Championship Talk: Closing the gap?

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

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.

Closing the gap?

IF the first weekend of the Qualifiers taught us anything, it’s that the Championship clubs involved certainly aren’t there to make up the numbers.

         

All four of them came out of their matches with considerable credit - and their coaches believe it shows the strength of the second tier at present.

         

London Broncos got their campaign off to a flying start by winning 21-20 at Super League Widnes and throwing the whole competition wide open on day one.

         

Danny Ward insists he knew the side was capable of turning over the Vikings - with the help of Championship clubs.

         

“One hundred percent I thought we could win,” Ward said.

         

“We’d gone into the game in pretty good form - in the last month we’d been in some really tight games and anyone will tell you that experience like that can be drawn upon.

         

“We’d won tight matches at Fev and Halifax and drawn in Toulouse, and all those experiences and being in those positions came back to help us.”

         

The following day Toulouse coach Sylvain Houles saw his side trail Super League champions Leeds just 20-16 in the 55th minute, before finally falling to a 48-22 defeat.

         

After the game Houles said: “I thought the Championship this year was a terrific competition with good teams and players that are well coached.

“I thought London would be close to Widnes - the gap isn’t that big any more.

         

“It will be about taking opportunities and defending, they are the key things for us.”

         

On Sunday, two Championship teams faced each other, although with a significant gap in resources.

         

Halifax and Toronto played out a terrific battle at the Shay that saw Andrew Dixon’s late try seal a 14-0 win for the Wolfpack.

         

Fax coach Richard Marshall said: “We were very competitive and it was good to watch.

         

“We work to a different template to Toronto and there’s a bigger picture for us, but we’re not just here to make up the numbers.”

         

His counterpart Paul Rowley added: “This is a tough competition and I think everyone is more interested in the middle eights than anything else at the moment.

         

“London beating Widnes showed us all the way and grabbed everyone’s imagination and Toulouse had a real dig at Leeds as well.

         

“It throws a lot of different pressures at people, and sometimes you’re better off looking up rather than thinking you may drop out of a division.”

         

Coming weeks will decide if the Championship clubs can keep up the pace in what is an intense competition - but the early signs have been promising.