Live Rugby League

[StreetCowboy]

Challenge Cup Final kicks off at quarter past the hour at Wembelleee! Wembellee!

Leeds v Hull KR, who last won a Challenge Cup when Eddie Waring had the microphone...

and the sides are about to come out on to the pitch...

Leeds might be favourites, but Rovers have already dumped Wigan and Warrington out of the competition.. forgive me a brief pause while I stand for the anthem,

Meanwhile, in the other code at Murrayfield (from the BBC web site):

"For those of you of a Scottish persuasion, you'll be glad to know they're onto the anthems at Murrayfield.

Not sure Flower of Scotland works quite as well on a sunny August afternoon as it does on a dreich winter's day, but the bagpipes are skirling nonetheless. "

And it's all kicked off at Wembelleee! Wembelleee!

Leeds kick off in a febrile Wembelleee! Wembelleee! atmosphere, and Rovers complete their first set and kick through for a Leeds 20 metre kick.

[StreetCowboy]

Leeds' last tackle 25 metres out, goes to Grandad Peacock, but there's the handover.

I'm not sure who the BBC commentators are; Messrs Rooney and French are probably at Anfield this afternoon; or maybe watching this from the Lord Rodney...

Leeds break and attack down the left, stopped five metres out, they attack and they're over the line, it's gone to the video ref, Ben Thaler gives the try after Jamie Peacock has the ball stripped as he goes over the line, but Brett Delaney was first to pick up the pieces and score.

Hull kick to touch on the last tackle, and Leeds have a scrum on their own 20 metre line.

Sinfield to Jamie Peacock who drives forward a few metres. Karl Ablett takes it up to the Rovers 30 m line, and a towering kick is dropped backwards by Lee Dixon, and Rovers are up to 10 metres shy of the half-way line, and they're still in their own half when the last tackle kick sends the ball downfield.

Leeds' first mistake - a dropped kick near the half way line, and Rovers have ball in hand in the Leeds half for the first time.

Sinfield switches the focus of play, Peacock - McGuire and it's Leeds 10 - Rovers nil.

And Leeds are running away with it as Ryan Hall bursts and former FC player Tom Briscoe adds a third try after Rovers' short kick-off. 16 - 0 with the conversion to come, and Sinfield does the honours - no he doesn't ! the ball comes back off the post and its still 16-0

I think this will be a long, hot, sunny afternoon for Rovers, but they have a chance, a kick through, a foot race but the ball beats them all over the dead ball line, and it seems like the pendulum is sleeping as a Ryan Hall error gives Rovers an attacking chance - they're ten metres out, McCarthy is tackled 2 metres out, slow play the ball but they lose ground as they attack, a kick across to Sio, he leaps but Leeds field the ball for a 20 metre restart

[StreetCowboy]

There's a bit of a fracas in the stands, a blonde lady throwing punches, and while we're momentarily distracted Leeds attack again, and win a scrum for a knock on ten metres out.

Delaney takes it to five metres out, Sinfield and then out to Lulai...

Sinfield McGuire Hardacre,

Sinfield - Moon but a forward pass and Rovers have the ball

And Rovers earn a 40 - 20 as peace is restored in the crowd

I've got the Vuelta on TV just now, by the way, and they're up in the mountains on little twisty roads.

Rovers are creeping their way back into this game, but trailing 16-0 they've got a mountain to climb, unless they can score before half time - which does not look particularly likely at this stage.

The ball goes over the side line and Leeds have the ball on their own 10 metre line

And someone has kindly sent me a link to a video stream...

http://streams.tv/channel/14-bbc-one/rugby

Half time at 16 - 0

And in the other code, it's Scotland 23 - 7 Italy, while Ireland trail 10 - 13 to Wales in Dublin

[StreetCowboy]

And they're back out at Wembelleee! Wembelleee!

Leeds have the ball from the kick off

Ooh! and Rovers full back knocks on, and they've got one-eyed Welsh git giving his opinion - to be fair, he's a good commentator when Wales aren't playing, how they've kept him away from Dublin I don't know

Last tackle, Leeds a couple of metres from Rovers' try line, Dixon takes the ball but there's a fumble as he regains his feet and Leeds have an excellent attacking position

And a series of errors see Rovers win a scrum

Some good passing, Kelly is brought down, a kick to the corner, Tom Briscoe leaps to field it, pins his ears back, and 90 metres later he slides over the line with Sio on his back trying to make the stopping tackle, and Rovers have a mountain to climb, and this time the posts are kind to Sinfield and Rovers trail by 22 - 0.

This is turning out a bit one-sided, I might head down to Kings Cross and take a 225 North, virtually speaking

Rovers can't get though the Leeds line, and although they get to within 10 metres of the Leeds' line, they never look like breaking the Leeds defence.

28 - 7 at Murrayfield, thanks to the Flying Dutchman, Tim Visser

Penalty to Leeds, they're making yards in the tackle, Leeds score and if it goes on like this much longer, this game could be beyond Rovers' grasp.

26 - 0 to Leeds with a kick to come

If I'd known it was Romaine PoiTe officiating at Murrayfield, I'd have watched that game from the start, no offence intended to Ben Thaler

28 - 0

Rovers break to try and get their first try of five, but they can't find a way to dot the ball down on the far side of the whitewash, and Rovers are showing touches of excellence in attack, but every time they get past the first tackler, great defence by Leeds sees them brought down a couple of metres later, and now Leeds are ripping up the Rovers half, and Tom Briscoe gets his hat trick.

[StreetCowboy]

A fantastic 40 -20 sees Rovers get a scrum close to the Leeds line, and could this be the first of five?

No. Forward pass, and Leeds have the ball back with eleven minutes remaining.

Rob Burrows goes over for Leeds' seventh try,and there's no Rovers player in the camera shot with him as he dives over to touch down. You;ll get long odds on Rovers to win from here, I think.

Tom Briscoe gets his fourth, and if this was UFC, the referee would've stopped the fight by now

Italy are a man down, but they're attacking, a ball doesn't go to hand and ZOOM! the Flying Dutchman is off the length of the park to stretch the lead at Murrayfield to 41 - 7

Tom Briscoe has equalled the Wembelleee! Wembellee! try-scoring record with three minutes to go

SC

And my apologies to the Rovers fans, for tempting fate, as Briscoe goes over again, and the worst of it is there's almost a minute still to go

And that's it. 50 - 0 five tries to Tm Briscoe, Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Peacock retire as Challenge Cup winners, the first step on a road to a possible treble, a Leeds team which in recent years has been the stand-out team for consistency and excellence, and we can look forward to another victory speech by (Sir) Kevin Sinfield - I would rate him as the best rugby player in England since Johnny Wilkinson retired; not just for his performance on the field but for his attitude and his demeanour and behaviour. The first thing he says in the post-match interview "My heart goes out to Rovers, no team deserves that sort of score in a final"

Brian McDermott is struggling to stop himself from chortling out loud; if this goes on much longer he'll break into a smile...

[stoneyboy]

Close game then ?

[StreetCowboy]

Close game then ?

Could/ve been closer...

There's not a team I would've fancied against Leeds, they're finalist specialists, and they're top of the Super 8s, Hull KR are playing in the Qualifiers.

And as the players lift the cup, Brian McDermott breaks into a grin

Rovers' coach struggling to keep a brave face on... but all credit for getting to Wembelleee! Wembelleee! with wins over Warrington and Wigan.

Still a few weeks to go of the league season, on the road to Old Trafford, the European Cup and the autumn internatonals

[StreetCowboy]

I've just watched a cracking game - a recording of Thursday night's Castleford - St Helens game. Drama to the final seconds, Castleford looking like they might snatch an unlikely win at the whistle.

38 - 42 the final score

[StreetCowboy]

Here we are at Huddersfield for the Giants - Wire game; I don't know what the Sir Robert McAlpine stadium is called now, but from what I can see on the wireless, it looks just the same as it ever did - pretty much like the Hong Kong stadium at Caroline Hill Road, if that helps.

We've missed the first score, by the way, Giants leading 6 - 0, and Warrington "are at sixes and sevens".

James Child on the whistle, by the way.

Giants 10 metres out in the middle of the pitch after a scrum, Kevin Penny tackles Germaine McGilvery into touch from an unorthodox cross-field kick, and Warrington take the ball from the scrum. Joel Monaghan and Gary Wheeler are off injured

Halifax 12 - 0 Leigh, threatening a dent in Leigh Centurions' hopes for Superleague next season.

Warrington up to the shadow of the Huddersfield posts, but the cover defence is good; last tackle, kick through but Danny Brough puts the ball dead for a goal line drop out - Come on you Wyer!

A kick through but this time Germaine McGilvery gets the better of Jason Penny, the ball is stripped, and a penalty for the Giants

A Danny Brough kick is fumbled by Stefan Ratchford but a let-off for the Wire as Giants knock on, and now Huddersfield get a penalty for elbows on the ground, annd Germaine McGilvery crashes over in the corner and places the ball down just before he is clattered into touch.

12- 0 to Huddersfield; a win will more or less guarantee Giants a semi-final place, while the best Warrington can hope for is 5th place; they'll be fighting to hold on to sixth, if they lose tonight.

Huddersfield are cutting Warrington apart, 18 - 0, and Halifax are 14 - 0 up against Leigh

It looked like Warrington might have pulled one back, so to speak, but Jermayne McGilvery was able to force Kevin Penny into touch, or forcing a knock-on in the act of scoring.

The Sir Alfred McAlpine is still the John Smith Stadium, by the way.

[StreetCowboy]

three minutes into the second half, and Warrington are already 22 - 0 down; and Ashton Sims gets into trouble for a late hit, and it is not looking good for Warrington, and Halifax are leading 20 - 0, and Giants have scored again as they cut the Warrington defence apart. I wonder if there's a Union game on somewhere. The commentator is saying Wire fans might want to watch the rest of this game with their eyes shut.

[StreetCowboy]

I was distracted by a phone call, and fortunately so, as things have not got any better.

48 - 10, with three minutes to go, and Warrington need to score a try every 25 seconds if they are to recover this game...

Jermayne McGilvery has been nominated as man of the match, and he's (or was it Danny Brough) just got a 40 - 20 to give Huddersfield an attacking scrum; and there's a minute left to go, let's get on with the scrum; Brough stabs a little grubber in, blocked by Benny Westwood, back to Danny Brough, and there's the hooter

And Leigh Centurions' hopes for Superleague football next season slump with a 34- 12 defeat in Halifax; completely outplayed by Halifax in every department with a superb display all round the park

SC

[californiabeachboy]

Maybe a bit off-topic, but I need to say it.

I just watched Jarryd Hayne play for my team the San Francisco 49'ers.

So I am watching when he comes into the game to return a punt.

There he is, the ball is in the air.... what?..... he fumbles!! ( not sacked as one Aussie blogger said - sacks only happen to quarterbacks).

But after that he did really well, so I am happy.

Inching back on topic, I visit Thailand a couple of times a year and love to watch NRL so I am keeping contact here to see how I can do that. I really admire Hayne - he could have continued in NRL, made a boatload of money, but he looked for other things to do. he seems like a class athlete.

Cheers.

[StreetCowboy]

WHAT A GAME!

Leeds needing a win to stay ahead of Wigan looked like their League Leaders' Shield hopes were slipping through their fingers. Huddersfield leading by eight points in the final ten minutes, but a converted Tom Briscoe try gave them a chance. A careless shoulder charge in the last 90 seconds gave Kevin Sinfield a chance to level the scores from just inside the Huddersifeld half and secure a home semi-final. Then a break, a kick, Ryan Hall charged onto the bouncing ball and off from the half-way line to score in the corner. Leroy Cudjoe paused, eschewing an early tackle that would have earned a yellow card and given away a penalty, but might have saved the draw.

Huddersfield 16 - 20 Leeds, with Leeds scoring 12 points in the final eight minutes.

SC

[Schillaci]

Unless I've missed it I can't believe yesterdays NRL hasn't got a mention somewhere in the Sports forum. What an amazing game! I don't know how accessible it was in Europe and the UK but catch a replay if you can.

[fang37]

Unless I've missed it I can't believe yesterdays NRL hasn't got a mention somewhere in the Sports forum. What an amazing game! I don't know how accessible it was in Europe and the UK but catch a replay if you can.

I watched it live on TrueVisions - channel 125.

As a Queenslander, it was great to see the NSW cockroaches enjoy a quality game.

Jonathan Thurston, you are a LEGEND!

Prior & post the game, I made a few posts on the AussieRules thread.

At least they were Aussies.

I was unaware that a Rugby League thread existed on TV.

[StreetCowboy]

Unless I've missed it I can't believe yesterdays NRL hasn't got a mention somewhere in the Sports forum. What an amazing game! I don't know how accessible it was in Europe and the UK but catch a replay if you can.

I watched it live on TrueVisions - channel 125.

As a Queenslander, it was great to see the NSW cockroaches enjoy a quality game.

Jonathan Thurston, you are a LEGEND!

Prior & post the game, I made a few posts on the AussieRules thread.

At least they were Aussies.

I was unaware that a Rugby League thread existed on TV.

I happened to arrive at the pub at about 75 minutes. I've still got the recording to watch some time later in the week.

I'm not sure if they will be showing both games on Saturday - Wales Australia in the other code, and the Leeds Wigan Grand Final from Old Trafford; if not, I might stay at home to watch the Grand Final...

SC

[californiabeachboy]

Unless I've missed it I can't believe yesterdays NRL hasn't got a mention somewhere in the Sports forum. What an amazing game! I don't know how accessible it was in Europe and the UK but catch a replay if you can.

I agree. I am a Yank but I spent some time in Brisbane and I can get the NRL here in the US and all I can say is..

Wow, what a great final! - one of the best footie matches I have watched, tough rugby, drama to the end, but without all the other crap in the State of Origin (i.e Gallen). I am happy for JT, well deserved.

Cheers.

[StreetCowboy]

I'm watching the other Red Devils from Salford play their Manchester rivals at Roundball, and all I can think is "How long till Superleague starts?"

I think there's no Four Nations this year - New Zealand are touring England, and Scotland are not faring well in the European a Championship, losing to Wales and Ireland

[StreetCowboy]

Frustratingly, I can't find radio coverage of the France - Scotland game, nor England - New Zealand.

[Supaluke]

WOW, what a sterling effort.

Must get cold in that Grandstand.

Do you have some gloves to keep your hands warm?

When does the season start again in the UK?

Who will play the Challenge Cup and where this year?

[fang37]

Very little Rugby League on TrueVisions.

Union & soccer are the televised codes.

[StreetCowboy]

Very little Rugby League on TrueVisions.

Union & soccer are the televised codes.

I think Truevision carry the Sentata channel, which shows NRL, a couple of Superleague games in the season, and some Challenge Cup - the later rounds, so scant chance of seeing the Scottish Champions in their search for glory at Wembellee! Wembellee!

But you have to pay extra, and maybe only available on cable

SC

Or you can follow this thread for the top games...

[StreetCowboy]

WOW, what a sterling effort.

Must get cold in that Grandstand.

Do you have some gloves to keep your hands warm?

When does the season start again in the UK?

Who will play the Challenge Cup and where this year?

The season starts again in the New Year; I'm clapping my paws and chortling cheerily to myself in anticipation, to the puzzlement of my neighbours in the pub. As always, save when it was played at Murrayfield or Cardiiff, the final will be at Wembellee! Wembellee! In August. You scarcely need gloves at that time of year - it's not Pitoddrie in November

SC

[StreetCowboy]

You've whetted my appetite now.

The season will start on 30 - 31 Jan. with the first round of the Challenge Cup; 36 amateur teams, ranked in alphabetical order from Aberdeen Warriors to York Acorn, including Great Britain Police Rugby League, and, under T, The Army... the first step on the road to Wembelleee! Wembelleee! on 27th August.

The following weekend, Superleague kicks off, with Warrington Wolves away to Leeds Rhinos on Thrusday 4th Feb.

I doubt the January Challenge Cup games will be shown on television. Not live. Not over here, anyway.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

What a game! Unless you're a pie-eater...

Warrington 40 - 10 Wigan, won on the back of fiercely aggressive defence as Warrington go two points clear at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, tonight at the other end of the table, Huddersfield v Leeds. I'll not be staying up for it, as I'm working in the morning

SC

[meatboy]

what has happened to leeds.the first 10mins.saw them leading cas.6-0.the next 70mins.saw cas.put on 50.

[StreetCowboy]

what has happened to leeds.the first 10mins.saw them leading cas.6-0.the next 70mins.saw cas.put on 50.

They're slumping at the bottom of the table - I'm amazed.

They lost a bunch of great players, but they've still got plenty of big names left.

SC

[meatboy]

i got one for you SC.up coming the BRONCO'S VS the COWBOYS.

this evening saracens v racing.

saw this morning the SA conection toooooo strong for quins.

[StreetCowboy]

I'm off to Malaysia v Singapore this afternoon; if Malaysia win they will probably finish top of the table and play off against Korea for a chance against the big boys in the Top Three next season.

I might manage to catch the Warrington - Wakefield game tomorrow night on the wireless, unless I over-rehydrate following the planned bike ride...

I've recorded the Harlequins Montpelier game, but not had a chance to watch it yet

[StreetCowboy]

I've got the Twickenham Sevens on the TV, and the Warrington - Castleford commentary on the wireless. The game is being broadcast on the Sententa channel later.

Earlier in the afternoon at St James Park, Newcastle, Salford came back to win against Widnes 18-12

It's Ray French commentating, by the way,

Stefan Ratchford has pounced on a Castleford mistake and scored, and North of the border, the Muppetmen have scored against the Criminals in the 92nd minute to make it HiBees 3 - 2 Newco at Hampden Park

And Kurt Gidley has scored a second for Warrington.

Elsewhere, Korea 3 - 60 Japan makes it look inevitable that Korea will be battling Malaysia for their place in the Asian Top 3, later in the year.

Ray says it's a perfect afternoon for rugby in Newcastle, bytheway.

And while we're on the bytheways, bytheway, England and Scotland are both through to the Cup of the England Sevens at Twickenham, as are France.