Live Rugby League

[StreetCowboy]

5 minutes ago, mvsaraburi said:

shocking how quickly Leeds have fallen.

2017 - superleague champions

2018 - middle 8s

2019 - outright relegation fodder

And put out of the Challenge Cup by a Championship side

[StreetCowboy]

Tonight’s top of the table clash from The Halliwell Jones is live on Astro, and hopefully recorded for my convenience tomorrow afternoon.  

 

On a scale of ‘confident’ to ‘optimistic’ I would ‘rate myself ‘hopeful’ rather than ‘expectant’.

 

I hope London can stay up; I don’t want to see the same two teams swapping between promotion and relegation.

[StreetCowboy]

I'm nervous that the season might not restart before this thread is archived...

 

[StreetCowboy]

I'm sat listening on BBC Manchester to the Challenge Cup Final from Wembley, and I'm sadly missing Ray French and Allan Rooney, and 90,000 other people at the grand old new stadium.   This season has been so quiet, I don't know which side most of the players are on. 

 

Typical bloody Manchester, by the way, claiming credit for all Salford's achievements.  

 

[StreetCowboy]

I'm surprised that I am the first person to post after this afternoon's drama at leigh Sports Village, as second-placed Catalan Dragons see off a valiant Leigh come-back to go top of the table - maybe not such an achievement, bearing in mind that Leigh are yet to win a game this season...

 

After leading at half-time, 4 tries in the third quarter put Catalans firmly in charge, only for Leigh to claw back to within 6 points.  A knock-on seemed to give away Leigh's final chance, but they recovered possession, and were back 10 m from the Catalan line with tackles to spare when the final hooter blew.

 

So it looks like the Salford - Leigh game will be the relegation decider, with Salford holding the advantage of their previous win, but Leigh looking the more enthusiastic and committed side.

[StreetCowboy]

I take it you're all sat at your chosen stream for the Challenge Cup Final as the teams stride out on to the pitch at Wembellee!  Wembellee!  Castleford meet St Helens for the first time in a Challenge Cup Final.

 

Wembellee has been limited to 50% capacity to meet COVID arbitrary and random regulation requirements, and the dirge of God Save the Queen rings round the ground to sap any enthusiasm from the teams, but the fans have made the most of the train journey down to get some last minute lubrication to loosen up any squeaky throats...

 

and Gareth O'Brien get us under way. 

To avoid speculation, I can tell you Wikipedia would have us believe Chris Kendall is the video referee, while you can see from the radio commentary that the man in the middle with the whistle is Liam Moore.

 

"Theo Fage tries to pull the trigger and SeneLafao took the gun off him".
The Tigers defence is desperately defending, and picking off the St Helens attacks.

Oh my word!  The ball is kicked through the Cas line, bounces off the post padding, and Theo Fages touches down

 

And Castleford have scored! Niall Evalds puts a kick in and they score!  The commentators are beside themselves "If we'd had that deft touch on Sunday we'd be European Champions" and it's 6-all

 

[StreetCowboy]

Shenton looks to have fumbled but the referee has blown for offside..

 

Castleford march downstream from the penalty, Gareth O'brien kicks across to Jake Truman in front of the posts, snatch the ball out of Theo Fages' hands and give O'Brien the easiest of conversions.

 

Cas 12 - 6 SaH

 

I'm flicking between Radio Leeds and Radio Merseyside.

I don't recognise any of the commentators

 

Saints are progressing, but there's too many passes to people that don't look like they want the ball, and the ball is dropped, and Cas take the ball on.  20 m out on the last tackle and the ball bounces back from a Saints player - calls for a high tackle - and the attack peters out, and the head-high tackle on Watts goes unseen.

 

Saints break but Gareth O'Brien saves the try, and the ball runs away from a kick for a handover to Castleford.

 

James Mason and Craig Huby on Radio Leeds.

and John Lawless is one of the Radio Merseyside commentators

 

Champagne rugby from Castleford as half-time approaches, and the referee gives a knock-on for the ball popping out, and Saints play one more set out leading up to the half time hooter

[StreetCowboy]

Saints have a try disallowed for the ball touching the sideline and Chris Kendall moves on to the grounding, and "this is not going to go Castleford's way"  and the scores are level.

McShane loses the ball on the floor after a late flop by Makeson and the ball is handed over to Saints, who get to 35 metres out.

 

Saints attack, pushed back and Makeson breaks into the corner to take the lead, but the conversion goes wide.

 

Evalds breaks, but it comes to nowt.

 

Castleford are back under the cosh, struggling to make progress up the field, but a penalty gives them good yardage up the pitch.

James Roby loses the ball on his ten metre line, and Cas have an attacking opportunity

 

Perceval dives to win a penalty for Saints 20 metres out and Saints aim for the sticks.

 

Saints have pulled a second score away, and Cas have a mountain to climb in the final quarter

 

 

[StreetCowboy]

Kyle Amor batters through the Cas defenders, and despite the efforts of the video referee, they can't find a reason to disallow the try, and the game ends Cas 12 - 26 Saints 

[StreetCowboy]

I am guessing that there is no-one else watching Orrell St James v British Army on the BBC in the first round of the Challenge Cup.  No wonder, when the Final will be held at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium. 

If it's not the road to Wembelleee! Wembelleee! then why bother?

 

Edinburgh Eagles v York Acorns later this evening, not live on BBC 

[StreetCowboy]

Me and Ray French are sat on our own virtual lonesome todds at Wembley, waiting for the start of the Actual Challenge Cup Final.

"Wheur ar'all the fans, Cowboy? THeur's nobody here?"

"They're probably all at Tottenham Hotspur's ground, where the game's being played in about an hour.  It's not right, and I can't condone it"

"What'll I tell me driver?"
"Get back up to the Lord Rodney in Warrington for the second half, and watch it on the TV.  If you're booked for the commentary, just imagine the first half.  Don't make it too dramatic - I don't want to miss out, but I'm off to watch the Giro d'Italia."

"Lookily, Ah'm here in virtue only, and not in body, so Ah can meyk it daown t' Lord Rodney for kick-off.  Ah'm not beuked for commentry, but if it's on Astro, Ah maight b'able to help owt."

 

Tottenham Hotspur's ground - really?

 

If you don't hear any more from me, you can assume that the guys at Astro have no idea where that is either

 

SC 

 

[StreetCowboy]

I've still no idea where Tottenham Hotspur's ground might be, but if any of you are interested in Rugby League, 

 

Edinburgh Eagles 64 - 12 Catterick Crusaders

From the latest scores on the BBC Wigan have pulled ahead of Huddersfield, with a 10 - 12 score I am assuming they are both at the same park, wherever the Tottenham Hotspur ground might be.

 

Jai Hindley has pulled into the lead of the Giro d' Italia in a dramatic mountain finish, and Leinster and La Rochelle can send me a postcard in the morning with their result  

[StreetCowboy]

Giants leading 14-12 according to BBC Manchester, who must have someone with a Youtube Feed from WHereverTottenhamHotspurStadium is.

The Lord Rodney wifi must be playing up, as Ray has been quiet.

There's a bit of drama with a Wigan break - maybe on the back of a knock-on, Cain Cust is walking off with a wincing elbow, and Huddersfield lead 14-12 with seven minutes to play with Leroy Cudgoe playing the ball in the Wigan half.

I am listening to Radio Manchester, so you will need to imagine the TV pictures, same as me, it's back and forth, Huddersfield 14 - 12 Wigan... 4m 07 sec to go.

 

Oooh - Wigan are in at corner!  The bounce favouring Marshall, 2 1/2 minutes remaining, the Giants fans shell-shocked.  Smith pulls the conversion across the face of the posts and Huddersfield have 2 minutes to recover from 14 - 16 down.

 

59,000 in the stadium, and presumably another 40,000 at Wembley wondering where the game is happening.  Huddersfield frantic with their last set...and that is it. 

 

A disappointment for Huddersfield, and a disappointment for everyone that it was not at Wembley.

 

[StreetCowboy]

Who else watched the Wakey - Toulouse game from Magic Weekend at Newcastle?  I was all set for switching off at half-time and accepting that Toulouse would be fighting for promotion again next season, but Wakey dopey ill-discipline and a remarkable half-time team talk saw Toulouse blow Wakey half way into next week, where Toulouse went on to beat Leeds.

I think that they should give the promoted team a bye vis a vis relegation in their first season in Superleague; probably with no relegation or promotion If they finish bottom, so that they get lots of neutral support from other championship team supporters…

[StreetCowboy]

We’re coming round to the draw for the first round of The Challenge Cup Final, and once again, Edinburgh Eagles set off on the Road to Wembellee, Wembellee! 

[StreetCowboy]

Will Wembelleee! Wembelleee! see the same tartan-clad triumph that Twickenham, home away from home for Scotland supporters of a certain age, saw at the weekend?  Edinburgh Eagles start their long road to Wembelleee! Wembelleee! at home (the best journeys start at home, other than odessys home).. .at home to Saddleworth Rangers.  Live on the BBC, whatsmore!

 

Sadly, it clashes with the Federation Internationale d'Escargots Snail Racing World Championships, so I'll be following it in my wildest imagination, no doubt with depressing reality forced upon me from the BBC Scores and Fixtures page in the morning.  Without the bitter disappointment, the sweet anticipation would be like eating only half a gooseberry.