Rugby World: The Champions

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CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION CHAMPIONS EDITION
NORTH ONE NORTH TWO WEST NORTH LANCS ONE Coaches Stewart Evans (DoR), Chris
KENDAL CHESTER HEATON MOOR Hyndman (player-coach), Bryan
Captain Ian Voortman Captains Sean Green, Captain James McIntosh Dixon, Barry McGrath (forwards)
Coaches Chris Hayton (DoR), Jon Simon Verbickas Coach Keith Young BILLINGHAM’S club motto of ‘Our
Nicholson (head), David Bell (backs) Coaches Steve Donovan (DoR), Rob SOUTH AFRICAN Young, a coaching Spirit is Our Strength’ was evident as
NEW captain Voortman played in Foden (head), Verbickas (backs), assistant with Brazil, made an they climb to North Two East, their
every match, along with hooker Tim Doig, Dan Huxley (forwards) impact in his second season by highest league status. Stockton-born
Duncan Green, and oversaw a great CHESTER’s league and EDF Energy superimposing a more modern former Northampton centre
achievement as unbeaten Kendal Intermediate Cup triumph was playing style on a cosmopolitan Hyndman, 26, inspired a winning
secured a return to the national dedicated to ﬂ anker Aled Evans, who squad. Czech wing Ivan Smetana belief in his second season back
leagues after two seasons’ absence died in April following a tragic scored 21 tries despite a six-week home, alongside captain Robinson,
and retained the Cumbria Cup. The accident. They make an immediate late-season absence and Brazil while the Evans brothers Andy,
front row of Billy Coxon, Green and return to North One, thanks partly to scrum-half Felipe Silva, equally adept Michael, Joe and Peter – sons of the
Richard Harryman was awesome wings Matt Sheen (16 tries) and on the wing, amassed 19. Fly-half DoR – all played in the ﬁ rst team.
and the Ladell brothers, wings John Simon Abiero (14). Tom Foden, son Martin Shelley, explosive No 8 Nick Leading scorers were full-back Craig
and Luke, scored 15 and eight tries of coach Rob, compiled 171 points Smith and McIntosh also excelled. Shepherd and wing Michael Evans.
respectively. Flanker Nick McKain while backs mentor Verbickas, an
plundered eight and fellow forwards ex-Sale Sharks and England U21 NORTH LANCS TWO DURHAM-N’BERLAND TWO
Coxon, Andrew Hudson and Mark wing, inherited the captaincy in FURNESS ASHINGTON
Wilson notched seven. Fly-half Dan mid-February after Green broke a leg. Captain Colin While Captain Alan Halliday
Stephens topped 200 points. Coaches Les While (DoR), Karl Benn Coaches Bruce Liddle (head), Mark
NORTH LANCS-CUMBRIA (head), Darren Holt (backs-player), Watson, Bill Hewitt, Mick Cooper
NORTH TWO EAST BLACKBURN Ian Collings (forwards) A CONSCIOUS decision to give local
WEST HARTLEPOOL Captain Paul Bleasdale THE While father-and-son duo youth its ﬂ ing rewarded Ashington,
Captain Anth Carr Coaches Gareth Dyer (DoR), Stuart spearheaded the success of a club who were relegated three years ago
Coaches Dave Stubbs (DoR), Tim Jarrold (head), Dino Radice (backs) that rocketed from 25 registered after nine ﬁ rst-teamers retired or left
Sawyer (head), Dave Tighe (backs) AFTER winning only two trophies in players in 2006 to 120 this year, the club. No 8 John Goose bagged 21
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WEST won their ﬁ rst title in ten years, their history, Blackburn celebrated despite being in a rugby league area. tries with hooker Carl Hill scoring 11,
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having endured ﬁ ve consecutive their 130th year with a third piece of Michael Albery scored 16 tries, Charl along with ﬂ y-half James Phillips,
relegations before consolidating in silverware. It compensated richly for Bernard poached 14 while ﬂ y-half Holt who accumulated 234 points overall.

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the next four seasons. A former losing a promotion play-off to Leigh collected 46 points in ten games. No 9 An 89-0 win over Yarm in the ﬁ nal
Premiership club, West are building last year. Scrum-half and captain Richard Smith, now on an exchange match duly topped off their 86th year.
N a new future at Brinkburn, a mile Bleasdale totalled 176 points, in Randwick, Sydney, and back-rower
from their old Brierton Lane ground. including seven tries, while centre/ Joe Mallinson were outstanding. DURHAM-N’BERLAND THREE
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Wing Rob Thorne scored 20 tries in wing Richard Maudsley headed the HARTLEPOOL
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21 matches and full-back Gavin list with 13 touchdowns. Only 143 DURHAM-N’BERLAND ONE Captain Alan Brown
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Painter, 18, ran in eight, while ﬂ y-half points were conceded in 20 games BILLINGHAM Coaches Stuart Hind (DoR), Howie
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Paul Moss amassed 203 points. with the opposition ‘nilled’ ﬁ ve times. Captain Dave Robinson Murray, Brown, Frank Coulson
A MAMMOTH points difference of
C 991 summed up Hartlepool’s
astonishing season in which 20
games produced a ratio of 1,083 to
92. A total of 34 players were used
and 21 scored tries, headed by centre
Coulson with 34, wing Dean Ryan
(27) and No 8 Brown (22). Lee
Dodgson compiled 196 points while
the club also opened a new lounge
and now boasts some of the best
facilities in the North-East.
SOUTH LANCS-CHES ONE
WILMSLOW
Captain Steve Braddock
Coach Daz Lucas (DoR)
WILMSLOW know how to party.
Forget a chocolate fountain – they
have acquired one for port that was
in demand after this title win and will
be again when celebrating their 125th
anniversary next year. Full-back Ben
Day played in only a few games but,
with 23 tries, was frustratingly only
three short of a club record. Bob
MacCallum scored 242 points in a
Lovely bubbly: West Hartlepool
satisfying ﬁ rst year for Braddock
celebrate their ﬁ rst title in ten years
and Lucas in their respective roles.
Rugby World’s club guide returns next season. In the meantime, if you have any stories and/or pictures for our clubs editor Michael Austin, please phone him on 01400 282189, fax 01400 281662, email michael_austin@freelance.ipcmedia.com or write to 22 Church St, Long Bennington, nr Newark, Notts, NG23 5EN
126 JULY 2008 RUGBY WORLD
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