Ireland

[Druzik]

So looks like we may have an Irish Championship team after all in 2010... so Ireland and scotland to field teams next year.... very interesting.

www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0227/1224241893111.html

...
It is believed that in addition to Limerick FC, a new rugby league club, Limerick Flame, which plans to enter a team in the British based Championship in 2010 is anxious to play out of a revamped stadium ...

[jim]

Fantastic news if true, an Irish and Scotish side in the Championships would be great to see. I would even go for another Welsh team to get a better foothold there and have participation from all across the UK and Ireland. A few more sides in England wouldn't go astray either, Midlands would be good for a start.

even if the Irish and Scotish don't bid for SL for 25 years it will still help the game in those countries because they will be developing home grown Championship standard players with some filtering into SL. Born and bred Scotsmen are far less likely to jump shit ala Brough.

[arh21980]

Being St Patricks day it would have been good to have an international today (like they use to)
Felt it would be great time have them play either England, France or Wales
Also seen either this years jersey of the wolfhounds and its a great looking jersey.

Also does anyone know when the Irish season starts?

[Druzik]

Mar 17, 2010 15:24:49 GMT 10 arh21980 said:

Being St Patricks day it would have been good to have an international today (like they use to)
Felt it would be great time have them play either England, France or Wales
Also seen either this years jersey of the wolfhounds and its a great looking jersey.

Also does anyone know when the Irish season starts?

THis from RLI on the TRL forum.

Details of the RLI competitionms will be made available at the end of March.

There will be a big expansion in the number of competing clubs, however until all entries are confirmed and minimum standards met it is wrong to reveal the identities of the new clubs.

Official season launch takes place in April.

In the meantime the Belfast 9s are confirmed for May Day Bank Holiday weekend at Belfast Harlequins RFC, numbers aree strictly limited and I believe there is one place available.

Any clubs wishing to enter can contact Wayne Kelly RLI Development Officer for Ulster/Leinster on [e-mail]

and about Northern Ireland

A bit of news about RL in Northern Ireland in 2010
* The season will open on the first May Bank Holiday weekend with the NI 9s; this is planned for Belfast this year and hopefully will include invitational sides from England and Scotland
* League fixtures will run through May and June, with finals in July; 7 weekly rounds with, hopefully, another couple of teams.
* A couple of inter-provincial and all-Ireland club games are planned.
* RLI and RFL are to fund training courses for coaches and referees.

[arh21980]

Has Brian Carney pulled the pin this season? Thought he played for Warrington

[Marv]

Broke a leg at the back end of last year mate, had to retire sadly

[ashulster]

Hey guys, this years rugby league plans for Ireland have been announced. It looks like it's gonig to be a bumper year and so i hope that all teams can get enough players and here's hoping for a smooth season.

rli.ie/article/202/Fixture-plan-for-2010

It looks like a super year for league in Ireland. Funny that i won't get to be part of it cause i'm moving.

[Druzik]

Apr 1, 2010 6:01:29 GMT 10 ashulster said:

Hey guys, this years rugby league plans for Ireland have been announced. It looks like it's gonig to be a bumper year and so i hope that all teams can get enough players and here's hoping for a smooth season.

rli.ie/article/202/Fixture-plan-for-2010

It looks like a super year for league in Ireland. Funny that i won't get to be part of it cause i'm moving.

That is great. The USA have also announced theirs... so good for League all around.

Where you moving to?

[ashulster]

Apr 1, 2010 7:25:29 GMT 10 Druzik said:

Apr 1, 2010 6:01:29 GMT 10 ashulster said:

Hey guys, this years rugby league plans for Ireland have been announced. It looks like it's gonig to be a bumper year and so i hope that all teams can get enough players and here's hoping for a smooth season.

rli.ie/article/202/Fixture-plan-for-2010

It looks like a super year for league in Ireland. Funny that i won't get to be part of it cause i'm moving.

That is great. The USA have also announced theirs... so good for League all around.

Where you moving to?

Australia, will be living in Central Coast or Newcastle. So i miss most of the fine Irish developments but i'll hopefully be playing in Australia anyway.

[Druzik]

Apr 1, 2010 20:02:33 GMT 10 ashulster said:

Apr 1, 2010 7:25:29 GMT 10 Druzik said:

That is great. The USA have also announced theirs... so good for League all around.

Where you moving to?

Australia, will be living in Central Coast or Newcastle. So i miss most of the fine Irish developments but i'll hopefully be playing in Australia anyway.

NIce! we'll need to catch up for a game at some point... I am in Canberra at the moment, but will hopefully be in Sydney after June.

[ashulster]

Official season launched planned for April 14th. So everything for the season will be confirmed.

[Druzik]

Link here

Rugby League Ireland 2010 Launch

[/b]

Rugby League Ireland (RLI) today held the official launch of the 2010 Carnegie League at the impressive Tallaght Stadium in Dublin.

2010 will see the league's format being revamped with the introduction of provincial leagues in Leinster, Munster and Ulster with the provincial champions progressing to the All Ireland Play-Offs.

2010 will also see the return of the Inter-provincial Championship which will see the provinces competing against each other for bragging rights.

Speaking on the new look league RLI Director Gordon Matthews expressed his satisfaction with the structure.

"This is the first time ever we will have three leagues of clubs competing for the All Ireland Championship. It's a huge step forward from last year when we had just one league with only six teams."

He also acknowledged the work of the staff in the organisation. "This step forward is due completely to the hard work put in by our General Manger Callum Irving and Development Officers Wayne Kelly and Brendan Guilfoyle."

Callum Irving showed his delight at the growth of the game in Ireland when he spoke of the expansion.

"There are new clubs emerging as well as clubs which have been bubbling under the surface coming back into the game."

He also noted that the inter-provincial competition will act as a stepping stone for players to get into the international set up.

"Hopefully the advent of the inter provincial game will give players a platform to get onto the A Team or international and possibly pick up professional contracts with clubs in the UK as two players did last season."

Gordon Matthews closed the launch by thanking the Rugby Football League and in particular Niel Wood for their helping hand in the growth of the game in Ireland.

Fixtures for all three competitions as well as the inter-provincial series will be published on Monday. [/quote]