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Post by davemorton on Nov 17, 2023 22:27:30 GMT
A big weekend of rugby coming up, for which the televised Bath V Bristol game was a wonderful curtain-raiser - modern brilliance in old-fashioned mud. Are these people even human?
Tomorrow sees the Sedgley Park v Sale FC derby match. The clubs are 15 miles apart, and the next nearest in the league (Birmingham Moseley) is over a hundred.
Elsewhere, Donny Knights travel to Coventry, once the premier club in all England, in the days of Duckham and Cotton.
In National 2 North, there are Yorkshire derbies (as always): Rotherham v Hull, Wharfedale v Sheffield Tigers and Sheffield RFC v Huddersfield. Otley travel to vulnerable Fylde, Leeds Tykes will surely win at little brave Lymm, and Ionians have to travel to Sedgley's bogey team, Tynedale.
Ilkley travel to Doncaster Phoenix, about whom I know nothing at all. Are they the amateur remnants of the Knights? Or a separate club entirely?
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Post by newby on Nov 18, 2023 8:56:02 GMT
Some info on the Phoenix.
Doncaster Phoenix RUFC is an independent club playing in Regional North East one, out of Castle Park, Doncaster. Our progressive club aims to play amateur rugby at the highest possible standards and plays to professional player standards. In recent seasons, Phoenix successfully achieved promotion – at the first attempt! – to National Three North and has maintained its Level 5 status and since switched to the re-organised to the competitive Regional North East one. This was on the secured on back-to-back promotions in Yorkshire One and North East One – losing only three games along the way and breaking 100 points
Want to play for Phoenix? At the present, we regularly run 2 senior men’s teams, a ladies senior team (The Demons) and provided Vets Rugby. As a rule, Phoenix is ideally suited to talented players, who are not ready to jump into a full-time career in professional rugby. These could be players who want to play rugby at a high standard, and also pursue a career outside of the game.
While we follow in the footsteps of the professional game when it comes to training, coaching (Ex Doncaster Knights players) and administration, Phoenix has retained its welcoming amateur ethos. As such, there’s a strong sense of community within the club, that allows players and their families to form lifelong friendships.
Naturally, attracting young players from the local community, particularly former Doncaster colts and Doncaster Knights Academy, is key to our future. If you would like to play at Doncaster Phoenix, please contact Glen Kenworthy on 07920745917 or email Kendo@castle-park.co.uk
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Post by hawke on Nov 18, 2023 9:09:35 GMT
Doncaster Phoenix won at Ilkley a few seasons ago with a young, very impressive side. Their coach at the time was the Yorkshire U 21 man. So they were attracting good players. As Doncaster Knights are now Yorkshire’s leading side then there is still a lure to play for Phoenix as there seems to be an unofficial pathway.
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Post by davemorton on Nov 18, 2023 11:49:56 GMT
Thanks, Newby. Castle Park is a fantastic facility. I watched it develop whilst visiting with Sedge. Doncaster came from the depths of North East 2 (when Sedgley were in North West 1) and the two clubs rose more or less in parallel through the leagues. It was always a tough game, and a good game, but Donny were always better supported (numerically) than we were, or are.
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Post by newby on Nov 18, 2023 19:02:13 GMT
Talking of Doncaster they were given a bit of a pasting this afternoon by Coventry 51-7 in the Championship. Have Coventry picked up some higher level redundant players from the region I wonder.
Back to the main event, if only in my mind, Leeds Tykes won again in what was reportedly a fast and furious game on an artificial pitch at Lymm.
11 wins on the trot, I'm getting a nosebleed. They play Rotherham next week, the other unbeaten team so something is likely to give.
I hope to go but I've just had the grand kids dumped on me, one will love it, the other will make it unbearable. I might get away with it if it isn't too cold.
Sedge won, I'll leave that and others to the expert.
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Post by davemorton on Nov 18, 2023 20:09:14 GMT
Sedge won relatively easily, scored an early(ish) try, and were never overtaken. Sale narrowed the lead to 8-6 but Sedgley scored again just before HT. Tight for a while, and 15-11 after Sale scored their only try, but it ended comfortable enough at 26-11.
Strangely, there are now 5 teams at the top, all won 7, lost 3, and separated by bonus points only. Sedge still 4th, and we're down at Cinderford next week. Sale are bottom, W2, L8, and yet there was not a lot in it today. We have consistently won the close ones. A good habit.
Poor old Huddersfield got a terrible stuffing today. They're gone, I'm afraid. It is going to be a long season for them. Shame.
Ilkley won 18-10 at Doncaster Phoenix.
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Post by davemorton on Nov 19, 2023 1:14:24 GMT
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Post by hawke on Nov 19, 2023 22:16:55 GMT
Cauught the last 5 minutes of Ilkley at Doncaster Phoenix on Drystone Radio. What a media revolution we have had. Now people round the world can tune into Ilkley rugby union matches!
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Post by karma on Nov 20, 2023 7:46:31 GMT
When I retired from paid employment I was encouraged to sign up to Facebook ie so that people I had known for many years could keep in touch. I soon discovered that people whom I never regarded as friends suddenly wanted to be my best mate. Never used Facebook subsequently though every so often I receive notifications from them with updates and which I delete. I know of people who use Facebook just to see what others are 'up to' but never make actual contact. A cricket forum is the nearest I get to social media or unsocial media as I sometimes call it .When I hear for example of footballers , cricketer, household names complaining about the amount of abuse they receive on social media then to me the solution is clear. This is just my experience, others in fact millions of others take a different view.
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Post by newby on Nov 21, 2023 19:37:11 GMT
I recently signed up on Facebook as the only way to access some information I was looking for. I've had a few notifications which I have deleted, they've managed without me this long I'm sure they can do without anything I have to say and I don't have either the time or the inclination to find out what they have to say.
In Rugby League the magic weekend, when all 12 teams play over 2 days at the same venue, has been moved from St James's Park to Elland Road.
At least it's nearer so better than Manchester, Cardiff, or Liverpool where it's been held previously.
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Post by karma on Nov 21, 2023 20:45:50 GMT
Yesterday evening my wife told me there are a couple of scams going round ostensibly from Facebook. I had two 'updates' today within 5 minutes of each other on my mobile and deleted both. Then ran my Norton security scan. Belt and braces. But you can't be too careful.
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Post by karma on Nov 23, 2023 9:57:29 GMT
The BBC have admitted it is under financial pressure to continue showing sporting events, including Six Nations Rugby, cricket Test match highlights, the Hundred etc etc .
Where is it going to end, the FA Cup final, State Opening of Parliament, Last Night of the proms, King's Christmas broadcast etc ?
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Post by davemorton on Nov 24, 2023 11:56:10 GMT
This weekend (Nov 25th), Doncaster play London Scottish, another famous old club who have had a tough time, recently. They have lost all 3 league games to date, having just survived relegation last season.
At level 3, Sedgley Park travel to Cinderford, which is in the Forest of Dean, sandwiched between the Severn and Wales, a former mining area where rugby was always a working class game.
Match of the Day is at level 4, National 2 North, where Leeds Tykes play Rotherham, in what already looks like being the first leg of the promotion battle. Third-placed Wharfedale play on Preston's plastic, but they're already a mile behind the leaders. Struggling Otley play Sheffield, and even-more-struggling Huddersfield play Billingham.
Hull Ionians v Fylde; Hull v Tynedale; Sheffield Tigers v Lymm complete the Yorkshire interest.
One level down, Ilkley (7th) play Driffield (3rd).
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Post by davemorton on Nov 25, 2023 19:21:31 GMT
Donny duly beat London Scottish, but by the narrow margin 29-24.
Sedgley had an outstanding win down at Cinderford. We were leading 19-14 just before half-time, when we had a player sent off. I thought that was curtains. but we stretched away to win 43-19. Next Saturday we play 'Club' aka Blackheath, the first and oldest rugby club in the world.
Leeds Tykes won their top-table derby 26-20, but Rotherham's losing bonus point might be significant. Both Hull sides lost, but Wharfedale won well at Preston, and Sheffield beat Lymm.
Sheffield Tigers won 45-41 at Otley. What sort of a game is that? Time was, when your typical Otley game ended 12-10, or even 6-3.
Huddersfield's game was called off early morning. From the photo on their website, Lockwood Park looks like the Russian steppes.
Ilkley's result is not yet up on the RFU website.
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Post by newby on Nov 25, 2023 19:55:15 GMT
Exasperatingly I was within a stones throw of the Sycamores this afternoon at kick off time but unable to convince my wife and two grandchildren that a couple of hours at the rugby would be good for them.
They won, it seems to have been quite a tight affair 26-20 looking forward to reading the report in the YP on Monday. 12 out of 12 can't be bad.
At Tynedale next week, they can't trip up there can they!
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