The start of a new decade and the dream of Wembley has the same pull as it did in 1897 when this glorious competition began. Since its inception the Challenge Cup has seen some of the most remarkable upsets in the sport and winners from every corner of the game from Workington Town to Catalan Dragon’s and everywhere in between. Perhaps the greatest upset of all time came in 1998 when John Kear masterminded a sensational win for Sheffield Eagles against the almighty, all conquering Wigan Warriors at the Old Wembley.
Back to the here and now and our friends at the league one hub will be on the road to sunny Cumbria and Distington where they will entertain a Bedford Tigers side who are entering the side for the first time in the clubs history.
Distington are going into the game as overwhelming favourite having reached the 3rd round on a couple of occasions in the last few season. For Bedford it’s their 1st venture into the Cumbrian Rugby heartland, although with the ever expanding game I don’t think it’ll be their last. It will however be a mammoth trip for the club who lie just 57 miles north of London in the county of Bedfordshire.
Bedford will be buoyed by the fact that they are an unknown entity to their opposition and in knock out rugby anything can and often will happen.
Our friends at the league one hub will be covering the game via a live feed on their twitter page.
*if you are getting the train the best place to go is either Whitehaven or Workington and get the bus to distington.
** car is the M6 to Junction 40 at Penrith then follow the signs to Whitehaven coming off at the A595 1st turn off at Lakes college, Distington and Bypass route.
The 2020 Betfred League 1 fixtures were released yesterday (17/11) – we will have a Yorkshire derby in the mix as early as Round One as Keighley Cougars welcome Hunslet to Cougar Park on Sunday 16th February.
The Betfred League One competition logo used in 2019.
The season itself begins on Saturday 15th as Promotion finalists Newcastle Thunder welcome the West Wales Raiders to Kingston Park in what will be a tough test for the Raiders in only their 3rd season in League 1.
Newcomers Barrow Raiders will have a bye in round one. Their first match will be in Round 2 as they’re away to Richard Horne’s Doncaster while fellow relegation partners Rochdale Hornets will take to the M6 in the opening round as they head to Butts Park, Coventry in an attempt to tame the Bears.
Back into Wales again as Anthony Murray and North Wales Crusaders who will host Doncaster at Queensferry stadium.
In the final game of the round, London Skolars will make a 646 mile round trip to Cumbria as they will face Chris Thorman’s Workington. Thorman’s side will attempt to continue their impressive home form – just 4 League losses in 2 seasons!
The RFL have also introduced a new Golden Point rule to the Championship and League One should teams be level after 80 minutes. Both teams will receive a point with a third point being offered to the team who scored first during ‘Extra Time’
We are delighted to present a match report of England Women v PNG Orchids produced by Greg Robinson.
Special comments have been added by Leeds Rhinos’ Danika Priim!
England facing off against PNG Orchids in the World Cup 9s.
Danika: ‘It was a perfect start from England with Tara Jones, playing out of position in the centres, scoring the first try within after just a minute. This, along with previous weekend’s win, gave England an added boost of confidence. PNG’s Elisie Albert led the way with some bone crunching tackles – they got on the scoreboard after a controversial score & took the lead.’
Danika: PNG came out flying in the second half and replicated England’s start with a try within 2 mins. England needed to settle but it seemingly added some pressure shown with more unforced errors. The impact of Grace field coming off the bench was exactly what England needed as she added the strength and resilience down the middle to force PNG back in contact.
Danika: ‘PNG’s first try gave the Orchids the confidence to go forward along with a very strong defensive & great first contact. This put England on the back foot’
However England weren’t going to go down easily and, courtesy of some big hits from Grace Field, were starting to restrict PNG’s attacking metres. They got their reward for big defensive efforts when captain Emily Rudge, buoyed from her 4 try performance last week, was too powerful and got the ball down to give England a chance of hope.
The game seemed to be swinging back in England’s favour after a monster kick from Castleford’s Roche which was chased by Leeds’ Caitlin Beevers – forcing a repeat set. England didn’t score in that next set but eventually, Roche drew in defenders and played Naomi Williams, who scored 5m in from the touchline! Stanley managed to convert the tough game which saw a England level the scores!
It seemed that we’d be heading towards a draw.. but with seconds remaining, England’s hearts were shattered. The PNG Orchids broke through the line, stepped under the clutches of Tara Stanley and scored a match-winner, which caused wild celebrations on the pitch and in the stands. PNG are one of the most passionate nations when it comes to Rugby League which became visible when one of their players couldn’t hold back tears during the hooter.
Danika: The test series ended 1-1. A life changing experience and a great opportunity for the younger and less experienced girls to get a feel for International Rugby prior to the 2021 World Cup. Well done ladies, it’s been a great experience to follow but congratulations to PNG on winning their first ever test match on home soil – a historic and momentous occasion in front of an absolutely awesome crowd!
Danika: ‘England getting 2 quick tries in succession helped to gain back some momentum in the second half’
Danika: ‘The PNG crowd were an added man. Their support was audible and they cheered every tackle & break’
PNG fans are arguably the most passionate according to Danika
England are likely to be disappointed with the result and the number of errors, especially considering they received a convincing win over identical opposition just a week ago. For those who were up before early, they were treated to a great clash which was made possible due to the Women’s Rugby League revolution.
Danika ‘Elsie Albert (PNG) was the standout player on her side with Grace Field (England) having a massive impact when she came on – they’re my two women of the match!’
Elsie Albert (pictured), who put in a strong shift for PNG today.
We are delighted to announce our 3rd Q&A in Rugby League Scene history!
It’s quite a special one as we catch up with England Women International Caitlin Beevers! The 18-year-old is currently on tour in Papua New Guinea but she has managed to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to chat to us!
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself; your age, why you became a rugby player, current club & position?
I’m Caitlin Beevers and 18 years old. I became a Rugby League player when I was 6 years old and got into it because my Mum and Dad asked my twin brother if he was interested in joining a local team and I interrupted asking ‘what about me?’. I started off at Birstall Victoria but when I was too old to play for the boys team, I took a year out until I found a girls team I’d like to join. During this gap year, I decided to try out refereeing.
Q: 2019 has been a massive year for you – what’s been your favourite part of this year?
I’d say my highlight of 2019 (so far) would have to be my 18th birthday – We (Leeds) won the Super League Women’s Grand Final against Castleford Women in what was the first EVER Women’s game to be broadcast on Sky. Straight after the game, I went to Australia for the Downer World Cup 9s in Australia… that day will be hard to top!
Beevers flying the flag for England at the World Cup 9s Media event in Sydney with the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. Credit: NRL.com
Q: You made history in Sydney by playing in the first ever Women’s 9s – how did that feel?
It felt amazing participating in the first ever Women’s 9s tournament and even better being treated exactly the same as the men (regarding pay etc). Playing on such a big stage (Parramatta’s Bankwest) was an unbelievable experience and one that I hope to be able to repeat again in the future.
Q: Not only did you play but you were also named in the Women’s 9s Team of the Tournament – what did you think when this was initially announced?
Obviously I was over the moon to be selected as part of the “Team of the Tournament” but also, was extremely shocked as it’s something I could only have dreamt of. Although being recognised in this way was a great honour, the credit must go to all of my teammates for their efforts.
Q: Many people forget this but you’re also an RFL Referee – how do you balance out such a busy life?
Refereeing is a huge part of my life and something I’ve always enjoyed. Knowing the rules as a referee contributes to my playing game massively. It is difficult to juggle both playing and reffing but I really don’t mind because of how much I enjoy them both. At the moment, I’m lucky I can make it work. Whenever I’m not playing or training I will be refereeing.
Then 17-year-old Beevers pictured with her medal after refereeing at the prestigious Wembley Stadium. Credit: Beevers (Twitter)
We also received a couple of questions from one of our followers, Phil Rogers, and have received Caitlin’s answers below!
Q: Do you think the Women’s game gets the exposure it deserves?
The Women’s game is beginning to get recognised – this is shown by the tours that me and my teammates have been/are on and the fact that BOTH the Women’s Challenge Cup & Grand Finals were televised. I think it’s really special as it gives the Women’s game the exposure it truly deserves.
Beevers celebrating her 18th birthday after winning the Women’s Super League Grand Final at the Totally Wicked Stadium on the 11th October! Credit: BBC
Q: How do you think we should get more young girls involved?
I think the way to get more young girls to take part in rugby league is, like mentioned previously, promotion. Having other Super League clubs backing the women & having the players as amazing role models to younger girls will help build the game. They are the future!
As we tweeted out earlier today, you can watch Caitlin in action with England Women tomorrow as they take on the PNG Orchids in their second test.
The game will be LIVE on the BBC with a 5am kick-off time – our Twitter page will also be providing regular updates.
Our second article has been produced by Ben Long as he discusses 6 transfers with a point to prove in 2020!
The 2019 Super League campaign may have finished less than a month ago, but I’m already looking ahead to what 2020 has in store and have identified six intriguing transfers, each with a point to prove at their new clubs.
Danny Richardson to Castleford Tigers
An interesting one. 2018 Dream Team halfback Danny Richardson suffered an almighty fall from grace in 2019, going from being tipped by many to be a certainty for England in the near future to struggling to get a game. Richardson is a talent. He can kick goals for fun, has good support play and is fairly dangerous with ball in hand with his guile and evasive skills. However, he is far from the finished article and ultimately wasn’t strong enough defensively to retain his place in the St Helens line-up. His decision making under pressure also wasn’t the best, especially in the big games and perhaps the demanding role of the dominant halfback took its toll but without sounding too critical, I am looking forward to seeing how Richardson gets on at the Jungle.
Saints’ Danny Richardson celebrating after kicking a drop goal against Leeds at Headingley.
Replacing former Man of Steel Luke Gale, Richardson certainly has some big boots to fill but I believe has the confidence in his own ability to not be phased by the challenge. Daryl Powell, a former halfback himself, is renowned for his excellent man-management and has overseen some terrific attacking setups that made Castleford the most entertaining team in the competition, allowing his playmakers to really flourish. Richardson could be a fit for the Tigers. He has a few deficiencies as mentioned earlier but I think the positives of this transfer outweigh the negatives as far as Castleford are concerned. A young hungry halfback with a point to prove and will improve with experience. I’m not convinced Rankin or Mata’tuia were the answers to Castleford’s problems in the halves and Gale, having suffered a horrific injury, is now on the wrong side of 30 so it really isn’t bad business.
Pauli Pauli to Salford Red Devils
Former Parramatta Eels and Newcastle Knights powerhouse Pauli Pauli is a real enigma of a player. Possibly the biggest man in English rugby league, weighing around 129 kilos, Pauli’s big strength as a player is charging onto short balls and drop offs near the opposition’s try-line; the former Samoa international can be an absolutely devastating attacking strike weapon. However, in truth he was a disappointment for Wakefield in 2019. He enjoyed a very good second half of 2018 but just didn’t kick on the following season. His tackling technique is questionable at times and his defensive work rate can be very poor. He didn’t quite have the same level of desire and hunger in 2019 and as a result just wasn’t as destructive with ball in hand as he was the previous season, not quite applying his explosive power as much as he could have done.
Ian Watson is a terrific coach and could well give him the motivation to maintain fitness and supply the attacking drills to get the best out of Pauli. But nevertheless, in order to improve his performances on a consistent basis Pauli needs to improve his work rate and tackling technique. Performances ultimately matter more than attributes and the juggernaut will hopefully apply his ferocious power to games on a weekly basis in 2020. He could quite easily either prove a flop or a match winner for the Red Devils.
Ashton Golding to Huddersfield Giants
Another interesting one. During the Jamaican international’s time at his hometown club Leeds, Golding’s last-ditch defensive efforts and attacking work rate could never be questioned. He makes plenty of yards on kick returns and certainly isn’t one to go missing. However, when chiming into the line his ball playing skills just weren’t good enough to nail down that no.1 shirt and his all-round attacking decision making with ball in hand often let him down. This is very much a fresh start for Golding though and could well be his last chance to prove himself a Super League player. He has plenty to offer for the Giants with his versatility, never-say die attitude and tough defence. Darnell Mclntosh, a young fullback with guile and effortless athleticism was among Huddersfield’s biggest attacking threats last season and Golding, more of a defensive fullback, could be in for an intriguing battle to nail down the first-choice fullback spot at the John’s Smiths.
Ashton Golding representing Featherstone on behalf of their dual reg club Leeds. Credit: BBC
Matt Parcell to Hull Kingston Rovers
Maybe a slightly controversial one as Parcell is generally quite highly rated among Super League fans. The Australian hooker was among the Rhinos’ best players in their 2017 title-winning campaign, but in truth never really kicked on after that.
Matt Parcell (pictured) playing his preferred hooker role in the 2019 Hull derby. Credit: Sky Sports
He did however make a big impact at Craven Park when he arrived at the East-Hull club on loan during the back end of last season, and it is little surprise he is widely regarded by the Rovers’ faithful as the club’s best off-season signing going into 2020. Revealed as officially one of the competition’s fastest players, Parcell is a dangerous dummy-half runner who isn’t afraid of a scoot from the ruck. Speed and a rugby brain is a dangerous combination. Playing off slower play-the-balls in 2018 and 2019 clearly didn’t help the former Brisbane Bronco but he was starting to lose his fear factor. A new club and one where he will be one of the best strike players could be the injection required for Parcell to get back to his best.
Josh Drinkwater to Catalan Dragons
Drinkwater is a halfback that divides opinion and understandably so. He is a dominant 7 that takes charge of the kicking game and gives a team direction and structure. His close-range kicking game is very good on his day. On the other hand, he is not the type of player to take a game by the scruff of the neck and can be predictable with ball in hand.
Josh Drinkwater (pictured) playing in France for Catalan Dragons during his first stint at the club in 2018.
After a successful spell at Catalan during the second half of 2018, being very instrumental in the change of fortunes in the South of France as the Dragons went from relegation candidates when he arrived to Challenge Cup winners, Rovers supporters had high hopes when he signed for their club. Despite having the odd good game, Drinkwater struggled playing behind an inferior pack to the one at Catalan the year before and never lived up to the hype at Craven Park.
It was confirmed recently the Australian will be making a return to the South of France where he played by far the best rugby of his career. Similarly to Drinkwater, Catalan endured a disappointing 2019 and the pressure is on Drinkwater to guide the Dragons around the park in what will hopefully for Catalan be a season of more stability, having been on the receiving end of a few thrashings in 2019.
Luke Gale to Leeds Rhinos
Having played just thirteen games over the course of 2018 and 2019, many Super League supporters are understandably skeptical Gale will ever get close to the level he reached in 2017 when he won the prestigious Man of Steel. The transfer fee of Gale to Leeds from Castleford is believed to be in the region of £160,000. A major gamble no doubt as the 31-year-old hasn’t played since a horrific Achilles injury sustained during pre-season.
Castleford celebrating with Luke Gale after his successful drop goal in the 2018 Super League Semi-Final against Saints
However, the off-season is ultimately all about recruiting in areas of weakness and it’s no secret Leeds desperately lacked an organising halfback with a kicking game last season. Due to being written off by many going into 2020, Gale is undoubtedly playing with a point to prove and this will probably be the last club he plays for in his Super League career. Leeds are also of course Gale’s hometown club so the motivation will surely be there. Playing alongside the skillful and unpredictable Robert Lui, Leeds’ new halfback pairing looks very promising. Lui has the ball skills and guile to unlock any defence and Gale has the kicking game and organisation skills to get the team around the park. Whether it works out or not for Gale, he is certainly in for an intriguing personal 2020. It will be a big test of his character and resilience, coming back from two long-term injuries.
In our first article on our new website, our director Dan discusses the 5 players he thinks will shake up Super League in 2020.
Anthony Gelling (Warrington)
Everyone knows Gelling for his humorous social media posts but after a couple of years away, he is returning to Super League!
Gelling, 29, played for New Zealand Warriors in 2018 & had been playing for Widnes in 2019 but due to their financial problems, could not stay there any longer. He has a new home for 2020 but it’s not with his former club, Wigan. Instead, it’s with the reigning Challenge Cup Winners Warrington Wolves.
Anthony Gelling after he ‘picked Warrington’s pockets’ back in 2016. Credit: SARL
Gelling has just performed out of his skin during his inaugural 9s tournament by participating with the Cook Islands side which shocked both Tonga (30-7) & Fiji (12-10) so Warrington fans have high expectations.
George Burgess (Wigan)
Yorkshire-born Burgess has ended his 8-year stint with South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL to join Wigan as one of their marquee signings in 2020!
George Burgess (pictured) after Souths had been eliminated. Credit: Getty Images
The England
International often plays as a prop but recently, has been in controversy with
two incidents regarding eye gouging – both of which saw punishments – which
means that he has not played in the last few months.
However, George
will enter pastures new in 2020 by beginning his Super League career with the
Warriors – a side who have a number of well-known & gifted players including
heavily-experienced veteran Sean O’Loughlin, rapid wingers Dom Manfredi
& Joe Burgess and Liam Farrell, who has been granted a testimonial year.
All of the above players have been recognised for their skill by being
participants in previous Super League Dream Teams.
Gareth Widdop (Warrington)
One of Warrington’s marquee signings who, along with other marquee Blake Austin, will form their half-backs for 2020.
Wolves star & England International Gareth Widdop playing for NRL’s St George. Credit: Sky Sports
30-year-old Widdop will be beginning his Super League career and
like George Burgess, will bring a plethora of NRL experience. Widdop has played
196 NRL games with 125 of these being with his most recent club, St George
Illawarra, where he was awarded the prestigious accolade of Dally M Five-Eighth
of the Year in 2017 for a series of impressive performances. The past two years
have been tough for the England International as he, unfortunately, dislocated
his shoulder twice & therefore, needed reconstructions.
Warrington fans have already seen Widdop play at the Halliwell Jones as he featured in the St George side which defeated the Wolves 18-12 back in the 2015 World Club Series.
James Maloney (Catalan)
A very impressive gain for Super League is the Australian half-back Maloney, who will join the Perpignan-based Catalan Dragons after signing as their marquee from Penrith Panthers on a 3-year deal.
Maloney brings the most experience over to the UK with an
impressive 249 NRL appearances across 5 different clubs; Melbourne Storm, NZ
Warriors, Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks & Penrith Panthers. Maloney also
brings over his 14 games of State of Origin experience including two
performances during Game II & III in last year’s series which New South
Wales went on to win for the second successive year.
James Maloney (pictured) attempting to kick at goal during the famous State of Origin. Credit: 9WWOS
Catalan will have to wait a while to see their stalwart player in action – their first home game is Round 1 against Huddersfield Giants (Saturday 1st Feb)
Mahe Fonua (Hull FC)
Finally, we have chosen Tongan international Mahe Fonua, who will
return for his second stint with Hull FC for 2020 and beyond!
Fonua, along with his 58 previous games for Hull where he scored
31 tries, will bring over his 72 additional games of NRL background (51 for Melbourne
& 21 for West Tigers). Alike with Widdop, the past two years have been
tough for Melbourne-born Mahe as he has sustained a broken arm & a season
ending injury.
Fans will remember incredibly powerful Fonua for his contributions towards FC’s two Challenge Cup victories (2016 v Warrington & 2017 v Wigan) along with his performances which earned him two appearances in the Super League Dream Team.
Mahe Fonua celebrating with the Hull FC faithful after their Challenge Cup victory! Credit: Daily Mail
When could you see these players in Super League action?
You may see Gareth Widdop, Anthony Gelling & George Burgess in action on Thursday 30st January as the 2020 Super League kicks off LIVE on Sky Sports with a recently-renewed rivalry as Wigan take on Warrington at the DW Stadium (KO: 7:45pm)
As we mentioned earlier, Catalan Dragons & James Maloney will first be action on Saturday 1st February at the Stade Gilbert Brutus as they battle the Huddersfield Giants (KO: 5pm GMT).
To see Mahe Fonua, Hull FC fans are going to have to wait even longer. The Black and Whites’ opening round fixture sees them play the Leeds Rhinos as part of a history-making double header at Emerald Headingley on Sunday 2nd February (KO: 4:45pm).
The Rugby League Scene 