March and Langley named Premier Sports POTW
Keighley Cougars player-coach Paul March and Rochdale Hornets winger Gareth Langley are the Premier Sports Players of the Week.
March scored three tries and was the key performer as Keighley racked up a 52-18 win at Whitehaven, while Langley produced some devastating finishing to claim four tries for Rochdale in their triumph over Gateshead Thunder.
Every week each coach in the Kingstone Press Championship and Championship One is contacted to help compile the Premier Sports awards.
Premier Sports Championship Player of the Week – Paul March (Keighley Cougars)
Keighley Cougars player-coach Paul March turned in a dominant performance to help his side to a crucial Kingstone Press Championship win at Whitehaven.
The Cougars were significant underdogs going into the game against a Whitehaven side with an impressive home record, having lost heavily at home to Batley Bulldogs in their last outing.
But they blew the home side off the park in the first half, with March the key man as they raced into a 34-0 half-time lead.
March, playing at scrum-half, scored twice in the five minutes leading up to the break.
He completed an impressive hat trick on 51 minutes to help guide his side further away from the relegation battle.
Premier Sports Championship One Player of the Week – Gareth Langley (Rochdale Hornets)
Rochdale winger Gareth Langley collected four tries in Rochdale’s 29-22 victory over Gateshead Thunder.
Hornets assistant coach Chris Hough said: “Gareth could have had five or six tries. He was a threat every time he got the ball.
“He finished well when he needed to and he made a few good breaks as well. He’s a player that performs consistently well.
“Every week he seems to have a decent game, and for anybody to score our tries in a game is a pretty solid effort.”
Championship Player of the Year award
Doncaster’s Paul Cooke moves up to joint third in the Player of the Year race after picking up four points for his two-try performance in the 28-all draw at Halifax. Player of the Week Paul March is joined by brother David in collecting points.
5 points – Paul March (Keighley Cougars)
4 points – Paul Cooke (Doncaster)
3 points – David March (Hunslet Hawks)
2 points – John Davies (Batley Bulldogs)
1 point – Richie Hawkyard (Swinton Lions)
In addition, the fixtures for Round 20 were completed with the recent game between Sheffield Eagles and Workington Town. The player points for that round are included below, and in the updated Player of the Year table. Rounds 8 and 19 are also still to be finalised once rearranged fixtures take place.
Round 20 player points:
5 points – Mick Butterfield (Doncaster)
4 points – Peter Lupton (Workington)
3 points – Lee Doran (Whitehaven)
2 points – Menzie Yere (Sheffield)
1 point – Ryan Hepworth (Dewsbury)
Championship Player of the Year table
1. Mitchell Stringer (15 points)
2. Quentin Laulu-Togagae (13 points)
3 Paul Cooke (12 points)
Aaron Brown (12 points)
Championship One Player of the Year award
North Wale Crusaders player Andy Moulsdale moves up to joint top of the Player of the Year table after collecting four points for his hat-trick in the Crusaders’ 44-12 win over Hemel Stags.
Oldham full-back Richard Lepori is just behind the leaders after collecting a point for his performance against Gloucestershire All Golds, while Gareth Langley moves up the rankings due to a five-point haul for winning the Player of the Week award.
5 points – Gareth Langley (Rochdale Hornets)
4 points – Andy Moulsdale (North Wales Crusaders)
3 points – Steve Parry (Gloucestershire All Golds)
2 points – Haydn Peacock (South Wales Scorpions)
1 point – Richard Lepori (Oldham)
Championship One Player of the Year table
1. Mike Bishay (10 points)
Stuart Reardon (10 points)
Andy Moulsdale (10 points)