Conference Snippets 2006 Season
CO-OPERATIVE RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE
A record number of 88 clubs, covering three nations, will take the field this summer under the banner of the Rugby League Conference, as the competition celebrates the start of its tenth season.Ten new names join those from Scotland, who have become full members after last year?s affiliate status. In addition, Gosport & Fareham Vikings have returned to the fold and there is much less reliance on ?A? teams from Conference National sides.
The new clubs are: Billingham Lions, Macclesfield; Scunthorpe Barbarians and South Humber Rabbitohs who are both graduates of the Midland Merit League, Farnborough Falcons and Finchley-based North London Storm who came through the London League; Somerset Vikings A, Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles and Exeter Centurions.
Three sides have undergone name changes; Haringey Hornets reverting to their parent club London Skolars A; Aberavon Fighting Irish becoming Neath Port Talbot Steelers and South Norfolk Saints now Thetford Titans. Also, Plymouth have added the Titans moniker and other alterations see the advent of Moorends-Thorne Moor and Worksop-Rossington.
Reigning Harry Jepson Trophy holders South London Storm will kick off the 2007 RLC Premier League season in some style when they travel to West London Sharks. The capital clash, which kicks off at 3.45pm, will be played as a curtain raiser to the Harlequins V Wakefield Super League game at the Stoop on Saturday 14th April.
The high profile start to the middle tier of Conference competition is an indication of how far the competition has come. Storm claimed the silverware last year with a hugely impressive 30-0 win over East Lancashire Lions at Broadstreet in Coventry while in the other half of a double-header, Liverpool Buccaneers just held on to beat Thorne Moor Marauders in the RLC Regional decider on a memorable afternoon.
A further massive boost is the announcement that United Co-operatives have undertaken to sponsor the RLC over the next two seasons as part of its recent six-figure deal with the RFL, which will see it re-named the Co-operative Rugby League Conference. The package takes in Rugby League Conference National ? previously National League Three ? whose champions Bramley Buffaloes begin the defence of their crown away at promoted Cottingham Tigers on April 7th.
In terms of format, with three sides from last year?s Northern Premier plying their trade in RLC National ? East Lancashire, Leeds Akkies and Cottingham - that division now has a distinctly North East flavour to it. The Midlands Premier is strengthened by the inclusion of Gloucestershire Warriors and Somerset Vikings. The Warriors were promoted after successive divisional titles in 2005 and 2006 and an appearance in the Regional Grand Final in 2005 and the semi finals the following year. ?It?s going to be a challenge,? commented Chairman Chris Wilson, ?but one we are really looking forward to. We are anticipating a higher level of rugby every week and I think we will be competitive.? In the Southern Premier, St Albans Centurions bring their experience from National League 3 while Kent Ravens look to make the step up from Regional competition. In Wales, Bridgend Blue Bulls will be looking to retain their title of the Principality?s top dog with domestic competition there expecting a huge boost following Super League?s Millennium Magic weekend over the May Bank Holiday prior to the big kick off.
CO-OPERATIVE RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE PREMIER STRUCTURE
NORTHERN PREMIER
Newcastle Knights, Durham Tigers, Carlisle Centurions, Copeland Athletic, Peterlee Pumas, Jarrow Vikings, Sunderland Nissan, Whitley Bay Barbarians, Gateshead Storm A, Billingham Lions.
SOUTHERN PREMIER
South London Storm, Ipswich Rhinos, West London Sharks, London Skolars A, Kingston Warriors, St Albans Centurions, Kent Ravens.
MIDLANDS PREMIER
Telford Raiders, Nottingham Outlaws, Leicester Phoenix, Derby City, Coventry Bears, Birmingham Bulldogs, Gloucestershire Warriors, Somerset Vikings
WALES PREMIER
Bridgend Blue Bulls, West Wales Sharks, Valley Cougars, Torfaen Tigers, Neath Port Talbot Steelers, Newport Titans, Blackwood Bulldogs, Cardiff Demons.
National Semi Finals September 2nd, Grand Final September 9th
In the Regional competition, Scotland comes in as a division, the West Midlands and South West are split, the latter also becoming a new league. Yorkshire and the North Midlands combine and Cheshire and the North West now have their own separate identities.
WEST MIDLANDS
Bristol Sonics, Burntwood Barbarians, Redditch Ravens, Coventry Bears A, Oxford cavaliers, Wolverhampton Wizards
NORTH WEST
Blackpool Sea Eagles, Ormskirk Heelers, Liverpool Buccaneers, Widnes Saints, Warrington Wizards A
CHESHIRE
Crewe Wolves, Winnington Park, North Wales Coasters, Runcorn Vikings, Macclesfield
YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE
Leeds Akkies A, Scarborough Pirates, Bridlington Bulls, Moorends-Thorne Moor Marauders, Lincoln City Knights, Worksop-Rossington Sharks, Scunthorpe Barbarians, South Humber Rabbitohs
SOUTH
Broadstairs Bulldogs, Farnborough Falcons, North London Storm, Gosport & Fareham Vikings
SOUTH WEST
Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings A, Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions
EAST
St Ives Roosters, Cambridge Eagles, Colchester Romans, Bedford Tigers, Greenwich Admirals, Thetford Titans
SCOTLAND
Moray Eels, Glasgow Bulls, Fife Lions, Edinburgh Eagles, Paisley Hurricanes, Easterhouse Panthers
Format
Regular season made up of 12 rounds including cross conference fixtures where necessary except in South where there are eight rounds.
Play offs: all play offs apart from Scotland will be top three with 2 v 3 in week 1 followed by the Regional Final. In Scotland it will be a top 4 play off with 1 v 2 and 3 v 4 in week 1, Loser of game 1 v winner of game 2 in Week 2 and the Scottish Grand Final in Week 3
Divisional play offs: Home venue goes to the team with the best regular season playing record. If this is equal then percentage success rate will determine, followed by number of points scored and then number of points conceded. If they are still equal home venue will be decided by a coin toss.
Divisional Quarter Finals, August 18th, Semi Finals September 2nd, Grand Final September 9th.
South v South West
Winner v Winner
East v West Midlands
Grand Final
Cheshire v Yorks/Lincs
Winner v Winner
North West v Scotland Back to top
RLC Meeting
Prior to the beginning of the campaign, there will be the usual clubs meeting which this year will again be spilt and take place over the weekend of the 14th/15th April. The official launch will take place on the Saturday as part of the festival at the Stoop, with sides from the South, South West, Wales, Midlands and East present. Those from Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North East, Cheshire, North West and Scotland will congregate at Brighouse the following day with an onward trip to a Super League fixture for the delegates.Commenting on the new set up, Rugby League Services Manager Niel Wood - who has operational responsibility for the RLC ? said. ?This is the shape of Rugby League in 2007 and it is hard now for anyone to argue that it is not a genuine, truly national sport. Considering that the RLC officially started with 14 clubs and is now about to enter its tenth season with just over six times as many, it is a remarkable achievement that everyone who values the code should be justifiably proud of.? Back to top
Saints & Centurions Lift RLC Titles
Phil Caplan reports on yesterdays action from the Rugby League Conference Grand Finals ?.BEDFORD TIGERS 18 v 27 WIDNES SAINTS
Widnes Saints added the RLC Regional title to the Harry Jepson Trophy they won in 2004, proving a well known adage in sporting circles in the process, that teams going a man down invariably respond better to such adversity.
Having lost scrum half Craig Millington, sent off just before the break following an altercation, and 12-4 down at the time; Saints showed great composure, experience and ultimately discipline to emerge victorious.
Held together by stand off Dave Welsh who kicked intelligently and twice, crucially, stole the ball one on one as Bedford mounted a desperate late response; the men from Cheshire had sufficient potency from two try winger Chris Cartledge and guile courtesy of Ryan Millington for the gallant Tigers, who were surprisingly introverted after the interval.
Widnes allowed the kick off to bounce dead and were under immediate pressure, former Somerset Viking Jamie Goss leading the Tigers? charge.
Simon Bevan was taken in a high challenge and influential Bedford pivot Chris Potts landed the opening points with a penalty from wide out.
Tigers were penalised for crossing on half way and Saints showed a willingness to keep the ball alive that paid instant dividends.
Back rowers Alan Ditchfield and Gary McKeown were heavily involved, and having forced a drop out on the last, Jamie Edge, Craig Millington and Neil Bourke combined to send in Ste Riley wide out; Welsh missing the conversion.
Darren McKinnon?s interception repelled the next Bedford raid with Sam Richbell prominent but the weight of Tigers pressure told when Craig Millington?s pass went behind Mike Stevenson and Chris Lee gathered to race away from 30 metres, Potts adding the extras.
Another penetrating run from Goss induced a penalty but Potts was wide with the shot at goal, Goss again producing two quality charges from the drop out.
Cartledge served notice of his threat on the Widnes right but just put a foot in touch on a 30 metre run.
Just after the half hour Bedford hooker Nathan Reed put in a storming run from half way, initially shaping to kick but then taking on McKinnon and winning the race to touchdown out wide, Richbell missing the conversion but at 12-4 the men from the East looked in control.
Their odds shortened when Widnes had Craig Millington sent off, a high tackle by his brother Ryan on the excellent Graham Magill sparking an altercation.
As so often happens, the side down a man found a greater intensity in their game and finished the half the stronger.
Rangy stand off Welch put in a clever chip into space, Martin Leather sidefooted the ball inside and Cartledge gathered to score.
Cartledge had claims for another try disallowed at the start of the second period, when Welsh?s grubber just rolled dead and on the only real time in the second period Bedford looked for an overlap, the pass from Lee to Magill was forward.
McKinnon ran well out of defence for the Saints and from a back to back set, Cartledge showed great determination to put his side into a lead they never lost.
Dan Sharp was just held up over the line from Magill?s long pass as the Tigers sought a way back but they conceded three successive penalties to surrender territory and Stevenson?s lightening pace off the wing brought him a crucial score.
Bedford responded when Magill was first to react after Cameron Allsop had hacked through, Simon Bevan?s goal making it 20-18 to the Saints.
An eleven minute delay for a neck injury to Edge halted proceedings; Welsh dropping a goal on the restart to edge Widnes nearer the silverware.
Panic off loads hampered the Tigers in promising positions as Welsh came to the rescue to deny Sharp; Potts? bomb just being knocked on by Magill as Richbell looked to touch down.
Welsh produced his party piece to take possession from the dynamic Lee and when Ryan Millington kicked the ball at Richbell and forced a knock on just short of the Tigers? line, Kevin Buck shot over from acting half back to send the trophy back up the M6.
TIGERS
1 Simon Bevan, 2 Chris Aubury, 3 Marrick Murphy, 4 Cameron Allsop, 5 Chris Lee, 6 Dan Sharp, 7 Chris Potts, 8 Jamie Goss, 9 Nathan Reed, 10 Sam Richbell, 11 Dave Rowling, 12 Gary Flook, 13 Matt Hughes, Subs (all used), 14 Graham Magill, 15 Dan Baroux, 16 Jack Brown, 17 Jamie Stead
Tries: Lee (16), Reed (31), McGill (63)
Goals: Potts 2/3, Richbell 0/1, Bevan 1/1
SAINTS
1 Darren McKinnon, 2 Chris Cartledge, 3 Martin Leather, 4 Ste Riley, 5 Mike Stevenson, 6 Dave Welsh, 7 Craig Millington, 8 Tony Hannon, 9 Kevin Buck, 10 Neil Bourke, 11 Jamie Edge, 12 Alan Ditchfield, 13 Gary McKeown, Subs (all used), 14 Ryan Millington, 17 Chris Fenlon, 18 Andy Hibbert, 19 Will Tilleke
Tries: Riley (11), Cartledge (39, 50), Stevenson (59), Buck (76)
Goals: Welsh 0/2 Bourke 3/3
D/goal: Welsh
Sent off: C. Millington (36 ? foul play)
Men of the match:
TIGERS ? Chris Lee SAINTS ? David Welsh
Half time: 12-8
Referee: Darren Hayes
COVENTRY BEARS 20 v 28 ST ALBANS CENTURIONS
The final one hundred per cent record in the 2007 RLC Premier season went in the last match as St Albans Centurions picked up their first ever silverware.
The Centurions carried off the Harry Jepson Trophy following a superb contest in front of a four figure attendance.
The tenth Grand Final showed just how far this competition has come, some tremendous individual skills punctuating an enthralling contest.
Saints diligently built a 12 point lead, feasting off some early errors in possession by the Bears but the home city club fought back tremendously to level at the start of the second half, only for the Centurions to spring back into life to wrest the spoils.
There were stand out performers throughout; St Albans indebted to Bev Risman Medal winner Tom Pritchard for his industry, Adam Cox was superb out of dummy half and Dene Miller class out wide alongside the dangerous Oli Fountain.
For the disconsolate Bears, scrum half Scott Clendenning-Fenton was a constant menace in midfield in partnership with Graham Healey, James Howitt of the beaver hair-do ran himself ragged and Mark Hyslop could not have tried any harder at the back.
Twice Coventry spilt possession in the opening sets and after Rhidian Booth had been penalised for a high tackle on Paul Maloney, Cox burrowed over for the opening score.
A Booth charge made amends but Iestyn Pratt was gang tackled into touch after good work from the Coventry half backs.
Howitt lost the ball in his own half and from the scrum, Dan Wortley and Shane Rampling set Miller in motion and the Scottish international - who once scored five tries in a match against the Bears - cruised over; Pritchard?s second conversion making it 12-0 in as many minutes.
The Bears set about re-building their game plan, long passes again through Clendenning-Fenton and Healey seeing Kristian Warner brilliantly working his way back into play from a kick.
Twice Coventry were penalised in possession to undo some good approach play but their resilience was finally rewarded close to half time.
Healey was held down on the last tackle and from the tap penalty; Clendenning-Fenton?s short pass sent Tim Stevens into a hole for a classy score.
As the first half came to an end, Clendenning-Fenton?s long pass was intercepted by Rudi van der Merwe and Stuart Lee pulled off a try saver.
Coventry signalled their intent at the start of the second period with some expansive play, Fountain producing a tremendous tackle to deny Stephens.
The respite for St Albans was temporary; Healey conjured a superb chip over and reached it ahead of two defenders, his conversion levelling.
Centurions showed tremendous ability and togetherness to immediately hit back and re-turn the tide.
Wortley, Nick Surtees and Rampling got Pritchard free out wide and he turned the ball back inside for Fountain to cross.
Coventry were penalised from the re-start and another Pritchard charge set the position although there was some controversy about the score that followed.
Maloney?s round the man pass looked to have gone forward but Warner cleverly dribbled the ball on and picked up to send van der Merwe across with an inside pass.
Ten points down with as many minutes left, Coventry were forced into catch up and assiduous Alan Robinson?s off load was picked off by Rampling; Wortley, Surtees and Mark Wren sending in Fountain for his second.
To their credit, the Bears refused to throw in the towel and hit back with two late scores that proved to be just consolation.
Healey was held up over the line but a quick transfer by Clendenning-Fenton and Stevens saw Lee cross in the corner for his 16th try of the season.
In the closing minutes Chris True did well to run the ball back but his long pass was picked off by Clendenning-Fenton who juggled the ball before grasping it in and claiming his deserved score.
GAME STAR ? St Albans second rower Tom Pritchard summed up the effort and endeavour of his team mates, always eager to drive the ball in, clever at slipping a pass and a fine goal kicker to boot.
GAME BREAKER ? Oli Fountain?s second try, eight minutes from time to give his side a three score lead for the first and only time and proved to be decisive.
BEARS
1 Mark Hyslop, 2 Mike Whetstone, 3 Stuart Lee, 4 Iestyn Pratt, 5 Tom Shaw, 6 Graham Healey, 7 Scott Clendenning-Fenton, 8 James Howitt, 9 Alex Brown, 20 Rhidian Booth, 11 Tim Stevens, 12 Lee Ashford, 23 Ty Watson, Subs (all used), 15 Matt Allsopp, 10 Alan Robinson, 13 Aaron Jarvis, 17 Ryan Jenkins
Tries: Stevens (35), Healey (52), Lee (75), Clendenning-Fenton (77)
Goals: Healey 2/4
CENTURIONS
1 Kristian Warner, 2 Chris True, 3 Russell Kellaway, 4 Dene Miller, 5 Oli Fountain, 6 Shane Rampling, 7 Dan Wortley, 8 Andy Lake, 21 Adam Cox, 10 Nick Surtees, 11 Paul Maloney, 12 Tom Pritchard, 13 Mark Wren, Subs (all used), 14 Roy Dube, 15 Andrew Millar, 16 Rudi van der Merwe, 17 Peter Chapman
Tries: Cox (5), Miller (12), Fountain (58, 72), van der Merwe (63)
Goals: Pritchard 4/5
Man of the match:
BEARS ? Tim Stevens CENTURIONS ? Tom Pritchard
Half time: 6-12
Penalty count: 8-8
Referee: Richie Rees (Wales) Back to top
