Cumbria Vs Anzacs

[TownMarra]

You will all be probably aware that as part of the Tri- Nations, the Kiwis and Australia will be joining up as one team (Anzacs) to play Cumbria up here in Workington on 27 october.
Our Cumbria squad is made up of exiled cumbrians playing in SL as well as players from Workington, Barrow and a big majority from Whitehaven, Do you think the the Kiwis and aussies will just ply there 'fringe' players for the game?
I know the players from the Anzac side will be visiting our local amateur clubs to promote the game, a bit more during next week. Cumbria was re-born last year as a County thanks to the touring NZ 'A' side, the last time we had a touring side here was the Touring Kangaroos in 94, they trashed us by 60 odd points at Derwent Park Workington, Wendall Sailor got a hatrick, one was a full length of the pitch try, hopefully we wont be on the end of a hiding this time round, but i do have a sense of de ja vous!! What do you guys think? are you familiar with Cumbrian rugby??

 

[douglasallen91]

yep they will be playing there fringe players in the game

 

[dimitri]

yeah theres no way theyd risk the top players

 

[Booyah]

I'm glad to hear that it's a definant go-ahead.

A good chance for a few of the non-test members to get a run anyway.

 

[DIEHARD]

Any idea of what jersey they will wear? I would love to get one of those.

Black white and green and gold? Should be fantastic! Also great to see Cumbria rewarded, too bad Whitehaven didn't get promoted. Maybe next year...

 

[Dr Crane]

Any idea of what jersey they will wear? I would love to get one of those

Ooooh yeah. Bring about the same amount of pride as the black with white V.

 

[yakstorm]

Cumbria Jersey:

Cumbria Team:
Chris Archer (Barrow Raiders), Gary Broadbent (Whitehaven and Captain), Dean Burgess (Workington Town), Craig Calvert (Whitehaven), Paul Davidson (Whitehaven), Ewan Dowes (Hull FC), Liam Finch (Barrow Raiders), Ade Gardner (St Helens), Matt Gardner (Leeds Rhinos), Howard Hill (Whitehaven), Marc Jackson (Whitehaven), Shaun Lunt (Castleford Tigers), Brett McDermott (Whitehaven), Craig McDowell (Keighley Cougars), Jason Mossop (Castleford Tigers), Jon Roper (Oldham), David Seeds (Whitehaven), Carl Sice (Whitehaven), Matt Tunstall (Workington Town), Craig Walsh (Whitehaven), Oliver Wilkes (Leigh Centurions), Wesley Wilson (Whitehaven)

 

[Copa]

Nice jersey... I will be in Cumbria in a coupla months.... If sport stores still have them I'll buy one.

 

[DIEHARD]

Yea but what will the ANZACs wear?

 

[yakstorm]

Yea but what will the ANZACs wear?

That much I can't tell you, they wont release it to the public till they are over in the UK

 

[Munky]

I reckon a Jersey design like this with Green and Black with a Double V of white and gold.

 

[westie]

I thought it was goin to be sky-blue and maroon/red stripes or something similar?

 

[JasonE]

Cumbria's best 2 players Rob Purdham and Peter Lupton are out injured, both were the top playmakers in last years game v NZA.

Who will take over in the halves now ? Finch & Archer ?

 

[TownMarra]

Copa, Those Cumbria Jerseys sell out very quickly, so, i here is a link to a website based in whitehaven where you can buy them online.
www.moorsports.co.uk

Its the only place i know you can purchase them!


If you all look at the Cumbria squad you might find coach Gary Chambers didnt pick Darren Holt? He got NL2 Player of the year, i mean, what is Chambers playing at?
Chambers as you know played for Warrington and is a former Kells amateur based at Whitehaven, hence the vast number of Haven players in the squad, also his coaching staff funny enough are all Haven based too, what a joke!!

A couple of years ago, there was a carry on because all the BARLA Cumbria County selectors were all from Whitehaven area and when it came to picking the team they totally ignored the Allerdale (Workington) based players and picked a squad based on players from Copeland (whitehaven) and Barrow. This situation with Chambers is exactly the damn same!

 

[griff]

The ANZAC team really only further damages RL's international authenticity and credibility.

The international teams should be kept distinct and separate to preserve their individual identities.

This idea just compromises the passion and pride of the nation vs nation element in RL by putting another team above Aus and NZ.

If for some reason Cumbria suddenly deserve a game they should be playing against Australia or NZ separately.

 

[TownMarra]

griff, i can see where you are coming from with regards to the Anzac side, i agree, it would be better for Cumbria to play NZ and Australia separately, but it would take up to much time between test, thats why they have joined as one as a one-off game.

There is talk over here of scrapping the GB team for 2006, and going back to the 4 nations, it will only benefit the UK and make the game stronger.

With regards to Cumbria, you obviously dont know much about the game there, well, lets just say Cumbria is one of the biggest hotbeds for RL in England, its as simple as that, the Rugby Football League, choose us to host the Anzac game cos of the success of the NZ'A' tour game in Whithaven last year, plus with Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow who have all had great seasons in 2005 and have all worked hard off-field, the RFL think its only right we deserve to host this game, because they know Cumbria is a hotbed for the game and a big crowd is always expected!

 

[yakstorm]

Griff the thing about the Cumbria clash is that it is designed simply just for Cumbria, it will get little mention or interest anywhere else in the world, let alone even in the Rugby League public.

As TownMarra stated, the RFL are rewarding Cumbria for a lot of hard work by giving them this match which also has a historical element as it sees the old combined Australia and NZ sides return.

It is designed also to help some of the fringe players for Australia and NZ keep some match fitness up. Its not really something worth worrying about, Cricket have these style of games all the time, yet they get little to no mention.

 

[Fampa]

I believe the ANZACs will be playing in the sky blue and maroon hoop jersey as originally worn by the first touring team to England. The melding of the two teams is meant to embrace an idea started on that first tour, not to damage it's authenticity.

We could always not play it, but then no one wins.

I long for the days when the touring team used to play a host of club and county sides leading up to the Kangaroo test series. I realise that this is near impossible with the advent of summer RL in England, so I'll take whatever extra games they want to give me.

 

[bartman]

TownMarra, I'm glad this game is going ahead! As an Aussie kid, a remeber following the progress of the '82 and '86 Kangaroo tours as they worked their way playing around England, and remember Cumbria as a particularly tough game (and conditions!) in those unbeaten runs? This game can hardly be "damaging" to anyone, just beneficial as I see it.

The ANZACs will use their fringe tour players that maybe haven't had a go in tri series games, but that'll still be a good mix from 8 players of each nation on show. And I'm sure the first 17s players will be around the area with the squad for a few days as well. A good reward for Cumbria after the success of sides like Whitehaven, Barrow and Workington Town in their leagues this year.

 

[TownMarra]

Cumbria playing touring sides is going to be made compulsory when ever touring sides come over, if you go back to the past you will find Cumbria always played against touring sides as warm ups to the test games. Its vital these games are played for the development of the game here in West Cumbria, At amateur level the game thrives here, we have some of the best amateur clubs in Britain hear.

Things used to go like this: if the Allerdale (Workington) clubs were playing well, then Workington Town would be playing well. Although Towns SL status died back in 96, it is now Whitehavens turn to have a go at the big time, and it is strange that all the copeland (whitehaven) clubs have had a great season at amateur level, and so have Whitehaven. You see, it all comes together!!
All the top local amateur players are snapped up by Haven and Town respectively. Without amateurs we wouldnt have proffesionals, thats why grassroots level is vital!!