All Golds v Newcastle Thunder KPL1 2017
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FREE MATCHDAY MAGAZINE<br />
JUNE 4 th <strong>2017</strong> | KO 3pm<br />
PRINCE OF WALES STADIUM<br />
ALL GOLDS vs. NEWCASTLE THUNDER<br />
HERE COMES<br />
THE THUNDER...<br />
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:<br />
• THUNDER PREVIEW<br />
• MATCH REPORTS<br />
• WEST OF ENGLAND<br />
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ALL GOLD<br />
CONTENTS AND INFO<br />
04 WELCOME<br />
06 THUNDER HISTORY<br />
08 THUNDER PREVIEW<br />
10 CLUB DIRECTORY<br />
12 THUNDER BACK IN TOWN<br />
14 ALL GOLDS MATCH REPORTS<br />
16 CHELTENHAM JUNIOR RL<br />
17 WEST OF ENGLAND<br />
18 FLAME OF THE WEST<br />
20 STEVE PARRY FEATURE<br />
22 STUDENT RL<br />
24 FIXTURES & RESULTS<br />
26 SQUAD LINE-UPs<br />
CLUB INFORMATION<br />
UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL GOLDS<br />
Home Ground: The Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham<br />
Offices:<br />
Oxstalls Campus, Longlevens, Gloucester. GL2 9HW<br />
Telephone: 01242 714468<br />
Email:<br />
allgolds@glos.ac.uk<br />
Official website: allgoldsrugby.com<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
Lionel Hurst LL.B<br />
ADVISORY BOARD<br />
Krista Woodman, Ken Stone,<br />
Kevan Blackadder<br />
GENERAL MANAGER<br />
Patrick Evans<br />
HEAD COACH<br />
Lee Greenwood<br />
ASSISTANT COACHES<br />
Anthony Murray,<br />
Dan Poulton<br />
S&C COACHES<br />
Nick Lane, Joe Festa<br />
TEAM MANAGER<br />
Martin Lovegrove<br />
KIT AND LOGISTICS<br />
David Friend<br />
CLUB DOCTOR<br />
Phil Cox<br />
HEAD PHYSIOTHERAPIST<br />
James Clap<br />
SPORTS THERAPIST<br />
Katy Stephens<br />
NUTRITION PARTNER<br />
Nutrition X<br />
SKY TRY AND<br />
COMMUNITY MANAGER<br />
Kane Krlic<br />
BUSINESS AND SPONSORSHIP<br />
Sophia Wood-Jenkins<br />
MATCHDAY CO-ORDINATOR<br />
Fee Cragg<br />
MEDIA MANAGER/EDITOR<br />
Chris Wilson<br />
SOCIAL MEDIA & JOURNALIST<br />
Patrick Baines, Jack Conlon<br />
PHOTOGRAPHERS<br />
Lewis Mitchell, Glenn Watts<br />
ALL GOLDS TV<br />
Jeremy Power<br />
ALL GOLD DESIGNER<br />
Craig Paul Design Ltd<br />
06<br />
THUNDER<br />
HISTORY<br />
08<br />
THUNDER<br />
PREVIEW<br />
14<br />
MATCH<br />
REPORTS<br />
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WELCOME TO THE ALL GOLD<br />
WRITTEN BY CHRIS WILSON<br />
4<br />
We are just over halfway<br />
through the first part of the<br />
league season. I look at it as a bit<br />
like qualifying for a motor race.<br />
Toronto and Barrow are Lewis<br />
Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel<br />
haring off into the distance<br />
while the rest of the teams scrap<br />
for the remaining places on the<br />
grid before qualifying ends on<br />
16 July. Answers on a postcard<br />
which driver you think the <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong> most take after!<br />
The difference is mainly that the<br />
13-a-side ‘drivers’ start the actual<br />
race with the results achieved<br />
during qualifying to make the<br />
second part of the season<br />
effectively a handicap. Whether<br />
they should carry the points<br />
earned over into the play-offs is<br />
an argument for a long winter’s<br />
evening. But it’s a situation likely<br />
to remain as it is for the time<br />
being.<br />
League 1 is developing into a<br />
really interesting scrap with<br />
about a dozen sides in the hunt<br />
for a top eight place behind the<br />
Raiders and Wolfpack including,<br />
of course the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>. This<br />
means that picking up points<br />
is vital to stay in the hunt and<br />
hopefully a win this week will do<br />
just that for the Golden Fern.<br />
Elsewhere, congratulations go<br />
to the Barrow Raiders who<br />
lifted the League 1 Cup last<br />
weekend in Blackpool, their first<br />
silverware since 2009, beating<br />
our conquerors North Wales<br />
Crusaders in an exciting match<br />
that was in doubt until the final<br />
few minutes. It was a fitting way<br />
to draw the curtain down on the<br />
competition, which I understand<br />
won’t take place next year.<br />
The Student World Cup draws<br />
ever closer and the club is<br />
immensely proud of those <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong> selected for the England<br />
squad. They have each made<br />
important contributions to the<br />
team over the past few weeks<br />
and they will be missed but it’s<br />
a tremendous honour to gain<br />
selection particularly for such a<br />
prestigious tournament and we<br />
wish them good luck.<br />
Of course we also send<br />
congratulations to those UGRL<br />
players selected for the Welsh,<br />
Irish and Scottish Student World<br />
Cup squads for what will be an<br />
intense fortnight of competition<br />
beginning next month.<br />
Again on the team front, it’s<br />
a warm welcome to Brad<br />
Hargreaves who will be making<br />
his home debut this afternoon -<br />
if selected, of course. Welcome<br />
to Gloucestershire, Brad, and we<br />
hope you enjoy your time as an<br />
<strong>All</strong> Gold.<br />
This edition of the <strong>All</strong> Gold<br />
covers the usual angles with<br />
contributions from Pat Baines<br />
and Jack Conlon focusing on the<br />
game today, George Cowburn<br />
takes a look at the <strong>Thunder</strong>cats<br />
(not something I’m familiar with,<br />
I’m afraid) while I put finger to<br />
keyboard to look at the RFL’s<br />
proposal for a Southern Rugby<br />
League in 2018, which could, in<br />
the future, assist clubs like the <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong>, Hemel Stags, Coventry<br />
and Oxford, etc.<br />
Jack also has penned a great<br />
feature on our captain Steve<br />
Parry and there’s a round-up<br />
of the opening two weeks of<br />
action in the West of England<br />
league<br />
There’s some great writing and<br />
perceptive analysis throughout<br />
so wherever you read this, I hope<br />
you find it thought provoking<br />
but above all enjoyable.<br />
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THUNDER HAS NINE LIVES<br />
WRITTEN BY GEORGE COWBURN<br />
6<br />
If the saying that a cat has nine lives is true, then<br />
Gateshead/<strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Thunder</strong> must be a cat - a<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong>cat perhaps? (Ask anyone in their mid<br />
thirties or their parents)<br />
There is probably no better example of one of<br />
the pitfalls of the Rugby League’s then franchise<br />
system for Super League than that of Gateshead<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> - the original name for today’s opponents<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Thunder</strong> - in their one and only season<br />
in Super League.<br />
Beating off the claims of Cardiff and Swansea,<br />
Gateshead were awarded a franchise for Super<br />
League starting in 1999 as a new club.<br />
They were based at the Gateshead International<br />
Stadium (which they named the ‘<strong>Thunder</strong>dome’)<br />
with Australian Shaun McRae as their first coach.<br />
In the squad were upwards of nine Australians,<br />
the best known of which were Deon Bird, Matt<br />
Daylight and Tony Grimaldi.<br />
Added to these were a young Gareth Carvell<br />
(on loan from Leeds and later to become an<br />
International), the experienced forward Steve<br />
O’Neill and dual code Irish International and Gaelic<br />
footballer Brian Carney (now a presenter with Sky<br />
Sports).<br />
In Matt Daylight, <strong>Thunder</strong> had the joint top try<br />
scorer in the Super League season with 25 tries<br />
from 30 games. A very respectable sixth place<br />
finish was achieved in that debut season.<br />
However... despite a top crowd of 6,631 for the<br />
visit of Bradford, home crowds averaged less<br />
than 4,000 and at the end of the season the club<br />
announced an astronomical loss in the region of<br />
£700,000.<br />
A merger was announced with Hull Sharks<br />
(today’s Hull FC) which was effectively a takeover<br />
which enabled Hull to retain their Super League<br />
status.<br />
After just one season <strong>Thunder</strong> ceased to exist as<br />
a separate entity, proving how difficult it is to start<br />
a club from scratch in an area with little rugby<br />
league history or organisation to fall back on.<br />
Nothing daunted, a new Gateshead <strong>Thunder</strong><br />
rose from the ashes to join the Northern Ford<br />
Premiership (second tier) for the 2001 season.<br />
Still operating out of the International Stadium<br />
and retaining the mainly purple colours, the club<br />
was coached by Andy Kelly (now attempting a<br />
rescue operation at Dewsbury Rams).<br />
Their first game was an 18-0 loss to Hull KR and<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> finished third bottom of the league.<br />
More financial trouble was brewing, though, and<br />
part way through 2002 with just a 12-12 draw with<br />
Featherstone to their name, major cost cutting<br />
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Paul Franze left Gateshead<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> at the end of the 2009<br />
Season following the club<br />
entering administration<br />
resulted in the release of Kelly<br />
and fifteen Yorkshire- based<br />
players.<br />
The club later went into<br />
administration with the now<br />
young and inexperienced side<br />
finishing bottom of the league.<br />
Despite these problems and<br />
with the help of a supporters’<br />
committee things were slowly<br />
turned round. Now in Rugby<br />
League’s third tier, <strong>Thunder</strong><br />
reached the play offs in 2005<br />
and 2006 and after<br />
the arrival in 2007 of Australian<br />
coach Dave Woods, <strong>Thunder</strong><br />
won their first honour – the 2008<br />
National League Championship<br />
- and won promotion back to<br />
the Championship (second tier).<br />
They finished a creditable<br />
seventh in the Championship in<br />
2009 but once again financial<br />
problems were about to kick<br />
them in the teeth.<br />
The 2010/11 and 12 seasons<br />
were lean years for Gateshead<br />
who finished bottom of the<br />
league each season with a slight<br />
improvement to third bottom<br />
in 2013. This was, of course, the<br />
year the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>, Hemel and<br />
Oxford joined the league and<br />
Gateshead provided the <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong> with their first win against<br />
professional opposition when<br />
the Golden Fern enjoyed an<br />
18-16 victory in the North East<br />
- Matt Bradley’s goalkicking<br />
proving decisive that day as<br />
he converted tries scored by<br />
former Telford Raider, Mike<br />
Venn, Jordan Rice and Tyla Hepi<br />
(son of coach Brad Hepi), who<br />
was to become the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>’<br />
top scorer that season with 11<br />
touchdowns.<br />
The promise of a brighter future<br />
arose in 2014 when <strong>Thunder</strong><br />
were taken over by the company<br />
running <strong>Newcastle</strong> Falcons. A<br />
move to their Kingston Park<br />
ground and a change of name<br />
to <strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Thunder</strong> followed<br />
with Papua New Guinea legend<br />
Stanley Gene installed as Head<br />
Coach, although his tenure was<br />
to be relatively short.<br />
Last season, the club added a<br />
second honour when they beat<br />
North Wales Crusaders 31-26 in<br />
the inaugural League 1 Shield<br />
Joe Brown in action<br />
Final for the clubs finishing in<br />
the bottom seven of the league.<br />
Pre-season optimism this year<br />
has not yet been matched by<br />
results so head Coach Mike<br />
Mantelli was “shown the door”<br />
and club stalwart Jason Payne<br />
has taken over on an, at least,<br />
temporary basis with a view to<br />
improving matters.<br />
Hopefully, <strong>Thunder</strong> can take<br />
advantage of the increasing<br />
interest in Rugby League<br />
in the North East shown by<br />
the successful Super League<br />
“Magic Weekend” at St James<br />
Park <strong>Newcastle</strong> a fortnight<br />
ago. The evening before this<br />
event, <strong>Thunder</strong> played what is<br />
probably their ‘derby’ fixture<br />
against York and drew a crowd<br />
of 2,111 but went down 18-22.<br />
On the ground, the excellent<br />
work by community clubs such<br />
as Cramlington Rockets has not<br />
gone unnoticed and <strong>Thunder</strong>,<br />
to their credit, run an Academy<br />
team.<br />
Just as here at the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>,<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong>’s aim is for a team of<br />
locally based players and, in<br />
future, a team full of Geordies<br />
would be great for <strong>Newcastle</strong><br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> and great for Rugby<br />
League.<br />
7<br />
The limited company that ran<br />
the club was wound up and<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> were found to be in<br />
breach of the Rugby League’s<br />
insolvency rules.<br />
Once again, a new club was<br />
formed and agreed to a<br />
voluntary relegation to League 2<br />
with a six point penalty to boot.<br />
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8<br />
ALL GOLDS vs. THUNDER<br />
MATCH PREVIEW<br />
WRITTEN BY PATRICK BAINES<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> host <strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Thunder</strong> on<br />
Sunday with both teams desperate for a win<br />
to maintain their top eight chances.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> have won their last two league<br />
games, against North Wales Crusaders<br />
and Coventry, whilst <strong>Thunder</strong> come into<br />
Sunday’s game having lost their last five.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> head coach has warned his<br />
players to expect a tough battle against<br />
a <strong>Newcastle</strong> side that currently sits two<br />
points, and two places, below the Golden<br />
Fern. Lee Greenwood said: “I’ve seen a lot of<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong> this season, they’re a decent side.<br />
They probably gave Toronto their toughest<br />
test yet and pushed York close last time out.<br />
We’ve had some really good battles against<br />
them in the last two seasons and we know<br />
we’ll need to be at our best to beat them.<br />
“I gave the players a week off last week. It<br />
had been a tough run of games so I’m sure<br />
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they appreciated a bit of rest. Training this<br />
week has been good and we’re ready to go<br />
for Sunday. League 1 is so competitive this<br />
season, there’s 12 or 13 teams looking for a<br />
place in the top eight. <strong>Newcastle</strong> know they<br />
have to win so the pressure will be on them.<br />
Of course it’s a massive game for us as well.<br />
“We’ve got three players - Harry Kidd, Ben<br />
Stead and Brad Kislingbury - who will be<br />
playing for England Students at Headingley<br />
on Friday night so we’ll<br />
need to keep an eye on<br />
them for Sunday. We’ve had<br />
some good wins so far this<br />
season, if we turn up with<br />
the right attitude and play<br />
our best, hopefully we can<br />
have another on Sunday.<br />
Phil Cowburn will miss the<br />
game with a shoulder injury<br />
but he is hopeful of being<br />
available for the trip to<br />
Whitehaven the following<br />
weekend. Alex Gaskell and<br />
Graham O’Keeffe are still on<br />
the sidelines.<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong> got off to a flying start this season<br />
but have struggled in recent weeks. They<br />
won their first three games in impressive<br />
fashion, beating Workington, London<br />
Skolars and South Wales Ironmen but have<br />
lost their last five. Their head coach Mick<br />
Mantelli was sacked after their 22-18 loss<br />
against York last time out so assistant coach,<br />
and former player, Jason Payne will step up<br />
as interim head coacher the foreseeable<br />
future.<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> strengthened<br />
their ranks last week<br />
with the signing of Steve<br />
Snitch. Snitch played for<br />
Featherstone last season<br />
and has an impressive<br />
rugby league CV having<br />
turned out for Wakefield<br />
Trinity, Huddersfield and<br />
Castleford. He could make<br />
his debut on Sunday and<br />
will certainly be one the <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong> will have to keep a<br />
close eye on.<br />
9<br />
Lee Greenwood after <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> 36-28 North Wales Crusaders<br />
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UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL GOLDS<br />
CLUB DIRECTORY<br />
HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL GOLDS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF<br />
OFFICIAL PARTNERS AND SPONSORS THAT HEAVILY SUPPORT THE CLUB AND, AS AN<br />
ALL GOLDS FAN, WE ARE SURE YOU WILL FIND THIS CLUB DIRECTORY VERY USEFUL.<br />
If you are interested in contacting any of our partners or sponsors but you feel that you need<br />
more information then please don’t hesitate to call our Commercial Department on<br />
01242 715297 or email allgoldsbusiness@glos.ac.uk<br />
10<br />
PLAYER SONSORS<br />
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TODAYS OPPONENTS<br />
NORTH WALES CRUSADERS<br />
WRITTEN BY JACK CONLON<br />
12<br />
FORM<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong> have had a tough time of late,<br />
with their last win coming at the end of<br />
March against South Wales. Their opposition<br />
in recent weeks have included high-flyers<br />
Toronto and Barrow who put 40 and 50<br />
points past them respectively, as well as the<br />
ever-improving York City Knights. With such<br />
a tough schedule <strong>Thunder</strong> have struggled to<br />
nail down any good form and currently find<br />
themselves in 12th position in the League 1<br />
table. Having lost six games in a row, coach<br />
Mick Mantelli was replaced by Jason Payne<br />
who brings his side to Cheltenham in the<br />
hope of turning their bad form around, but<br />
will face a tough task against an <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong><br />
side who have racked up impressive wins in<br />
their last two games.<br />
SQUAD<br />
BACKS<br />
<strong>Thunder</strong> have numerous strike weapons across<br />
the field and no more so in their strong and<br />
consistent backline. On the right, Jamaican<br />
international Joe Brown combines effectively<br />
with Ali Blair, who has become renowned for<br />
his strength and hard running. On the opposite<br />
side, experience mixes with flair through former<br />
England international Peter Fox and centre<br />
Derrell Olpherts. Olpherts has become a potent<br />
threat for the northeast side, scoring 13 tries<br />
in 16 games last season. Ex-Hull KR Academy<br />
graduate Benn Hardcastle forms a lethal halves<br />
partnership with Lewis Young, while former<br />
<strong>All</strong> Gold Danny Nicklas provides back up from<br />
the bench. Huddersfield Giants fullback Jared<br />
Simpson has recently turned out for <strong>Thunder</strong><br />
on dual-registration and could cause problems<br />
with his speed and evasiveness.<br />
FORWARDS<br />
Harry Aldous<br />
Jack Aldous<br />
Matt Barron<br />
Ali Blair<br />
Joe Brown<br />
Zach Clark<br />
Rhys Clarke<br />
Tyler Craig<br />
Peter Fox<br />
Benn Hardcastle<br />
Paddy Hargreaves<br />
Corbyn Kilday<br />
Sam Luckley<br />
Liam McAvoy<br />
Danny Nicklas,<br />
Derrell Olpherts<br />
Dan Parker<br />
Sandy Rae<br />
Vincent Rennie<br />
Kruse Robinson<br />
Liam Scott<br />
Tom Shaw<br />
Evan Simons<br />
Josh Stoker<br />
Aaron Teroi<br />
Dan Turland<br />
Brett Waller<br />
Lewis Young<br />
George Milton (loan)<br />
Jared Simpson<br />
(dual-registration)<br />
<strong>Newcastle</strong>’s forwards certainly pack a punch,<br />
boasting plenty of size and power. Cook Island<br />
international front rower Vincent Rennie leads<br />
the line with his sizeable frame, with the likes of<br />
former Leeds Rhino Liam McAvoy and Aldous<br />
brothers, Jack and Harry providing support.<br />
Hooker Evan Simons has developed a real<br />
knack for unlocking opposition defences with<br />
his work around the ruck and has formed a<br />
potent combination with his halves. This young<br />
pack is supplemented by the likes of Brett<br />
Waller, Matt Barron and Rhys Clarke, who all<br />
carry a wealth of Championship and League<br />
1 experience having spent years in both<br />
competitions. <strong>Thunder</strong> also recently acquired<br />
George Milton on loan from Hull KR, with the<br />
young prop a useful addition to the squad.<br />
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KEY MAN<br />
ONE TO WATCH<br />
Halfback Benn Hardcastle has become a<br />
pivotal part of the <strong>Newcastle</strong> squad since first<br />
joining in 2013 from the Hull KR academy. He is<br />
now in his second spell in the northeast, having<br />
spent 2014 with York City Knights and last year<br />
became the club’s all-time leading point scorer,<br />
surpassing the 500 mark this season. While<br />
not a particularly prolific try-scorer himself,<br />
Hardcastle creates countless opportunities<br />
for the likes of Blair and Fox out wide, with his<br />
vision and core skills being<br />
key assets in his game. He’s formed a great<br />
partnership with local talent Lewis Young and<br />
will cause problems for the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> defence<br />
all afternoon.<br />
Outside back Ali Blair has become a key part<br />
of the <strong>Newcastle</strong> squad and is leading the<br />
way for the northeast’s rugby league talent.<br />
The 27-year-old joined <strong>Thunder</strong> in 2015 from<br />
rugby union outfit Percy Park RFC and has<br />
since become a sensation for the club, scoring<br />
15 tries in 33 games in his first two seasons. His<br />
hard running style makes him not only a threat<br />
from close range, but also when driving the ball<br />
out from his own half, as he takes plenty of runs<br />
to get his side out of dangerous situations. His<br />
explosive speed makes him an all-round solid<br />
player and with enough ball distribution from<br />
those inside him, a potent threat on the wing.<br />
His try-scoring record has continued in <strong>2017</strong>,<br />
with six in eight games already but having not<br />
scored in his side’s past two games, Blair will be<br />
eager for any chance at the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> line.<br />
STATS<br />
HIGHEST SCORE:<br />
66-6 v Wakefield, 5/9/99; 66-6 v Skolars, 29/6/2014<br />
HIGHEST SCORE AGAINST:<br />
0-132 v Blackpool Panthers, 16/5/2010<br />
MOST APPEARANCES:<br />
218 – Robin Peers 2002-2012<br />
HIGHEST POINT SCORER:<br />
519 – Benn Hardcastle 2013 – present<br />
HIGHEST TRY SCORER:<br />
74 – Kevin Neighbour 2001-2006; 2008-2010<br />
13<br />
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ALL GOLDS MATCH REPORTS<br />
WRITTEN BY CHRIS WILSON<br />
14<br />
AGORO<br />
HUNTS DOWN<br />
PRICELESS<br />
VICTORY<br />
BEARS 18-26 ALL GOLDS<br />
SUNDAY 21 st MAY<br />
BUTTS PARK ARENA<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> dug deep to secure a crucial<br />
fourth win of the League 1 campaign.<br />
The first half was an even contest and ended<br />
level on the scoreboard after the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> had<br />
taken an early lead only to see it pegged back<br />
by the home side who briefly led until Ben<br />
Stead knocked over a penalty with the last kick<br />
of the half.<br />
It was a great start from the visitors. Ollie<br />
Purslow’s offload in the fifth minute sent<br />
in Jack Mitchell for the opening try quickly<br />
followed by the second as Stead’s pinpoint<br />
kick on the last tackle was pocketed by Mo<br />
Agoro for his 12th League 1 try of the season.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> were imposing themselves<br />
physically but the Bears survived the battering<br />
without conceding. Three times they denied<br />
the visitors with desperate last-ditch tackles<br />
and were relieved when Purslow’s pass<br />
touched down by Danny Fallon was ruled<br />
forward.<br />
Then a midfield miscommunication saw a pass<br />
by Fallon decked by Harry Kidd and Harry<br />
Chapman picked up the pieces to trot under<br />
the posts, Brad Delaney’s conversion putting<br />
the Bears ahead 12-10.<br />
On the stroke of half-time, Stead nailed a<br />
35-metre penalty to level the scores and<br />
added another in the opening minute of the<br />
first half to edge the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> in front.<br />
Superb hands from Brad Kislingbury as he<br />
slipped a pass to Chris Barlow extended the<br />
lead before the centre freed Joe McClean to<br />
rampage through the middle, Steven Nield<br />
crossing for his first <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> try on the next<br />
play and you could have heard a pin drop in<br />
the stadium.<br />
They were quietened further when Kislingbury<br />
scored himself, juggling Fallon’s chip kick<br />
before touching down the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>’ third try<br />
in eight devastating minutes. The 14-point lead<br />
would have been more had Stead not missed<br />
all three conversions so that with a quarter of<br />
an hour to go, there was still hope for the Bears.<br />
But they just couldn’t get close to the <strong>All</strong><br />
<strong>Golds</strong> try-line often enough to post points as<br />
the visitors tackled like demons until, with six<br />
minutes left, Chris Barratt forced his way over,<br />
Delaney adding the goal.<br />
ALL GOLDS: Jack Mitchell; Mo Agoro, Steven<br />
Nield, Brad Kislingbury, Chris Barlow; Ben<br />
Stead, Danny Fallon; Ollie Purslow, Steve Parry,<br />
James Walter; Lewis Reece, Joe McClean;<br />
Chris Worrall; INTERCHANGE: Billy Brickhill,<br />
Brad Hargreaves, Harrison Elliott, Harry Kidd.<br />
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ALL GOLDS<br />
WIPE AWAY CUP<br />
MISERY WITH<br />
REVENGE WIN<br />
ALL GOLDS 36-28 CRUSADERS<br />
SATURDAY 13 th MAY<br />
PRINCE OF WALES STADIUM<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> avenged their League 1 Cup<br />
semi-final defeat to Crusaders with a crucial<br />
eight point victory.<br />
The Crusaders had eased into an 18-6 lead and<br />
it looked like the home side were in for another<br />
miserable 80 minutes but they fought back to<br />
level the scores with the final play of the half<br />
and took the lead in the opening minutes of<br />
the second period.<br />
Though the Crusaders regained the advantage<br />
with two quick tries, the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> came back<br />
to record their third league win of the season.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> were their own worst enemies<br />
with their discipline letting them down<br />
time and again and their lack of defensive<br />
line-speed allowing plenty of space for the<br />
Crusaders halfbacks to dictate play.<br />
And it was the Crusaders halfbacks who<br />
combined to open the scoring, Ryan Smith<br />
supporting Jack Hansen’s break up the<br />
middle for a converted try. Three minutes later,<br />
Earl Hurst ran a great line to score a fine try<br />
doubling the visitors’ lead.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> capitalised on their first decent<br />
attack and won a repeat set that ended when<br />
Reece forced his way over, Ben Stead adding<br />
the goal.<br />
Having got back into the match, they promptly<br />
frittered away their foothold with ill-discipline<br />
that caused the referee to put them on a team<br />
warning.<br />
Almost immediately, Hurst went over for his<br />
second score, but that seemed to energise<br />
the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> and Harrison Elliott added some<br />
powerful surges from the bench to gain decent<br />
field position.<br />
This brought its reward as Stead’s kick to the<br />
corner fell to Mo Agoro and the division’s top<br />
try-scorer added another touchdown to his<br />
tally.<br />
Harry Kidd crashed over for identical tries<br />
either side of the break and Stead converted<br />
both to give the home side the lead for the first<br />
time.<br />
However, it lasted barely ten minutes as James<br />
Dandy scored from close range but Johnson<br />
was wide with the conversion which meant<br />
the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> held a slender 24-22 lead. Alex<br />
Thompson then gave the visitors a four-point<br />
advantage when he powered through some<br />
ineffective defence to score.<br />
On the hour the lead changed hands again<br />
and for the final time, Billy Brickhill forcing his<br />
way over from a standing start close to the<br />
line for his first <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> try against his former<br />
club. Stead added the goal and began to find<br />
his range with his kicks including a superb 40-<br />
20 that set up a chance at the game-breaking<br />
score with seven minutes left.<br />
But the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> lost possession and the<br />
Crusaders looked to have gone back in front<br />
when Thompson ploughed over for what<br />
would have been his second try but the referee<br />
ruled he had lost possession in Jack Mitchell’s<br />
tackle.<br />
The <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> closed the game out effectively<br />
from the restart. They played out a safe set,<br />
Danny Fallon finding a good touch and then<br />
forced an error which set up the position for<br />
Reece to drive over for the winning score.<br />
ALL GOLDS: Jack Mitchell; Mo Agoro, Steven<br />
Nield, Brad Kislingbury, Chris Barlow; Ben<br />
Stead, Danny Fallon; Ollie Purslow, Steve Parry,<br />
James Walter; Lewis Reece, Joe McClean;<br />
Chris Worrall; INTERCHANGE: Billy Brickhill,<br />
Harrison Elliott, Malikhi Lloyd-Jones, Harry Kidd<br />
15<br />
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JUNIOR RUGBY<br />
LEAGUE<br />
AT CHELTENHAM PHOENIX<br />
16<br />
Cheltenham Phoenix are running<br />
junior rugby league programmes at<br />
two separate venues in Cheltenham<br />
this summer. The six week<br />
programme is designed to introduce<br />
boys to the sport of rugby league<br />
with all sessions being led by a level<br />
2 coach. No prior rugby league (or<br />
rugby!) experience is necessary.<br />
Venue one:<br />
Cheltenham North RFC<br />
Sunday mornings 10.30 - 12.00<br />
June 11th - July 16th<br />
Open to boys U14 and U15<br />
(school years 9 and 10)<br />
Venue two:<br />
Cheltenham North RFC<br />
Wednesday evenings<br />
5.00 - 6.00<br />
June 7th - July 12th<br />
Open to U14 (school year 9) only<br />
For more information please contact<br />
Mike www.allgoldsrugby.com<br />
Hughes on 07833 030987 or email @<strong>All</strong><strong>Golds</strong> facebook.com/<strong>All</strong><strong>Golds</strong>Rugby<br />
mikehughes.ets@gmail.com
FLAME OF THE WEST<br />
WRITTEN BY CHRIS WILSON<br />
ROUND 3 PREVIEW<br />
Pool 1 is all about the haves and<br />
the have nots with three teams<br />
on maximum points and the<br />
other three yet to get off the<br />
mark.<br />
Cheltenham Phoenix, Forest<br />
Bulldogs and Somerset Vikings<br />
have won both of their matches<br />
in impressive style leaving<br />
Gloucestershire Warriors,<br />
Bath Romans and Swindon St<br />
George A awaiting their first<br />
victory.<br />
<strong>All</strong> that should change this<br />
weekend as the Warriors<br />
travel to Wiltshire to take on St<br />
George in a fixture that has extra<br />
spice with ex-Warriors coach<br />
Matthew Robinson in charge of<br />
the Swindon outfit and former<br />
player Paul Bolger likely to be in<br />
their ranks as well. The Warriors<br />
have been on an upward curve<br />
despite their losses and a win<br />
would maintain that trajectory.<br />
The Romans have a tough task<br />
to score their first win as they<br />
travel to Cheltenham to face a<br />
big, powerful Phoenix side that<br />
looks like making the play-offs<br />
once again. They have scored<br />
heavily in their two wins and<br />
though the Warriors found a<br />
few chinks in the armour to<br />
score five times themselves a<br />
fortnight ago, the Romans will<br />
have to be on their game to get<br />
something from the fixture.<br />
A 100% record will go at Weston<br />
as Somerset Vikings take on the<br />
Forest Bulldogs. Having won<br />
two home games, the match will<br />
be a test of the Bulldogs’ ability<br />
on the road while the Vikings<br />
racked up a half century in their<br />
win over Swindon and will be<br />
confident of maintaining their<br />
early season promise.<br />
In contrast, Pool 2 has yet to find<br />
its feet as both Portsmouth and<br />
Southampton suffered a false<br />
start in week one and may seek<br />
to rearrange their fixtures with<br />
Swindon St George and Oxford<br />
Cavaliers respectively for later in<br />
the season.<br />
Elsewhere the big surprise has<br />
been the form of the Bristol<br />
Sonics who have lost both their<br />
games so far. They were poor<br />
for the most part in their loss<br />
to Bath RL but threw away a<br />
promising position to go down<br />
21-20 to Swindon last time out.<br />
The new Bath club has won both<br />
its games as the side followed<br />
their triumph over the Sonics<br />
with an impressive 32-30 win<br />
over the Cavaliers. They travel to<br />
Southampton in a clash of the<br />
top two sides in the Pool aiming<br />
to remain in pole position.<br />
Having beaten local rivals<br />
Portsmouth in their first outing<br />
of the season, the Spitfires will<br />
be hoping to make the most<br />
of home field advantage to<br />
maintain their unbeaten record.<br />
Portsmouth, meanwhile, travel<br />
to Bristol where something has<br />
to give with both sides looking<br />
for their first win. The Sonics’<br />
narrow loss at Swindon should<br />
give them confidence and they<br />
will be looking to make home<br />
advantage count.<br />
The match of the round looks<br />
to be the clash at Supermarine<br />
RFC between Swindon St<br />
George and Oxford Cavaliers.<br />
The home side have won their<br />
only game so far while the<br />
Cavaliers went down to Bath<br />
in their only 80 minutes of the<br />
campaign. Swindon are buzzing<br />
as a club at the moment and,<br />
having had a taste of the Grand<br />
Final last season will be looking<br />
for more this year. A win this<br />
week will certainly help them in<br />
that aim.<br />
Fixtures (2.30pm unless stated)<br />
Pool 1<br />
Swindon St George A vs Gloucestershire Warriors (3pm)<br />
Somerset Vikings vs Forest Bulldogs<br />
Cheltenham Phoenix vs Bath & Wiltshire Romans<br />
Pool 2<br />
Southampton Spitfires vs Bath RL<br />
Swindon St George vs Oxford Cavaliers (1pm)<br />
Portsmouth Navy Seahawks vs Bristol Sonics<br />
17<br />
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NEW SOUTHERN RUGBY<br />
LEAGUE COMPETITION SET TO<br />
LAUNCH IN 2018<br />
RFL – 26 MAY <strong>2017</strong><br />
18<br />
A recently-formed Southern RL Management<br />
Group have been exploring plans to create<br />
a coherent pyramid structure for Open Age<br />
community Rugby League in the South of the<br />
UK, that enables clubs to find an appropriate<br />
level of competition.<br />
The first part of these plans would be to develop<br />
a Premier competition which would run two<br />
divisions, one in the East and one in the West.<br />
These competitions would aim to provide more<br />
playing opportunities that pit the best clubs<br />
from the southern regional leagues against<br />
each other on a weekly basis, throughout an<br />
extended season. This competition would<br />
provide a more intense and a longer playing<br />
season for Rugby League players from the<br />
south who wish to play at a higher level.<br />
The Eastern Premier would be open to teams<br />
who currently play in the Midlands, East of<br />
England and London & South East Men’s<br />
Leagues.<br />
The Western Premier would be open to clubs<br />
in the West of England League and Wales, as<br />
well as Rugby League clubs from Devon and<br />
Cornwall.<br />
The regional competitions currently in place<br />
across the south of England would remain<br />
in the new structure, with the new ‘East’ and<br />
‘West’ Leagues becoming a pair of Premier<br />
competitions for Rugby League in the south of<br />
England.<br />
It is hoped that the proposals will allow the<br />
regional leagues to flourish, making the<br />
various competitions more open to potential<br />
new clubs, while also giving different teams<br />
the opportunity to fight for silverware within<br />
leagues which may have been dominated by<br />
the same teams in recent years.<br />
Rugby Football League Competition Manager<br />
for the South, David Raybould, said: “The<br />
aim of this project is twofold; first, to provide<br />
those clubs who are ready with a more intense<br />
competition, and to provide all the other clubs<br />
in the south with a vibrant structure to be part<br />
of.<br />
“<strong>All</strong> the parts of this may not come to life<br />
immediately - we are keen to work with the<br />
clubs to ensure the structure works for them.<br />
“The feedback we have received from clubs so<br />
far has been really positive and I am excited to<br />
see the plans develop over the coming months.”<br />
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Clubs in the South are encouraged to send their expressions of<br />
interest to enter the new Eastern and Western Premier Divisions<br />
to competitions@rfl.uk.com by Wednesday, June 7.<br />
There will then be a meeting on Sunday, June 18 at Hemel Stags’<br />
Pennine Way Stadium (HP2 5UD) where more information will<br />
be available.<br />
Full details of the proposed restructure can be found below:<br />
The plans, as David Raybould<br />
says, may not be the finished<br />
article from day one but there is<br />
room for them to grow and for<br />
clubs to grow with them, finding<br />
their own level at which they are<br />
comfortable. It may be messy at<br />
first and may take a few years<br />
to settle down into the strong<br />
competition it is hoped it will<br />
become, but perseverance will<br />
be the key and the support,<br />
understanding and will to make<br />
it work from the RFL will be<br />
essential.<br />
Of the clubs in the West of<br />
England, my personal thoughts<br />
are that Bristol Sonics would be<br />
a good fit as they move into a<br />
new home. Swindon St George<br />
look ideally set up to take full<br />
advantage of the arrangement,<br />
while it would help cement the<br />
partnership between Oxford<br />
Cavaliers and Oxford RL for the<br />
Cavs to compete at that level.<br />
Editor’s comment: Firstly, I<br />
must declare a vested interest<br />
in the plans as I am currently<br />
Chairman of Gloucestershire<br />
Warriors and the Warriors will<br />
be looking to play somewhere<br />
in this set-up.<br />
Looking at the proposal<br />
through a Warriors lens, it<br />
seems to make sense.<br />
These plans have actually been<br />
knocking around in one form<br />
or another for a while now but<br />
I think the time is right to put<br />
them into practice. They give<br />
scope for clubs who want to<br />
go forward and play a longer<br />
season the chance to do that<br />
while equally clubs who just<br />
want a shorter, more social<br />
season can be accommodated<br />
as well.<br />
With the demise of the<br />
Conference League South<br />
(CLS), this format is one that<br />
can stretch over time to fill the<br />
void and give the likes of the<br />
Valley Cougars and London<br />
Chargers the opportunity<br />
to play at a decent standard<br />
and strengthen their club<br />
infrastructure.<br />
It could also provide<br />
opportunities for semi-pro sides<br />
such as the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>, Hemel<br />
Stags, Coventry and Oxford to<br />
run development sides at the<br />
appropriate standard.<br />
Whilst the Warriors are<br />
probably not in the position to<br />
move into the West Premier<br />
league in 2018, the club is<br />
supportive of the structure. The<br />
Warriors are ambitious enough<br />
to want to move forward and<br />
work towards achieving a place<br />
in the West Premier where they<br />
can provide the (currently)<br />
missing step in the pathway<br />
from novice to professional.<br />
As I have said, the Warriors<br />
are not in a position to move<br />
there immediately and from<br />
what they have said in the<br />
past I believe that Cheltenham<br />
Phoenix would not be looking<br />
at entering, though I may of<br />
course, be wrong.<br />
A strong West Premier league<br />
would be the opportunity for<br />
the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> to run a reserve<br />
side until such time as the<br />
RFL gets a national reserve<br />
competition up and running to<br />
replace its dual reg and loan<br />
system.<br />
There have been plenty of ups<br />
and downs since the Summer<br />
Conference kicked off 20 years<br />
ago now thanks to the hard<br />
work of the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> very own<br />
president and visionary Lionel<br />
Hurst.<br />
Perhaps now there is a<br />
competition that will help to<br />
support and encourage clubs<br />
and individuals playing the<br />
great game of rugby league in<br />
the south of the country.<br />
19<br />
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20<br />
STEVE PARRY<br />
WRITTEN BY JACK CONLON<br />
Setting fires on the pitch,<br />
extinguishing them off it<br />
Mention ‘Rugby’ to just about anyone in Wales,<br />
and they’ll chew your ear off talking about 15<br />
men forming rucks and mauls. The whole nation<br />
dreams of representing their country in a World<br />
Cup, facing the <strong>All</strong> Blacks, the Wallabies and<br />
even the old enemy from across the border.<br />
But for one man, a full-time firefighter from<br />
Merthyr Tydfil, that dream is reciprocated in a<br />
different code, and could soon become a reality.<br />
Steve Parry, captain of the University of<br />
Gloucestershire <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong>, managed to slip the<br />
Rugby Union net as a youngster, and has gone<br />
on to<br />
become<br />
one of the most<br />
talented hookers<br />
in League 1, even<br />
earning several<br />
international caps<br />
along the way.<br />
And while he started<br />
his career on the<br />
conventional Welsh<br />
route into Union, it was<br />
his family who swayed<br />
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him in the direction of the 13-<br />
man game, before he signed<br />
his first professional contract<br />
for South Wales Scorpions.<br />
“I didn’t play Union until I was<br />
15 so I started quite late, but<br />
sort of got into Rugby League<br />
that following season through<br />
my Uncle and my Dad,” he<br />
explains.<br />
“They were big Rugby League<br />
fans and my Dad found me a<br />
team in Cardiff, so I signed up<br />
at U15’s and went from there.”<br />
“I signed for Scorpions in<br />
2010, which was quite funny<br />
because I’d just come back<br />
from playing Rugby Union in<br />
New Zealand and had plans<br />
in my head that I was going<br />
to go back travelling, possibly<br />
back to New Zealand, possibly<br />
Australia.<br />
“But I got a call from<br />
(South Wales coach)<br />
Mark Rowley, asking<br />
if I wanted to go to an<br />
open trial for this new<br />
professional team.<br />
“So I went down to Sophia<br />
Gardens in Cardiff for the trial<br />
and managed to get picked<br />
for the squad.”<br />
As is the nature of League<br />
1 Rugby League, Parry<br />
combines his playing<br />
commitments with his full<br />
time job as a firefighter for the<br />
South Wales Fire and Rescue<br />
Service. However, despite the<br />
demanding schedule, he says<br />
that the two jobs complement<br />
each other well.<br />
“I’ve always liked the thought<br />
of being in the public services,<br />
something to help the<br />
community, it’s an exciting job.<br />
“I’m a bit of an adrenaline<br />
junkie so being a firefighter<br />
fits in well with what I want to<br />
do.<br />
“The schedule is pretty hectic<br />
but it works around the<br />
Rugby well. I have to do my<br />
number of hours when I’m out<br />
of training and when I’m not<br />
playing so it does fit in nice.<br />
“I think the fire service like<br />
having sportspeople work for<br />
them. They want fit people<br />
who can do the job effectively<br />
so they kind of encourage<br />
sportspeople to join and work<br />
around it.”<br />
Just seven years after making<br />
his professional debut for<br />
the Scorpions, Parry could<br />
be about to embark on his<br />
biggest achievement to date;<br />
the <strong>2017</strong> Rugby League<br />
World Cup in Australia. With<br />
a place in John Kear’s squad<br />
beckoning, the 28-year-old<br />
knows he needs to stay<br />
focused to cement his spot.<br />
“I know I’ve got to be on my<br />
best form because Wales<br />
have a lot of good players<br />
now and that’s been evident<br />
over the last two years.<br />
“I need to work a little bit<br />
more on my kicking game,<br />
bring that to the forefront and<br />
hopefully that’ll give me a bit<br />
of an edge but it’s all about<br />
working on everything, trying<br />
to be a well-rounded player<br />
and not having too many<br />
weaknesses.<br />
“I pride myself on my work<br />
ethic. I don’t stop and I give<br />
110% every game and try and<br />
be a leader on the field so I’m<br />
hoping that stands out.”<br />
Wales have a tough group,<br />
facing Ireland and Papua<br />
New Guinea, as well as a<br />
star-studded Fiji squad that<br />
includes the likes of Jarryd<br />
Hayne, John Sutton and Tariq<br />
Sims. And while they are far<br />
from favourites, Parry says the<br />
squad still fancy their chances.<br />
“It’s a tough group,” he<br />
chuckles, “it’s a very tough<br />
group but Wales over the last<br />
two years have been a team<br />
based on belief and heart and<br />
have got some great results<br />
on the back of that.<br />
“That’s the big thing for Wales<br />
at the moment, we’ve got<br />
a real tight-knit squad that<br />
work hard for each other and<br />
sometimes it’s not the best<br />
players on the pitch that win<br />
but the hardest working.<br />
“We turned over a fantastic<br />
French team in Cardiff with<br />
probably a weaker side on<br />
paper, then beat Italy, who<br />
had some very good players<br />
including Terry Campese.<br />
“So I don’t think you can write<br />
off Wales. If we play to our<br />
ability and stay tight-knit, then<br />
we’ve got a good chance of<br />
making it out of that group.”<br />
As far as maximum effort<br />
and drive goes, Parry stands<br />
above almost all of his rivals.<br />
And should he get a place on<br />
the plane come October, I can<br />
guarantee that contrary to his<br />
day job, he’ll be setting plenty<br />
of fires on the pitch.<br />
This article was originally<br />
featured in seriousaboutrl.<br />
com – the website for all<br />
things rugby league!<br />
21<br />
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UoG STUDENTS MAKE<br />
WORLD CUP SQUAD<br />
WRITTEN BY PATRICK BAINES<br />
22<br />
Four members of the University of<br />
Gloucestershire rugby league team will fly to<br />
Australia on July 1 to represent England at the<br />
Student World Cup.<br />
Brad Kislingbury, Harry Kidd, James Mason and<br />
Ben Stead made the final 24-man squad, with<br />
another University of Gloucestershire student<br />
– Malikhi Lloyd-Jones – placed on the six-man<br />
reserve list.<br />
The five players helped UGRL win the Premier<br />
South Division earlier this year and were<br />
unbeaten at home all season until they lost 28-<br />
23 to the University of Hull in the quarter final of<br />
the national title.<br />
Their strong form for UGRL and the <strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong><br />
was recognised by the England Universities<br />
head coach Colin Baker who said: “We’ve had<br />
three games together against the RAF, St<br />
Helens Reserves and the UK Armed Forces<br />
and we have two more games to go before we<br />
depart. That is on top of the excellent Regional<br />
and Origin games that players played in ahead<br />
of selection for England.<br />
“For the 24 who travel, they know they have to<br />
continue to keep working hard as there will be<br />
strong competition for places in all the games<br />
we play in during our time in Australia.<br />
“I am confident that we have picked the best<br />
squad in terms of talent, commitment and<br />
attitude and I am looking forward to working<br />
with the players and staff on the Student World<br />
Cup campaign.”<br />
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Harry Kidd, captain of the<br />
UGRL side, said: “I’m over the<br />
moon to make the squad.<br />
Playing for my country will<br />
be a huge honour. I can’t wait<br />
to fly out to Australia and<br />
having three lads from UGRL<br />
with me will be great. The<br />
facilities at the University of<br />
Gloucestershire are superb.<br />
We’re lucky enough to have<br />
top coaches and support<br />
staff. <strong>All</strong> of the strength and<br />
conditioning staff, the physios<br />
and team managers work<br />
hard to create the perfect<br />
place to play rugby league.<br />
We have a state of the art gym<br />
which we have the privilege<br />
of using. It is the perfect place<br />
for a rugby league player to<br />
be based.”<br />
who also works as the head<br />
coach of the university side.<br />
“it’s not just nice for the lads to<br />
get that recognition, but also<br />
the university and the set up<br />
we have down here.”<br />
The England team will<br />
now ramp up their final<br />
fundraising effort, with player<br />
sponsorship, kit sponsorship,<br />
raffle tickets and an online<br />
fundraising account at<br />
gofundme.com/englandunirl<br />
all established to reduce<br />
the financial contribution<br />
that each player needs to<br />
contribute.<br />
ENGLAND UNIVERSITIES<br />
24-MAN SQUAD:<br />
Jacob Morgan (Leeds<br />
Beckett), Jake Reed<br />
(Leeds Beckett) James<br />
Mason (Gloucestershire),<br />
James Woodburn-Hall<br />
(Leeds), Jason Bass<br />
(<strong>Newcastle</strong>), Joshua Halstead<br />
(Birmingham), Joshua<br />
Hamilton (Hull), Kieran<br />
Sherratt (Coventry), Kieran<br />
Smith (Sheffield Hallam),<br />
Lewis Lord (Loughborough),<br />
Liam Wood (UCLan), Marcus<br />
Stock (Sheffield), Matt Ross<br />
(Nottingham Trent), Nathan<br />
Hill (Hull), Sam Druce (Leeds<br />
Beckett), Zack McComb<br />
(Leeds Beckett)<br />
Remaining England<br />
Universities’ <strong>2017</strong> UK<br />
Fixtures:<br />
23<br />
<strong>All</strong> <strong>Golds</strong> assistant coach<br />
Anthony Murray added his<br />
delight at seeing five of the<br />
club’s young stars gain their<br />
call-up.<br />
“I am really pleased for all the<br />
guys and congratulate them<br />
on their call up,” said Murray,<br />
Aaron Hall (Bolton), Ben<br />
Stead (Gloucestershire), Brad<br />
Kislingbury (Gloucestershire),<br />
Dan Harrison (Nottingham<br />
Trent), Dom Bryan<br />
(Manchester Met), Elliot<br />
Hall (Loughborough), Harry<br />
Kidd (Gloucestershire),<br />
Jack Lazenby (Hull),<br />
Friday 2nd June, 5.00pm –<br />
Headingley Carnegie v GB<br />
Armed Forces<br />
Saturday 17th June, 2pm<br />
– Cougar Park v Keighley<br />
Cougars Reserves.<br />
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ALL GOLDS FIXTURES & RESU<br />
DATE K.O. OPPONENTS RES FULLBACK WING CENTRE CENTRE WING STAND OFF<br />
Sun Feb 19 14:00 A Hemel Stags (L1CupR1) 12-48 GASKELL 1T AGORO 1T COWBURN KISLINGBURY 2T BARLOW STEAD 1G<br />
Sun Feb 26 14:00 H North Wales Crusaders (LCCR3) 36-18 GASKELL 1T AGORO 1T COWBURN KISLINGBURY 2T BARLOW HOUGHTON<br />
Sun Mar 5 15:00 A Hunslet (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 10-06 HOUGHTON AGORO BRICKHILL WILLIAMS KISLINGBURY STEAD 1G<br />
Sun Mar 12 15:00 H Keighley Cougars (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 46-22 GASKELL AGORO 4T COWBURN KISLINGBURY BARLOW MITCHELL 1T<br />
Sun Mar 19 15:00 A Doncaster (LCCR4) 48-22 GASKELL AGORO COWBURN KISLINGBURY 1T BARLOW 1T MITCHELL<br />
Sun Mar 26 15:00 A Workington Town (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 54-22 GASKELL AGORO 1T COWBURN 1T KISLINGBURY BARLOW 1T MITCHELL<br />
Sun Apr 2 14:30 A Workington Town (L1CupQF) 22-30 MITCHELL AGORO WILLIAMS COWBURN 2T BARLOW 1T FALLON<br />
Sun Apr 9 15:00 H London Skolars (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 22-24 COWBURN AGORO 2T BRICKHILL NIELD BARLOW FALLON<br />
Fri April 14 15:00 A South Wales Ironmen (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 30-36 NIELD AGORO 3T COWBURN 1T KISLINGBURY 1T BARLOW WARD<br />
Sun April 30 15:00 H North Wales Crusaders (L1CupSF) 28-37 MITCHELL AGORO 1T COWBURN KISLINGBURY 1T BARLOW 2T WARD<br />
Sun May 7 15:00 H York City Knights (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 10-56 NIELD AGORO COWBURN KISLINGBURY 1T BARLOW WARD 2G<br />
Sun May 14 15:00 H North Wales Crusaders (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 36-28 MITCHELL AGORO 1T NIELD KISLINGBURY BARLOW STEAD 6G<br />
Sun May 21 15:00 A Coventry Bears (<strong>KPL1</strong>) 18-26 MITCHELL 1T AGORO 1T NIELD 1T KISLINGBURY 1T BARLOW 1T STEAD 3G<br />
Sun Jun 4 15:00 H <strong>Newcastle</strong> <strong>Thunder</strong> (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sun Jun 11 14:00 A Whitehaven (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sun Jun 18 14:00 A Hemel Stags (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sun Jun 25 15:00 H Oxford (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sat Jul 1 18:30 A Barrow Raiders (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sat Jul 8 12:00 A Toronto Wolfpack (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
Sun Jul 16 15:00 H Doncaster (<strong>KPL1</strong>)<br />
THE KEY | Home games appear in bold | <strong>KPL1</strong> = Kingstone Press League 1 | <strong>KPL1</strong>S = Kingstone Press League 1 Shield<br />
LCC = Ladbrokes Challenge Cup | L1Cup = League 1 Cup | Sin-binned Red Card (Sent Off) | T = Try | G = Goal | DG = Drop Goal<br />
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LTS <strong>2017</strong><br />
SCRUM HALF PROP HOOKER PROP 2ND ROW 2ND ROW LOOSE FWD SUB 1 SUB 2 SUB 3 SUB 4<br />
HYDE 5G PURSLOW PARRY (C) 2T WALTER WORRALL McCLEAN 1T ELLIOTT 1T HOUGHTON WILLIAMS 1T LLOYD-JONES KIDD<br />
HYDE 2G PURSLOW PARRY (C) 2T ELLIOTT WORRALL McCLEAN 1T BRICKHILL MITCHELL ANDRADE LLOYD-JONES KIDD 1T<br />
HYDE PURSLOW PARRY (C) KIDD JONES McCLEAN ELLIOTT MITCHELL ANDRADE 1T LLOYD-JONES WALTER<br />
HYDE 5G PURSLOW PARRY (C) 2T KIDD WORRALL McCLEAN BRICKHILL WILLIAMS ELLIOTT 1T FALLON 2G WALTER<br />
HYDE 3G PURSLOW PARRY (C) 2T KIDD McCLEAN WORRALL BRICKHILL WILLIAMS ELLIOTT ANDRADE WALTER<br />
HYDE 3G PURSLOW PARRY (C) ELLIOTT WORRALL McCLEAN 1T BRICKHILL LLOYD-JONES ANDRADE WALTER KIDD<br />
HYDE 5G KIDD 1T PARRY (C) 1T WALTER ELLIOTT McCLEAN WORRALL STEPHENS O’KEEFFE PURSLOW LLOYD-JONES<br />
HYDE 3G KIDD PARRY (C) 1T WALTER ELLIOTT McCLEAN 1T WORRALL LOBWEIN JONES PURSLOW LLOYD JONES<br />
HYDE 6G ELLIOTT 1T PARRY (C) PURSLOW MCCLEAN WORRALL BRICKHILL LOBWEIN O’KEEFFE WALTER ANDRADE<br />
HYDE 2G PURSLOW PARRY (C) 1T KIDD 1T WORRALL McCLEAN BRICKHILL FALLON O’KEEFFE ELLIOTT LLOYD-JONES<br />
HYDE PURSLOW PARRY (C) 1T ELLIOTT O’KEEFFE McCLEAN WORRALL BRICKHILL REECE KIDD LLOYD-JONES<br />
FALLON PURSLOW PARRY (C) WALTER REECE 2T McCLEAN WORRALL BRICKHILL 1T ELLIOTT LLOYD-JONES KIDD 2T<br />
FALLON PURSLOW PARRY (C) WALTER REECE McCLEAN WORRALL BRICKHILL HARGREAVES ELLIOTT KIDD<br />
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ALL GOLDS<br />
HEAD COACH:<br />
LEE GREENWOOD<br />
THUNDER<br />
HEAD COACH:<br />
JASON PAYNE<br />
26<br />
MO AGORO<br />
CHRIS BARLOW<br />
BILLY BRICKHILL<br />
HARRISON ELLIOTT<br />
DANNY FALLON<br />
BRADLEY HARGREAVES<br />
KIERAN HYDE<br />
HARRY KIDD<br />
BRAD KISLINGBURY<br />
MALIKHI LLOYD-JONES<br />
JACK MITCHELL<br />
STEVE PARRY (C)<br />
OLLIE PURSLOW<br />
LEWIS REECE<br />
BEN STEAD<br />
LUKE STEPHENS<br />
JOSHUA WARD<br />
KADEEM WILLIAMS<br />
CHRIS WORRALL<br />
HARRY ALDOUS<br />
JACK ALDOUS<br />
ALISTAIR BLAIR<br />
JOSEPH BROWN<br />
RHYS CLARKE<br />
BENN HARDCASTLE<br />
SAM LUCKLEY<br />
LIAM MCAVOY<br />
DANIEL NICKLAS<br />
DARRELL OLPHERTS<br />
DANIEL PARKER<br />
VINCENT RENNIE<br />
THOMAS SHAW<br />
EVAN SIMONS<br />
STEPHEN SNITCH<br />
JOSHUA STOKER<br />
AARON TEROI<br />
BRETT WALLER<br />
LEWIS YOUNG<br />
REFEREE: M. ROSSLEIGH | RESERVE: T. ARNOLD<br />
TOUCH JUDGES: R. SNELSON, P. CROMER | M COM: M. HEPTINSTALL<br />
UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL GOLDS<br />
Oxstalls Campus, Gloucester, GL2 9HW<br />
www.allgoldsrugby.com<br />
@<strong>All</strong><strong>Golds</strong> facebook.com/<strong>All</strong><strong>Golds</strong>Rugby<br />
Tel: 01242 715332 | Official Website: www.allgoldsrugby.com