans love an underdog and it’s a fair guess to suggest that when the Catalans run out on to the pitch on August 26th most neutrals will be rooting for them to win, whether or not they get their fairy tale ending another chapter in rugby league history will be written.
Holders St Helens will be the favourites to retain the trophy they collected last season at Twickenham, their comfortable victory over Bradford showing that whilst this season’s form hasn’t hit the highs of last year when they swept all before them, they remain the most dangerous side in British rugby league. But the imagination is really being captured by Les Catalans Dragons, the Perpignan based side who will become the first non-British side to contest the final.
Some had claimed it was “written in the stars” that former cup kings Wigan would return to the scene of their former glories to collect the trophy for the first time from the new Wembley stadium. However, the rest of the rugby league community were far less generous in their aspirations for the club following the recent salary cap scandal. If Wigan were already unpopular for profligate ways during their period of dominance, they are arguably even more unpopular at present due to the widespread perception that the club is attempting to resurrect those glory days by less than fair means.
As it was any script written in the stars was brought down to earth by a gutsy performance from the Dragons, a breath taking first half showed just how good the men from Perpignan can be when they hit their stride whilst the second half saw them tough it out in the face of a cherry and white fight back. Nobody doubts that they will face a far sterner test than Wigan when they line up against Saints in just under a month, but Mick Potter’s men may feel they have nothing to lose and in the Challenge Cup fairy tales do occasionally come true as Sheffield Eagles proved in 1998.
Rugby league fans love an underdog and it’s a fair guess to suggest that when the Catalans run out on to the pitch on August 26th most neutrals will be rooting for them to win, whether or not they get their fairy tale ending another chapter in rugby league history will be written.
RLC Premier Roundup
The RLC Premier South is heating up with St Albans Centurions claiming the minor premiership following the failure of Kingston Warriors to raise a side for this weekend’s clash. They will now meet either South London Storm or London Skolars A in the regional final to be played at The Stoop before Harlequins game against Wigan on August 18th.
Reigning champions South London Storm have hit a patchy run of form winning just four of their last seven games seeing them fall into an unfamiliar second place, whilst London Skolars A are staging a late run to overtake them from third and gain home advantage for the semi-final playoff for the second spot in the region final. If yesterday’s game is any guide the match-up should provide a thriller, with Skolars A sneaking an away win against the Storm with a last minute drop goal.
Much will depend on the final round of fixtures with Kingston Warriors visiting Storm Park next Saturday, whilst London Skolars A will be the inaugural visitors to Kent Ravens new home at Princes Park. The Ravens have found it tough this season, having stepped up a division, but will be hoping to mark the beginning of a new era in the club’s history with a victory against one of the division’s big sides.
Monday 23 July 2007
Skolars down Town
London Skolars picked up their fifth win of the season away at Workington Town yesterday. The victory showcases perfectly how far the club has progressed in its short lifetime, even ten years ago it would have been considered madness to suggest that a student old boys side from North London would be competing professionally with long established clubs from the rugby league heartlands.
On a more immediate note a run of five victories in the last eight games has been fitting reward for Latham Tawhai’s side after a tough start to the season.
A full match report is here.
Workington Town: (12) 24
Tries: Lavulavu, Sidlow, Lunt, Blair
Goals: Forber 4
London Skolars: (6) 31
Tries: Hodgkinson 2, Coleman, Maitua, Nowland
Goals: Thorman 5
Dropgoals: Thorman
On a more immediate note a run of five victories in the last eight games has been fitting reward for Latham Tawhai’s side after a tough start to the season.
A full match report is here.
Workington Town: (12) 24
Tries: Lavulavu, Sidlow, Lunt, Blair
Goals: Forber 4
London Skolars: (6) 31
Tries: Hodgkinson 2, Coleman, Maitua, Nowland
Goals: Thorman 5
Dropgoals: Thorman
Sunday 22 July 2007
Giants step over tired Quins
A lacklustre display from the home side saw Huddersfield Giants run out comfortable victors yesterday at The Stoop, with the 06 – 22 score line flattering a Harlequins side struggling to inject any effective structure or shape into their play.
The signs were ominous early on, with Quins defence looking lethargic in response to early probing from the Giants attack. It was therefore almost inevitable when Chris Nero finally broke free of the cover ten minute in to surge away for the opening try. For periods of the first half it looked as if the Giants might score at will, before loose control on the final ball conspired to thwart several promising plays.
Quins struggled on and managed a couple of breaks only to find the quality of the support play or on occasion the final decision making lacking, till Julien Rinaldi finally found a killer pass to send Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook crashing over close to the sticks. A halftime score line of 6 – 6 gave Quins much to be grateful for and the home fans false hope that the second half may bring an improvement.
There was to be no significant improvement in the Quins second half performance as injuries started to take their toll on a side that has punched well above its weight in recent weeks. Shortly after the break Nero added a second try for the Giants as the visiting forwards began to impose their dominance on the game, giving a platform for their decision makers to keep Quins on the back foot. Chris Thorman playing from fullback was impressive, chiming up into the line to put in effective kicks with predictable reliability, whilst Brad Drew operating off the bench injected fresh impetus into the Giants decision making. By the time Thorman converted Steve Snitches try to make the scores 6 – 16 it looked as if the floodgates were ready to burst on Quins.
However, Quins managed to keep their nerve and again looked like they might undeservedly force themselves back into the game when the ever reliable Paul Sykes ran in a try just after the hour mark, but was unable to convert his own effort leaving the sides a single converted score apart at 10 – 16. Unlike the Giants, the Quins decision makers seemed short on mutual understanding; the talismanic Mark McLinden jinked and weaved but found little support for his efforts, whilst halves combination Danny Orr and Scott Hill appear to have completely lost any understanding they appeared to be developing early in the season.
As the second half conditions deteriorated in a rainstorm the Quins forward laboured on in workmanlike fashion, but injuries to Joe Mbu and David Mills all but nullified chances of standing-up the Giants pack. It was clear that absence of first choice back-rowers Rob Purdham and Henry Paul had blunted effectiveness, whilst the penetrating runs of injured prop Daniel Heckenberg were sorely missed.
When standoff Kevin Brown jinked his way to a try with just over ten minutes remaining it was clear that any hopes of a late revival to snatch an undeserved victory had gone. Huddersfield can take full credit for a professional performance in which they outshone their opponents in every facet of the game.
Afterwards Quins coach, Brian McDermott, seemed philosophical about the result, perhaps recognising the way in which his side has in the opinion of many over-performed in recent rounds. The loss of winger Jon Wells early in the game and the knocks to Mills and Mbu symptomatic of a side running on empty. McDermott will no doubt be glad of a weekend off, in which to reassess the damage to his increasingly threadbare squad and regroup for the visit of championship contenders Leeds Rhinos on the 5th August.
Harlequins RL: (6) 10
Tries: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Smith
Goals: Sykes
Huddersfield: (6) 22
Tries: Nero 2, Snitch, Brown
Goals: Thorman 3
The signs were ominous early on, with Quins defence looking lethargic in response to early probing from the Giants attack. It was therefore almost inevitable when Chris Nero finally broke free of the cover ten minute in to surge away for the opening try. For periods of the first half it looked as if the Giants might score at will, before loose control on the final ball conspired to thwart several promising plays.
Quins struggled on and managed a couple of breaks only to find the quality of the support play or on occasion the final decision making lacking, till Julien Rinaldi finally found a killer pass to send Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook crashing over close to the sticks. A halftime score line of 6 – 6 gave Quins much to be grateful for and the home fans false hope that the second half may bring an improvement.
There was to be no significant improvement in the Quins second half performance as injuries started to take their toll on a side that has punched well above its weight in recent weeks. Shortly after the break Nero added a second try for the Giants as the visiting forwards began to impose their dominance on the game, giving a platform for their decision makers to keep Quins on the back foot. Chris Thorman playing from fullback was impressive, chiming up into the line to put in effective kicks with predictable reliability, whilst Brad Drew operating off the bench injected fresh impetus into the Giants decision making. By the time Thorman converted Steve Snitches try to make the scores 6 – 16 it looked as if the floodgates were ready to burst on Quins.
However, Quins managed to keep their nerve and again looked like they might undeservedly force themselves back into the game when the ever reliable Paul Sykes ran in a try just after the hour mark, but was unable to convert his own effort leaving the sides a single converted score apart at 10 – 16. Unlike the Giants, the Quins decision makers seemed short on mutual understanding; the talismanic Mark McLinden jinked and weaved but found little support for his efforts, whilst halves combination Danny Orr and Scott Hill appear to have completely lost any understanding they appeared to be developing early in the season.
As the second half conditions deteriorated in a rainstorm the Quins forward laboured on in workmanlike fashion, but injuries to Joe Mbu and David Mills all but nullified chances of standing-up the Giants pack. It was clear that absence of first choice back-rowers Rob Purdham and Henry Paul had blunted effectiveness, whilst the penetrating runs of injured prop Daniel Heckenberg were sorely missed.
When standoff Kevin Brown jinked his way to a try with just over ten minutes remaining it was clear that any hopes of a late revival to snatch an undeserved victory had gone. Huddersfield can take full credit for a professional performance in which they outshone their opponents in every facet of the game.
Afterwards Quins coach, Brian McDermott, seemed philosophical about the result, perhaps recognising the way in which his side has in the opinion of many over-performed in recent rounds. The loss of winger Jon Wells early in the game and the knocks to Mills and Mbu symptomatic of a side running on empty. McDermott will no doubt be glad of a weekend off, in which to reassess the damage to his increasingly threadbare squad and regroup for the visit of championship contenders Leeds Rhinos on the 5th August.
Harlequins RL: (6) 10
Tries: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Smith
Goals: Sykes
Huddersfield: (6) 22
Tries: Nero 2, Snitch, Brown
Goals: Thorman 3
Sunday 15 July 2007
Skolars stun Cougars
London Skolars picked up their third consecutive home win yersterday with a 39 – 20 win over Keighley Cougars at New River. The Cougars preparation were disrupted by traffic problems on their way down from Keighley and were blown away by a first half onslaught from the home side.
A full match report will appear here.
London Skolars: (26) 39
Tries: Hodgkinson, Benson, Honor 2, Tozer, Lynton
Goals: Thorman 7
Drop Goals: Thorman
Keighley: (4) 20
Tries: Sutcliffe, Eaton, Knight, Sutton
Goals: Eaton, Knight
A full match report will appear here.
London Skolars: (26) 39
Tries: Hodgkinson, Benson, Honor 2, Tozer, Lynton
Goals: Thorman 7
Drop Goals: Thorman
Keighley: (4) 20
Tries: Sutcliffe, Eaton, Knight, Sutton
Goals: Eaton, Knight
Friday 13 July 2007
Quins fall to resurgent Hull FC
Quins RL suffered their first defeat in three games against Hull FC away at the KC Stadium tonight. Despite the return of Danny Orr to the halfback role and an early lead from a Tyrone Smith try the side failed to find their form against a youthful Hull FC side.
A full match report is here.
Hull: (8) 20
Tries: Horne, Hall
Goals: Tickle (5), Hall
Harlequins RL: (8) 8
Tries: Smith
Goals: Sykes (2)
A full match report is here.
Hull: (8) 20
Tries: Horne, Hall
Goals: Tickle (5), Hall
Harlequins RL: (8) 8
Tries: Smith
Goals: Sykes (2)
Wednesday 11 July 2007
Joe Lydon joins Quins
Following on from yesterday’s news of improved ticket sales at Quins RL this season it has been reported that former Great Britain RL star Joe Lydon will be joining the marketing team on a part-time basis.
Lydon who has spent much of the last 7 years working as a skills coach for the RFU is looking to re-establish himself in rugby league club administration. Although Lydon is not known as an administrator, he is recognised as one of the game’s highest profile personalities due to his involvement with the RFU and his reputation as an articulate broadcaster.
Hopefully Lydon will be able to provide a fresh impetus to a Quins RL marketing team that has looked short of ideas on occasions this season and recently saw the departure of long-time marketing manager Chris Warren due to his own broadcasting commitments.
Lydon who has spent much of the last 7 years working as a skills coach for the RFU is looking to re-establish himself in rugby league club administration. Although Lydon is not known as an administrator, he is recognised as one of the game’s highest profile personalities due to his involvement with the RFU and his reputation as an articulate broadcaster.
Hopefully Lydon will be able to provide a fresh impetus to a Quins RL marketing team that has looked short of ideas on occasions this season and recently saw the departure of long-time marketing manager Chris Warren due to his own broadcasting commitments.
Storm Dream Team announced
South London Storm announced their dream at the weekend, the Thornton Heath based outfit who are the reigning Rugby League Conference Premier champions are currently celebrating their tenth anniversary
To see the full list click here.
To see the full list click here.
Good news from Quins
Harlequins RL yesterday announced a year on year uplift in ticket sales for the season to date, and with further high profile home fixtures remaining it is hoped this will continue.
The news comes as a welcome relief for many Quins fans on the back of long standing sniping criticism from the fans of many M62 corridor clubs about the level of support for London based clubs. Rugby league is a sport infamous for the parochial agenda of some fans who resent the expansion of the game beyond its traditional “heartlands” in the northern counties of England, despite the financial reality that modern professional sports need to be progressive in their outlook if they are to remain healthy. It was Sky Sports, the sport’s major paymaster, who facilitated the elevation of London Broncos to the inaugural Super League competition realising that a club in the British capital was crucial to establishing a higher profile for their investment and whilst all the clubs were happy to take the money on offer not all fans were happy with progress.
The status of Quins RL and its earlier incarnations as British rugby league’s most significant expansion club has attracted criticism of special treatment from the game’s administration, sometimes credible and sometimes based more on mythology than any substance (particularly in the case of the London Broncos holding company which was forced into liquidation by the Inland Revenue in 2005). Whilst it is true that Quins have been given special exemption from the player quota for several years, the quota has increasingly become a paper tiger due to the loopholes allowed by EU employment law, whilst flexibility with the laws of the game has never been a feature unique to the treatment of London based clubs.
The movement of the club from base to base over the past 27 years has undoubtedly hindered the development of the club, at each stop off the club has attempted to build-up a local presence only to see it abandoned with the next move. A firm settlement as Quins RL, at a modern stadium like The Twickenham Stoop which offers much needed facilities for hospitality, with solid management from the likes of Ian Lenagan will hopefully finally allow the club to develop the strength and depth it needs to become a serious challenger to the M62 clubs.
It’s also good to see the announcement that there are now 15,000 school children covered by the Quins development programme headed up by Kurt Pittman, the flow of players coming through the development system in the last couple of years has been a major bonus for the club and has removed the reliance on overseas players. With the Super League looking to reduce the number of imports and the club itself seeing the end of any advantage the quota may have once given, the development programme offers the chance to compete on a more even basis with the M62 clubs when it comes to tapping into the young player pool. There is massive potential in the South East of England and the growing improvement in the academy system and grass roots development is beginning to attract envious glances from some in the traditional heartlands.
Whilst there is a long way to go for Quins RL to truly establish itself as a serious threat to clubs such as St Helens, Bradford and Leeds improved ticket sales and promising youth development are positive steps in the right direction.
The news comes as a welcome relief for many Quins fans on the back of long standing sniping criticism from the fans of many M62 corridor clubs about the level of support for London based clubs. Rugby league is a sport infamous for the parochial agenda of some fans who resent the expansion of the game beyond its traditional “heartlands” in the northern counties of England, despite the financial reality that modern professional sports need to be progressive in their outlook if they are to remain healthy. It was Sky Sports, the sport’s major paymaster, who facilitated the elevation of London Broncos to the inaugural Super League competition realising that a club in the British capital was crucial to establishing a higher profile for their investment and whilst all the clubs were happy to take the money on offer not all fans were happy with progress.
The status of Quins RL and its earlier incarnations as British rugby league’s most significant expansion club has attracted criticism of special treatment from the game’s administration, sometimes credible and sometimes based more on mythology than any substance (particularly in the case of the London Broncos holding company which was forced into liquidation by the Inland Revenue in 2005). Whilst it is true that Quins have been given special exemption from the player quota for several years, the quota has increasingly become a paper tiger due to the loopholes allowed by EU employment law, whilst flexibility with the laws of the game has never been a feature unique to the treatment of London based clubs.
The movement of the club from base to base over the past 27 years has undoubtedly hindered the development of the club, at each stop off the club has attempted to build-up a local presence only to see it abandoned with the next move. A firm settlement as Quins RL, at a modern stadium like The Twickenham Stoop which offers much needed facilities for hospitality, with solid management from the likes of Ian Lenagan will hopefully finally allow the club to develop the strength and depth it needs to become a serious challenger to the M62 clubs.
It’s also good to see the announcement that there are now 15,000 school children covered by the Quins development programme headed up by Kurt Pittman, the flow of players coming through the development system in the last couple of years has been a major bonus for the club and has removed the reliance on overseas players. With the Super League looking to reduce the number of imports and the club itself seeing the end of any advantage the quota may have once given, the development programme offers the chance to compete on a more even basis with the M62 clubs when it comes to tapping into the young player pool. There is massive potential in the South East of England and the growing improvement in the academy system and grass roots development is beginning to attract envious glances from some in the traditional heartlands.
Whilst there is a long way to go for Quins RL to truly establish itself as a serious threat to clubs such as St Helens, Bradford and Leeds improved ticket sales and promising youth development are positive steps in the right direction.
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