Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.
Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.
Down
to the wire
IT was a weekend of seismic results in the Betfred Championship.
Halifax’s 19-14 defeat of Toulouse and London Broncos’ 14-7 win at Featherstone have put those two clubs in pole-position for the all-important Qualifiers places, and leaves Fev and Leigh on the outer praying for late miracles.
Toulouse, London and Fax know that their places are assured if they can beat Dewsbury, Barrow and Rochdale respectively this weekend.
Featherstone travel to table-toppers Toronto and Leigh host Sheffield, both clinging onto the hopes that victories in their own game and a shock result elsewhere could still see them sneak into the top four.
But Halifax and London have earned their places in the box seat with gutsy, nervy wins last weekend.
Shane Grady’s 74th minute try was just enough for Richard Marshall’s side against their French opponents, who had led by a point at that stage following Mark Kheirallah’s penalty.
Defeat would have seen Fax outside the four ahead of the final round and long-odds to make the Qualifiers for a third time in four seasons, and they owed much to their defence standing firm in the dramatic closing moments.
A little further along the M62 Featherstone led London 7-0 at half-time, only to see Keiran Dixon’s long-range interception try spark a Broncos stampede.
Dixon also booted a goal line drop out over half the length of the field and into touch in another decisive moment, to leave Danny Ward standing on the edge of a Qualifiers campaign in his first season in charge.
It would be remiss as well not to mention two huge results in League One last weekend.
Just 12 weeks after having 90 points put on them by Keighley, Coventry Bears produced a remarkable turnaround to beat the Cougars 30-20 in what is probably the biggest win in the club’s history.
And on Sunday a bumper 6,441 crowd saw top two Bradford and York battle it out at the Provident Stadium, with the Knights edging a memorable clash 30-28 having led 24-0 early on.
Bulls coach John Kear used the build-up to that game to invite new Super League chief executive Robert Elstone to the match and see first hand the value of rugby league outside the top flight.
You couldn’t fail to be impressed by the scenes at Odsal, and with Toronto also pulling in over 7,000 against Rochdale there is much to be positive about in the bottom two tiers at present.
IT was a weekend of seismic results in the Betfred Championship.
Halifax’s 19-14 defeat of Toulouse and London Broncos’ 14-7 win at Featherstone have put those two clubs in pole-position for the all-important Qualifiers places, and leaves Fev and Leigh on the outer praying for late miracles.
Toulouse, London and Fax know that their places are assured if they can beat Dewsbury, Barrow and Rochdale respectively this weekend.
Featherstone travel to table-toppers Toronto and Leigh host Sheffield, both clinging onto the hopes that victories in their own game and a shock result elsewhere could still see them sneak into the top four.
But Halifax and London have earned their places in the box seat with gutsy, nervy wins last weekend.
Shane Grady’s 74th minute try was just enough for Richard Marshall’s side against their French opponents, who had led by a point at that stage following Mark Kheirallah’s penalty.
Defeat would have seen Fax outside the four ahead of the final round and long-odds to make the Qualifiers for a third time in four seasons, and they owed much to their defence standing firm in the dramatic closing moments.
A little further along the M62 Featherstone led London 7-0 at half-time, only to see Keiran Dixon’s long-range interception try spark a Broncos stampede.
Dixon also booted a goal line drop out over half the length of the field and into touch in another decisive moment, to leave Danny Ward standing on the edge of a Qualifiers campaign in his first season in charge.
It would be remiss as well not to mention two huge results in League One last weekend.
Just 12 weeks after having 90 points put on them by Keighley, Coventry Bears produced a remarkable turnaround to beat the Cougars 30-20 in what is probably the biggest win in the club’s history.
And on Sunday a bumper 6,441 crowd saw top two Bradford and York battle it out at the Provident Stadium, with the Knights edging a memorable clash 30-28 having led 24-0 early on.
Bulls coach John Kear used the build-up to that game to invite new Super League chief executive Robert Elstone to the match and see first hand the value of rugby league outside the top flight.
You couldn’t fail to be impressed by the scenes at Odsal, and with Toronto also pulling in over 7,000 against Rochdale there is much to be positive about in the bottom two tiers at present.
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