This Sunday will see the return of Cumbria rugby league’s State of Origin games for the first time since 2019, writes Ben Challis.
Then, West Cumbria took on Barrow & District in two matches with West Cumbria and Barrow each grabbing a win.
This weekend, the matches will feature some of the best players in the county in the Under-14 and Under-16 age grades who will be facing off in the ‘winner takes all’ clashes that will be played at Lowca ARLFC.
The U14s kick off at noon and the U16s kicking off at 1.15pm. The West Cumbrian teams featuring youth players from Cockermouth Titans, Distington, Egremont Rangers, Hensingham, Kells, Maryport, Seaton Rangers and Wath Brow Hornets and the Barrow squads featuring players from Walney, Millom, Dalton, Ulverston and Barrow Island.
Kells’ Dean Vaughan, who coaches the West Cumbria U14s squad alongside Maryport’s John Fidler, said: “The game is important as it gives all the players in the West Cumbria U14s League something to work hard for at the end of the season.
“We have carried out six weeks of training on game plan and structure to play together, and it’s nice to have lads from every team involved in the West Cumberland Under 14s League involved.
“In future years. I would like to see the return of the Copeland and Allerdale games, and hopefully we can see a return of the tri-county games between Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire and, for the players, a pathway into the national sides.
Barrow Under-14s had coach Ant Okane explained that he and his coaching team of Carl Munro, Dave Gibson, Ian Irvine and Team Manager Dean Sharp were really keen to have a development game in place for 2024 to try and reignite the strong relationship with West Cumbria to develop the rugby league stars of tomorrow throughout Cumbria and also try to get more kids involved by showing them there is something to strive for through playing representative rugby.
Okane said: “We have had over 40 lads training over the last few weeks, whittling the number down to 26, and then to final squad of 20 for the game on Sunday, adding a special ‘thank you’ to sponsors Kimberley Clark (sportswear) and Linda and Terry Irvine (food & refreshments) for their support.
West Cumbria Under-16s are coached by Kells’ Spencer Miller, assisted by Hensingham’s Mark Thornton and Scott Mcavoy.
Thornton said: “The lads have put in a lot of hard work and the team has started to gel nicely. They are all a credit to their clubs, and we are hoping that all the hard work, effort and the training pays off on game day.
“We are expecting a strong side from Barrow and a tough match, and we would very much like to thank all of our local clubs who have provided players for the squad, and a special thank you to Seaton Rangers, Distington and Hensingham for providing us with their facilities for training and getting the lads ready for game day, and to Lowca ARLFC for hosting the State of Origin games on Sunday.
Barrow & District U16s head coach Lewis Lupton, who is assisted by Lee Ashburner and team, explained that he had thirty five players training from Millom, Dalston and Ulverston and had now selected a final 20 and added: “We’re keen to be involved and reinstate the State of Origin games as they are always competitive fixtures and give both sets of teams the opportunity to test themselves
“This will rebuild the strong relationship with West Cumbria and help develop rugby league in Cumbria and hopefully inspire more kids to get involved in the sport.”
West Cumbria’s Under-16s captain, Rylan Templeton, who plays for Kells Under-16s, said: “The chance to represent a team of the best lads from where we live against your local rivals is always special, and to be captain of the team is a huge honour.
“I would just like thank Spencer, Mark and Scott for giving me chance to be part of this and I a looking forward to a really good game”.
West Cumbria Under-14s
- Rhys Williamson (Kells)
- Harry Vaughan (Kells)
- Keane Devoy (Cockermouth Titans)
- Olly Cartwright (Cockermouth Titans)
- Alistair Wilson (Wath Brow Hornets)
- Louie Nightingale (Kells)
- Harrison Fidler (Kells)
- Lucas Smiles (Maryport)
- Ollie Wright (Kells)
- Archie Robinson (Kells)
- Kai Speight (Distington)
- Charlie Tucker Cockermoth Titans)
- Ashton Hetherington (Kells, Captain)
- Olsen Sharp (Wath Brow Hornets)
- Loghan Williams (Maryport)
- Liam Chilton (Maryport)
- Adam Reay (Kells)
- Herbert Glaister (Maryport)
- Rocco Wilson (Kells)
Barrow & District Under-14s
- Ben Koshnahal (Walney)
- Jaiden Molyneux (Ulverston)
- Tom Croft (Ulverston)
- Adam Fox (Millom)
- Archie Spiers (Millom)
- Luca Lacono (Millom)
- Connor Tyson (Dalton)
- Harry Waddington (Dalton)
- Jaiden Udegbe (Dalton)
- Jay Mulama (Dalton)
- Leo Massicks (Dalton)
- Luke Tennant (Dalton)
- Max Irving (Dalton)
- Bobby Paxton (Barrow Island)
- C-Jay Munro (Barrow Island)
- Ellis Clements (Barrow Island)
- Lucas Irvine (Barrow Island)
- Lule Southward (Barrow Island)
- Ollie O’Kane (Barrow Island)
- Ollie Thomas (Barrow Island)
West Cumbria Under-16s
- Alfie Semple (Seaton Rangers)
- Cohen Barker (Hensingham)
- Ben Clements (Hensingham)
- Toby Vine (Wath Brow Hornets)
- Jack Carney (Hensingham)
- Logan fowler (Wath Brow Hornets)
- Luke Cuthebertson (Maryport)
- Lewis Wood (Hensingham)
- Connor Bell (Seaton Rangers
- Owen Ackerly (Seaton Rangers)
- Beau Hyslop (Hensingham)
- Johnny Royle (Egremont Rangers)
- Rylan Templeton (Kells, Captain))
- Preston Meloy (Hensingham)
- Alfie Wright (Cockermouth Titans)
- Marcus Hamilton (Hensingham)
- Oliver Johnston (Seaton Rangers)
- Ashton Quigley (Hensingham)
- Alex Needham (Seaton Rangers)
Barrow & District Under 16s
- Alfie Stevens (Dalton)
- Niall Maudsley (Dalton)
- Jayden Allonby (Dalton)
- Kyle Brennan (Dalton)
- Rhys McKenna (Dalton)
- Dec Ashburner (Dalton)
- Floyd Tweddle (Dalton)
- Max McGarry (Dalton)
- Isaac Maclean (Dalton)
- Harry Hughes (Dalton)
- Isaac Goulding (Dalton)
- Connor Grant (Dalton)
- Braith Lupton (Millom)
- Reuben Lupton (Millom)
- Jack Barker (Millom)
- Will Woodall (Millom)
- Stephen Watson (Millom)
- Leon Brotheridge (Millom)
- Reien Weightman (Millom)
