Rugby League
Rugby league is one of the two major codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union. It is a full contact game, played by two teams of 13 players.
Players on field are divided into forwards and backs. Each position has a designated number, 1 to 13. Numbers 14 to 17 are given to players starting on the bench, who will come into the game as substitutes for other players who are injured, in need of a rest, or less suited to the coach's strategy for that particular phase of the game.
Rugby league is played in more than 30 countries, though it is most commonly played in the United Kingdom (predominantly northern England) Australia and New Zealand.
The professional game
Barrow Raiders are one of Rugby Leagues most historic professional clubs. They have played at Wembley 5 times, wining the Challenge Cup in 1955. They have produced several International Test players, the most famous perhaps being Willie Horne. The clubs last major honour was the Division 2 title in 2004. Although they are currently out of the games top division called the ‘Super League’ the club has aspirations to one day get back to the top. The Raiders currently play in the National League Division 2 and play at they play at the Craven Park Fingerprints Stadium.
The amateur club game
The Barrow and SouthLakes area has a strong tradition of playing amateur rugby. In Askam and Dalton they have two of the oldest clubs in the country. The local clubs play in national leagues and their own Barrow & District League. Askam play in the National Conference. BarrowIsland, Walney Central, Roose Pioneers, Ulverston, Dalton and Hindpool all play in the North West Counties Leagues and Marsh Hornets and all the aforementioned clubs second teams play in the Barrow & District League. The Local League also runs a junior league in the following age groups, U8’s, U10’s, U12’s, U14’s and U16’s. Most clubs have at least one or two age groups with some clubs having the full compliment. Two of the clubs have the Clubmark status which means they are recognised by Sport England as having good child practices, a structured and well run club and good sports ethics and equity. These clubs are Ulverston and BarrowIsland although most local clubs are beginning to undergo the process of obtaining Clubmark.
The game in schools
For many years schools in the Barrow area have played in localised competitions which have run mainly due to the dedication of enthusiastic teachers. Secondary Schools in the Barrow area also enter the Rugby Leagues biggest ever schools competition. In 2007 a total of 405 schools took part in the Carnegie Champion Schools Tournament, with 1300 boys teams and 221 girls teams taking part. In the last 5 years alone 5,000 teams and 90,000 pupils have taken part and it is now by far the largest Rugby League competition in the world. The SouthLakes area is an area where the RFL and the local professional Club are looking to target in order to increase the number of schools playing the game by offering coaching and help with Administration.
Professional support provided to the sport
Through The Rugby Football League (The RFL is the sports governing body) National Development Strategy development groups called ‘Service Areas’ have been set up throughout the country to assist all in the development of the sport. Barrow & SouthLakes is the Service Area and the coordinator is Lee O’Brien. The Service Area is helped by the Barrow Raiders by the Community Development Officer Dave Clark and the professional players help by coaching in schools. It is also assisted in helping Local Rugby League by all the Local clubs and the Local League. Full time staff are employed by the RFL to cover the sport in the area through the North West Regional Development Manager Chris Thair.
For more information on how to get involved in Rugby League in Barrow and South Lakeland, contact Lee O'Brian, the Service Area Co-ordinator on 07716253100.
USEFUL WEBSITES
The Rugby Football League website is the official Rugby League site. This site has information on national and international games, as well as community rugby and rugby in schools. You can also order tickets for forthcoming fixtures.
Cumberland Rugby League Referees Society have recently launched their new website. This new site will give anyone access to news and other material regarding the Cumberland Rugby League Referees Society as well as links to the RFL's Safeguarding, In League Together and Respect programmes. The website also aims to provide a point of contact via the web for those people interested in getting involved in Match Officiating as the society looks to develop and expand.
CONTACT
Alan Davidson - County Development Manager, RFL T: 01900 702540 M: 07515 753 675
Peter Wharton - Match Officials Development Officer T: 01768 863450 ext 211 M: 07764627103