Vikings Coach Selected for Great Britain Masters

Jarrow Vikings International Representative role of honor was boosted recently when head coach George Taylor was selected to represent Great Britain Masters against Australia in a test match in Rochdale. Taylor joins Phillip Wall, Andy Gray and Barry Walker who have all represented England Lionhearts.

Masters Rugby League is a variation of the game that allows over the age of 35 to participate with a reduced risk of injury due to various levels of contact depending on age. The concept was devised in New Zealand in 1992 and works on age bandings and different coloured shorts for each age banding.

The 35 - 39 age group wear white shorts and play normal levels of contact, 40 - 49 wear black shorts and also play the normal levels of contact with a maximum of 2 in the tackle.

The 50 - 59 year olds wear red shorts and contact is limited to once the momentum has stopped the player must submit to the tackle and the tacklers must stop the drive, the referee calls held or tackle complete.

The over 60's, with no upper age limit, wear gold shorts and the game for them is basically a touch or tag tackle. The referee is the key to the success of these fixtures and constantly calls the colour of the ball carrier and tacklers shorts to remind players of the expected level of contact.

In the true spirit of the game and it being about friendship, sport and participation, there are no winners or losers, every game is a draw and every player must buy their opposite number a drink after the game.

In this particular test Great Britain were able to squeeze out a 4 nil "draw" and celebrate with the Australian tourists in style.

"What an occasion and an honor to represent Great Britain and make my International breakthrough at the tender age of 48" said Taylor with a smile on his face. He also added "What was especially special for me was to play alongside not just some great players from the game, but also a young lad with learning difficulties, who is an avid Rugby League fan who's lifelong dream was to play for his country. The spirit of the game allowed this to happen and for Richard to play wearing gold shorts and a tag belt. The Australians were fantastic with him and to see his face when the anthems were played will stay in my memory for a long time, which is why I love this great game!"

If anyone is interested in playing Masters Rugby League, the North East has a representative side and Jarrow Vikings are forming their own "Crusaders" team, they should contact John Gray, the Rugby League Development Officer for the North East on john.gray@rfl.uk.com

 

 Jarrow Vikings Players

Selected For

 England Lion Hearts Rugby League

The England Lion Hearts are a representative side selected from the best players in the country playing in the Cooperative Rugby League National and Regional Competitions.

The North East have 10 teams competing in the North East Regional Division and each club nominated a number of players to represent the North East in the Regional Championships held in Derby on the 31st of May.

As Regional Champions and National Finalists, Jarrow Vikings were invited to nominate 5 players to be part of the 25 man squad. A number of prime contenders were not available due to injury and work commitments, but the 5 selected were more than capable of representing the club well.

The 5, pictured, are Daniel Barron, Andy Gray, Michael Ewart, Barry Walker and Jordan Robinson.

 

The North East was drawn in a pool with London and the South and the North West. Neither of the opposition was going to be easy games, with the massive expansion of the game in the South and the traditional "Heartlands" roots of the game in the North West.

First up were London and the South and in a hard fought contest the North East lost out in the final seconds of the game to a late try, but were in fine spirits for the next test of the North West.

Brimming with confidence from their first victory earlier in the day against the London outfit, the North West showed why they were favorites for the competition and punished the North East every time they made a mistake. The final score of 6 tries to 2 was a good reflection of the dominance but also the spirit of the North East players.

Battered and bruised the North East's final game was against a combined South West and London side, again they were unlucky to lose by 2 points with the final play of the game.

The effort and determined performance for every one of the 19 players that pulled on the North East shirt was recognized and rewarded by the England selectors when no more than 6 players were selected to join the 25 man England squad, Jimmy Baldwin (Wallsend Eagles), Luke Watson (Peterlee Pumas), Andy Gray and Barry Walker (Jarrow Vikings) and Don Payne and Craig Sykes (Northallerton Stallions) will have the chance to pull on the England jersey.

 

 

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The photo shows Vikings sponsor Norman Scott with the 2 selected players, Andy Gray left and Barry Walker on the right.

John Gray, North East Development Officer for the RFL and coach of Jarrow Vikings, praised those who had made the final squad.

He said: "We have only ever had one other player from the North East selected before this year.

"To have six players selected from one trial game is a fantastic achievement. We are a developing area in rugby league and it is a credit to the clubs and the coaches in this region these players are winning an England shirt."

Lionhearts' head coach Marc Simon said he was impressed by the North East sides' organisation considering the short time they had been together.

He said: "They had a good calibre of players, and I was not just looking for people who can play rugby but for leaders and characters on the pitch.

"There are more members of the squad from the North East because of the way they went about their rugby as they linked well as a collective rather than working as individuals and were vocal around the park."

The Lion Hearts take on the Scottish Brave Hearts on Saturday 12th June in Glasgow.