Live Rugby League

[StreetCowboy]

Coom on Cowboy, Soop up, we'd best be gettin't'thegrawnd naow.

Calm down, Ray, there's minutes yet...Allan's not finished his pint either...

There's plenty of Wakefield Trinity supporters in the Halliwell Jones, bytheway...

I'll be straight off after this to Anfield, via Sid's, for the friendly against Celtic

And the first five minutes are scoreless, Warrington with the pressure, but it's points that makes prizes... Applause as Wakefield lose the ball on their own 20 metre line. Tim Roby is the man with the whistle. Paul Hitler Wood drives in, Ratchford lets rip with not the best of kicks, and the referee calls play on.

Kyle Amor brings it on from deep in the Trinity half. Brett Hodgson not big enough to force his way through the Trinity forwards. Tyrone Mccarthy gets a deserving round of applause, Hodgson to Reilly ...

...

And Michael Monaghan's move is finished via Chris Bridge by his brother Joel in the corner for the first try - 21st try of the season for Joel, and we could all do with a wing man like that

Frank Mariano penalised for holding down, Warrington work it through the forwards, then through the backs but can't get through the Wakefield defence, held up just short. Liam Kay takes the kick well, but outside the field of play and Wakefield drop out from under the sticks. Warrington attacking the Martin Dawes end, Bridge's pass to Reilly is forward and Wakefield feed the scrum ten metres from their own try line.

"I can't recall a handling movement by Wakefield within 30 metres of the Warrington Line, Allan"

And whilst I've been distracted by children wittering at me, Wakefield and Warrington have both scored Warrington 8 - 4 Wakefield

[StreetCowboy]

AND KERMONT HAS EQUALISED FOR WAKEFIELD!

Bloody children wittering... Michael Monaghan breaks, passes out to Paul Wood to Mickey Higham...

and Stefan Ratchford is successful with the conversion to make it 14 - 8.

And that's the score at half-time.

There's no other games playing this afternoon, but elsewhere the Scottishly football has kicked off as is usual at this time of year

[StreetCowboy]

Wakefield attack, pressure on Warrington, Ben Curry is beaten the grubber kick comes through but Wakefield can't touch down. Warrington are a bit casual and contrary to Trent Waterhouse's opinion, Tim Roby says scrum-Wakefield. The Warrington defence is sound, though.

A shocking pass is knocked on, Warrington knock on, but it's a forward Wakefield pass, so Warrington get the scrum as Brad Dwyer comes on. But not yet, because you can't make changes at the scrum. The scrum is reset and Higham loses the ball - no he doesn't ... Brad Dwyer replaces Higham.

Richie Mathers gathers the Warrington kick, Ben Cokcayne wants to have a go, strong tackle from Westwood... Liam Kaye takes the ball, Smith has his kick charged down and Ben Curry gathers for Warrington.

Michael Monaghan serves the ball out wide to Chris Bridges, and Joel Monaghan goes in at the corner for his second try of the match, and Warrington's fourth

"They really are a delight to watch, Allan, it's fingertip passing"

Ratchford right out on the nearside touchline, hits it very very well, but just to the far side, and it's 18 - 8

"I think these balls are so light, Allan, anything can carry them away"

And Warrington score again before Wakefield can get their hands on the ball, quick, neat passing and Chris Bridge is going to have a go at goal from the right-hand touchline. And "not a good effort at all", 22 - 8. And this will lift Warrington into second position ahead of Wigan, if it carries on like this. "And you can join us on DAB and the internet whether you're on the other side of the world ("That'sus, Cowboy!") or Lousher's Lane" - aye, sure, as if they've got internet on Lousher's Lane...

Warrington again cross, and again, the kick goes wide... 26 - 14; Trinity look to be tiring, and the scoring is not done yet.

AND A SURPRISE INTERCEPTION SEES LIAM KAYE SCORE!!! and the conversion makes it 22 - 14, and that puts a different complexion on the picture, and the Wakefield Trinity fans have come alive! Let's hope they look better than Lazarus in Sid's, who looked like death warmed up...

Again Warrington are putting the pressure on Wakefield, Paul Wood drives up, but the ball comes forward, and Wakefield try to dance delicately through... almost up to the half-way line... Bobby Goulding jr is wrapped up, Laoatiti comes forward but the offload ends in Warrington arms... Ball back to Brad Dwyer... up to the thirty... long pass to the linesman, but he's not there to take it, and Wakefield scrum inside their own 30 m line with seven minutes to go.

Wakefield a metre out, the ball goes wide ... into the arms of Chris Reilly who breaks 35 metres, penalty, knock-on, and that's the end of that attack.

[StreetCowboy]

...

Another Wakefield mistake, Warrington break, Wakefield shut the door, but it's Wakefield on the defensive again. Paul Wood seven metres in front of the sticks, Brett Hosgson, Joel Monaghan easy as you like but its a forward pass, penalty though for a shoulder charge, Brad Dwyer held up and Tim Roby is getting praise from Allan Rooney (and Ray, don't forget Ray)

Trinity are hanging in with terrific effort, last ditch tackles forcing mistakes from Warrington

"I think it's fair to say, Ray, that Warrington have controlled things in the sunshine here at the Halliwell Jones" - under a minute remaining, paul Ayton evades the welcoming arms of Chris Bridge, Wakefield shift it wide, forward pass... good enterprise from Wakefield with less than a minute to go

And that's the way it ends...

Warrington 26 - 14 Wakefield, good enterprise from Wakefield, but too much pace, too much class, too much nouse in midfield from Warrington, and that takes the Wolves to 2nd in the league, still a point adrift of Huddersfield and two points ahead of neighbours Wigan. Their neighbours on the other side, Widnes, play Castleford tomorrow. Also tomorrow the Hull derby....

[David48]

Thanks ... the Wakefield calls are always appreciated ...

[StreetCowboy]

Astro's running a few minutes behind with their broadcast of the Hull derby, but we'll pretend it's live.

Hull in eighth position, Hull KR in seventh, Ben Thaler in the middle with the whistle...

Fifteen minutes in, Salter can't catch a pass, everyone pulls up for the knock-on, but he gets underneath the ball before it reaches the ground, and scores the first try for Hull KR. 6 - 0

[StreetCowboy]

David Hodgson sent to the bin for a professional foul, holding Tom Briscoe down after an end-to-end sprint following up a kick.

It's worth mentioning that there were a couple of yellow cards earlier for fisticuffs on the touchline. Hull FC with a man advantage, five tackles from ten metres out. Whiting forces his way to the line, but can't touch down. But FC can't get through, and they decline to kick on the last tackle, Hull KR get back possession, and take their time, winding down the yellow card.

Jacob Miller scores after Hull keep the ball alive from near the halfway line and the scores are level. Twice unloading in the tackle after a long lateral run to find space, Miller had to carry three defenders towards the line before reaching out past them all to touch down on the white wash.

A penalty for Rovers for stripping gives them a two point margin at half time.

[StreetCowboy]

A high kick is palmed back by Tom Briscoe, Kirk Yeaman is held back by Travis Burns and a penalty try is given.

Rovers 8 - 12 Hull FC

Richard Whiting plucks a flat Rovers wing-bound pass out of the air, he doesn't have the legs to get away from the turning Rovers defenders, but Jamie Shaw does!

Rovers 8 - 18 Hull FC. After looking lacklustre in the first half, the Black-and-Whites are opening up a lead over their cross-cit rivals, And Joe Arundel is off again from the kick-off 8 - 24!

Walker scores for Rovers beside the posts, and the lead is cut to ten points. Whiting scores in the corner after a couple of forward passes, and the black-and-whites extend their lead to 16 points.

While the commentators are digressing on thoughts of the games ahead in the final three rounds of the league, Rovers score again to cut the deficit back to ten points with less than ten minutes to go.

Tom Briscoe picks up a nasty bouncing ball and dots down just before the dead ball line

Rovers 14 - 36 FC, and FC have won two of the three meetings between the teams this season; will they meet again in the play-offs?

[StreetCowboy]

Travis Burns gets a yellow card in the last couple of minutes for a contre-temps with Tom Briscoe, whose shirt is in tatters, and Danny Tickle kicks a 50 metre penalty to end the game Hull Kingston Rovers 20 - 38 Hull FC

[StreetCowboy]

My apologies for the lapse in coverage this weekend - I was on family duties...

But what a weekend it was! Widnes heaped mortification on top of the embarrassment that they gave Warrington earlier in the season, completing the double against their more illustrious neighbours - a result that saw Huddersfield stretch their lead to 3 points at the top of the table, with only two games to go. Wigan also floundered in Perpignan, so Warrington hold on to second place by a single point. This weekend, Wigan travel to Wembley - and I travel to Sid's on the hill - for the Challenge Cup Final, and face the same opposition a week later in the penultimate round of Superleague, while Warrington have the short trip to Langtree Park to meet St Helens at the end of the month.

Wakefield have a daunting trip into the hills to meet table-toppers (as in League leaders, not as in Subbuteo) Huddersfield.

My apologies in advance for the lack of coverage of the Cup Final - I'll be out with the lads from work, so I daren't take the laptop with me, for fear of what may happen after the game...

SC

[StreetCowboy]

So I'm warming up for the Challenge Cup Final with a pint and some dinner on the way to Sid's... Should be a great game, and remember we get a replay mext weekend when Wigan and Hull meet in the penultimate round os Superleague

[keddy]

Saw the game. Hull seemed to be nervous throughout; loads of handling errors but the weather didn't help. However they did make a few decent breaks but couldn't string enough good moves together to threaten Wigan who were tougher and more disciplined on the day. I felt a bit sorry for Hull. It must have been a very frustrating day for their supporters

[smokie36]

Devastating.....just awful that was.

[keddy]

Let's hope they come back stronger, having learnt from the experience.

[StreetCowboy]

Some big games on tonight - Warrington play St Helens, hoping to close the three point gap on Huddersfield, with two games to play, while Hull will be looking for vengeance after their Challenge Cup Final defeat by Wigan, and Leeds meet Catalan Dragons. None of it live on Astro, but in the unlikely event that I wake up, I might see what Ray and Allan are up to on the wireless.

I'll be watching the Warrington game live tomorrow evening on Astro, though, with a bit of help from Pu Sing, the time-travelling super hero of Petaling Jaya, when I get back from the Malaysia Sevens in ... Petaling Jaya

SC

[StreetCowboy]

What a night to miss!

Wire maintain their pursuit of Huddersfield at the top of the table as they enter the final straight of the season... Huddersfield face Wakefield on Sunday, and a win then, or at Bradford next week, would be sufficient to take the League Leaders' Shield, while for Warrington to have any hope, they need to win again on the road... next week, the very long road to Perpignan and the Stade Glibert Brutus.

IN what must be the greatest frustration of the season, Hull FC reversed last weekend's Challenge Cup Final defeat with a win at Wigan by two drop goals to one, in a 33 - 34 nail-biter.

At Headingley, it looked as if Catalan Dragons might snatch their first ever victory at the ground, but two late tries sealed the game for Leeds.

So we'll be cheering (albeit in our sleep) for Wakefield at Huddersfield on Sunday night (it's an 00:15 kick-off, Thai time, Monday morning) to keep the race for the Shield alive as we enter the final round of the league

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Wakefield got a bit of a hammering last week as Huddersfield sealed the League.

This weekend, they rested their first team, and consequently copped a drubbing from Bradford, while Warrington scraped a very fortunate win in Perpignan to deny Catalans a home quarter-final. Leeds overcame Wigan to take third place.

Meanwhile I've got the penultimate game of the regular 27 rounds on the wireless. Hull KR looking for a 122 point winning margin to move up from 8th to 7th and set up a Quarter-Final derby with Hull FC. London looking for a win to take them off bottom of the league.

So the Quarter-Finals next week will be:

Qualification QFs

Huddersfield v WIgan

Warrington v Leeds

Elimination QFs

St Helens v Hull KR

Hull FC v Catalans

London reduce the deficit to 16 - 10

Wakefield v Castleford ought to have just kicked off, as well

SC

[StreetCowboy]

And London have taken the lead - 16 - 22, and that would be enough to lift London into 13th place ahead of Salford.

[StreetCowboy]

After leading 16 - 0, Hull KR slip to a 22 - 34 defeat at home to London Broncos, who climb off the foot of the table past Salford.

Wakefield 28 - 20 ahead against Castleford.

[smokie36]

My confidence is still in tatters in spite of the reverse....its a sea of tears off Hull right now.

Perhaps a win over Catalans will raise my spirits!

[StreetCowboy]

I'm just watching the end of the Huddersfield Wigan game - first game of the Play-offs. Good Huddersfield defence has limited the Wigan attack, but excellent Wigan defence stifled and blunted Huddersfield's offence. Wigan have a week off before the semi-finals, while Huddersfield will host one of the winners of the Elimination round next week.

Final score Huddersfield 8 - 22 Wigan thanks to a drop goal after the hooter.

Tonight, Hull FC host Catalan Dragons; the losers will be out, while the winners will progress.

On Saturday, Warrington host Leeds in a repeat of last year's Grand Final - will the result be the same, or will it be a repeat of last year's match at Wembley, when Warrington were victorious? Later in the evening, St Helens meet Hull Kingston Rovers.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

And you join us at the Halliwell Jones for Warrington v Leeds in the first Qualifying Play-off. You may recall that on Thursday Wigan beat Huddersfield to claim the first semi-final place, while yesterday Hull beat Catalans to get through to the first "Preliminary Semi-Final"; tomorrow St Helens host Hull KR in the second Elimination Quarter-Final.

Leeds kick off towards the Martin Dawes end; Stefan Ratchford judges it well, but he's tackled five metres from the Warrington line.

I arrived late from Home and Away, so I don't who is the man with the whistle, who is the man in the TV Umpire's box? One daren't speculate....

It's James Child with the whistle, and he awards a Warrington scrum for a knock-on, 38 metres from the Leeds line.

"If you're looking for a pantomime villain, Ryan Bailey fits the bill"

Warrington score the first try subject to a video judgement on a possible double movement, and Bennie Westwood gives Warrington a dream start, though he's not in the Superleage 'dream team'.

Kallum Watkins opens the scoring for Leeds, after Paul Woods recklessly passes to Ryan Bailey

Sinfield scores the second Leeds Rhinos try after a dubious forward pass, which followed on from a two-yard forward pass, and James Child should be glad he's not wearing a Specsavers-sponsored shirt.

SC

Michael Monaghan puts Simon Grix through, he dummies to kick for the corner, Zak Hardacre bought it for cash and Grix scores under the posts, and Stefan Ratchford has the opportunity to put Warrington back in front.

Bennie Westwood breaks, but where's the support? WHO CARES! Westwood scores under the posts. There's a question mark over it, though, and the video referee ("who can it be, now")

"Who is the video referee?"

"Is it Steve Ganson?")

I think it;s John Lawless (what a name for a referee) and the try is awarded.

[StreetCowboy]

Thre second half starts 18 - 10 to Warrington, who score first in the second half, 22 - 10 to Warrington

John Lawless is one of the commentators, so we're sixty minutes into the game and we still don't know who is the video ref.

Briers scores! and Wire stretch their lead to 26 - 10, Warrington cutting holes in the Leeds defence like a hot wire through butter

Hardacre bounces off Ryan Atkins and spins over the line to narrow the gap....

but not for long, as Bennie Westwood runs riot to score again "and that surely is the one that puts Warrington through to the Semi-Finals"

Leeds score, Sinfield converts to make it 34 - 20 with six minutes to go

And Ryan Atkins kicks through, and follows up to score under the posts to seal the game for Warrington

[StreetCowboy]

I'm just watching the game recorded from Astro Eurosport, and I'm surprised there's so many empty seats in the stadium.

Lee Briers was very lucky not to be carded after lamping Karl Ablett after being scragged round the collar.

The Astro chaps think that the video referee was Phil Bentham, by the way, and if you want to see a 2nd-rower impersonating a winger, watch Benny Westwood's try at about 35 minutes..

So as I understand it, next weekend Leeds will host St Helens, while Hull FC travel to the John Smith stadium in Huddersfield.

Warrington and Wigan lie in wait for the winners in the Semi-Finals.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

What drama!

This weekend saw the Superleague preliminary semifinals.

I recorded the games, as they were on after my bedtime, and I've just finished watching them.

After Huddersfield humiliated Hull FC with a 76-18 drubbing (least said, soonest mended, eh, Smokie?), you could not get a more contrasting game at Hedingley.

The teams went into the break with Leeds four points ahead with the only score of the first half, a little-finger-tip try by Callum Watkins. In thee second half, Joel Moon extended the lead to 10 - 0, but St Helens came back to narrow the lead to only four points, and then, with ten minutes to go, tied the scores. Jon Wilkins scuffed a drop goal attempt to win the game, and Leeds counter-attacked. St Helens defenders charged at Kevin Sinfield, but he calmly passed out to Danny McGuire who fired the ball between the uprights. But the game was not over, and St Helens broke - with 70 seconds to go their winger was dragged down as he shaped for a kick, the ball was spilled, and Leeds were able to control the final minute of the game to emerge 11 - 10 victors.

Tony Smith getto decide who Warrington will face, although he describes the Club Call as an unnecessary gimmick... I doubt he'll choose Huddersfield, who already hold the League Leaders' Shield; more likely Leeds, who denied Warrington their first Superleague Grand Final at Old Trafford last October. Warrington have beaten Leeds twice already this season at the Halliwell Jones, most recently 40 - 20 in the first round of the Play-Offs, although Leeds won when the teams met at Hedingley in April.

I'll see you all at the Halliwell Jones next weekend...

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Shows how much I know - Warrington will host Leeds on Thursday night, while Wigan entertain Leeds on Friday.

Apparently Warrington have beaten Huddersfield three times already this season, including the Challenge Cup Quarter-Final, if I'm not wrong.

[meatboy]

Shows how much I know - Warrington will host Leeds on Thursday night, while Wigan entertain Leeds on Friday.

Apparently Warrington have beaten Huddersfield three times already this season, including the Challenge Cup Quarter-Final, if I'm not wrong.

oh well sc.its wolves vs warriors.next sat,sun for us kick off 6.00pm uk.time.

when do their clocks go forward? up at 12 is a bit early but 1am is not too bad.

good game today but the rhino's were nackered from the start.

watching all this rl.brings back memories of the 70's at post office rd.watching that is,2.30pm sunday afternoon pork pie and mushy peas,with the belly already full of john smiths.

[StreetCowboy]

Shows how much I know - Warrington will host Leeds on Thursday night, while Wigan entertain Leeds on Friday.

Apparently Warrington have beaten Huddersfield three times already this season, including the Challenge Cup Quarter-Final, if I'm not wrong.

oh well sc.its wolves vs warriors.next sat,sun for us kick off 6.00pm uk.time.

when do their clocks go forward? up at 12 is a bit early but 1am is not too bad.

good game today but the rhino's were nackered from the start.

watching all this rl.brings back memories of the 70's at post office rd.watching that is,2.30pm sunday afternoon pork pie and mushy peas,with the belly already full of john smiths.

I've not watched the Wigan - Leeds game; I would've put money on Leeds winning that. I suppose it's time to stop calling them Leeds of Old Trafford now.

The Warrington Huddersfield game was a nail-biter in the final quarter, and the eight point margin probably flattered Warrington but there were some tremendous plays from both sides.

I'll watch the other game when I can fit it in this evening, in between Australia - South Africa and the NRL Semi-Final....

Whilst we're digressing off-topic, if Bonobo is not watching, Edinburgh have started this season as dismally as they ended last, slipping one place further to bottom of the table. They'll be battling with Zebre this year for the Wooden Spoon, and look like they'll put up a good fight for it. Glasgow meanwhile occupy the opposite spot, at the top of the table.

The clocks change 27 Oct., so it'll be a 2 am Grand Final kick-off here in KL. That's too late to watch it in the pub, so I'll probably try to get some sleep beforehand

SC

EDIT: My apologies for the "Warrington will host Leeds, while Wigan entertain Leeds" above.Does no-one check this stuff?

[StreetCowboy]

...

The clocks change 27 Oct., so it'll be a 2 am Grand Final kick-off here in KL. That's too late to watch it in the pub, so I'll probably try to get some sleep beforehand

SC

EDIT: My apologies for the "Warrington will host Leeds, while Wigan entertain Leeds" above.Does no-one check this stuff?

Half-wit! The clocks change on 27 Oct so the time difference is seven hours to Malaysia, six hours to Thailand.

Midnight kick-off THAI

0100 Sid's Pub.

I've confirmed it's on Astro 814: Eurosport live.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

"... And did those feet, in Ancient Times..."

Welcome to Old Trafford and THE SUPERLEAGUE GRAND FINAL!!!!

"This young lady has a fine voice "

"Oh yes, n doubt about it, Ray"

Warrington v Wigan at Old Trafford - who could ask for more.

And I've got a couple of cans of Tetleys in the fridge, in consideration of the brewery which was demolished to make way for Tescos and the Warrington Halliwell Jones stadium, but tonibht, we've headed down Matt Busby Way (or got the BR Special to Old Trafford Stadium station) and here we are. So is Richard Silverwood, and Ben Thaler is in the Video Ref's cabin, before anyone lets their imagination run speculatively run riot.

Brett Hodgson is not in the squad, I think, Stefan Rathcford is.

Tzsss - there's the first of the Tetleys.

Actually, it was more of a "Scoosh!"