Rugby League Today: Super League survival, Batley tragedy & York secure play-off spot
What’s on site
Wakefield took a giant stride to Super League survival with victory over relegation rivals Hull KR on Sunday, while London’s win over Catalans has once again grouped up the teams at the bottom.
York City Knights confirmed their place in the Championship play-offs in their first season back in the division, beating Featherstone on Sunday.
Batley and rugby league is mourning the death of young scrum half Archie Bruce, who was found dead in his hotel room in Toulouse aged just 20.
Toronto’s game at home to Rochdale was abandoned late on due to a storm, with the Wolfpack winning 46-0.
Salford boosted their top five chances with a win at Hull on Saturday, the first game after Paul Rowley was officially appointed as a coaching consultant at the club.
Warrington coach Steve Price says St Helens are the biggest favourites in Challenge Cup history, having presumably forgotten about Sheffield’s win over Wigan in 1998.
What’s on social
The Bradford saga rumbles on.
Can I ask, why don’t #bradfordbulls just play at Odsal with main stand and Coral stand open? They don’t get over 5k that often anyway (and won’t at Dewsbury). Section off the terracing? Moving to Dewsbury will cost them fans & income & they’ll lose a large chunk of corporate too? https://t.co/BZMnicLghs
— Mark Wilson (@MarkWilsonRadio) August 18, 2019
Classy touch from Wigan last week…
Had some tussles with @WiganWarriorsRL over the years and it’s fair to say I’m not on there xmas card list. But big thanks to @krisradlinski1 for the letter and champers. Really nice of them and much appreciated ?? pic.twitter.com/0u57xNmmcX
— Danny McGuire (@DannyMcguire6) August 14, 2019
Great work all round.
Big thanks to our friends at @bramleybuffs for all their support & hospitality yesterday ? the Buffaloes play in the @YorkshireRL. If you’re looking for a friendly ambitious #RugbyLeague club why not give them a try! (Get the pun! ?) for more info https://t.co/3F3iaSoZFC pic.twitter.com/tbOOtp3Mkz
— Team Colostomy UK (@TeamColostomyUK) August 18, 2019
Any more for any more…
Things that will/have/are going to kill Rugby League:
*Referees
*Penalties
*Todd Greenberg
*AFL
*Soccer
*Lawyers
*Doctors
*The Bunker
*Banning punching
*Banning shoulder charges
*Wrestling
*The ARLC
*David Smith
*David Gallop
*David Moffett
*Neil Whittaker
*Superleague#crisis— Andrew Ferguson (@AndrewRLP) August 18, 2019
What’s in the papers
Interesting piece in The Guardian on the future of Odsal, as the future of rugby league in Bradford took yet another twist last week.
Fascinating stuff in The Mirror and elsewhere, after Warrington opened their doors to the media last week for an insight to their performance department, and the extraordinary physical achievements of their players.
Castleford coach Daryl Powell says in the Yorkshire Post they should be a clear second in the table, and the next three games will prove whether the Tigers can reach the Grand Final.
Birthdays
Catalans and France winger Fouad Yaha, who had a brief stint in rugby union at the end of last season, turns 23 today.
Also celebrating: Love Rugby League’s Deputy Editor Drew Darbyshire, Canterbury’s Lachlan Lewis (23); Bradford winger David Foggin-Johnston (23); former Celtic Crusaders and Brisbane full-back Tony Duggan (41).
What’s on TV/radio
10pm – Super League Full Time – Sky Sports Action
11.50pm – Super League Show – BBC One
Trivia
Bradford Park Avenue was the original rugby club in Bradford (known as Bradford FC), formed in 1863 and founder member of the Northern Union in 1895; but they switched to football in 1907, with Bradford Northern taking their place in the following rugby league season.