Cumbria could have a great Nines team – if the timing is right
Last updated 11:46, Friday, 05 September 2008
FULL marks to Cumbria for turning out a side to compete in last week’s inaugural Carnegie Floodlit Nines in Leeds.
But if the county is to again field a team in what’s likely to become an annual tournament, it must get its act together to show Cumbrian rugby league in its best light.
Nines is more akin to regular 13-a-side rugby than the 100mph Sevens game, which makes it more important to field a fair proportion of seasoned professionals.
I’m certainly not knocking the Cumbrian lads who volunteered to play at Headingley. Quite the opposite. They showed character just by agreeing to make the three-hour trip to Leeds.
It was great to see them take the opportunity to play on such a big stage. But the team needed a bit more experience of senior rugby.
They suffered the biggest defeat of the evening in the opening round, going down 34-0 to Hull KR, who included Paul Cooke in their team.
The Robins’ playmaker may have had his share of off-field problems, but he’s a fantastic footballer.
He crossed for one of their six tries, former Scotland RU speedster Jon Steel adding a brace. Cumbria were the only team that failed to register a point.
And it was no surprise that Huddersfield Giants went on to win the final. Ten of their 15-man squad were Super League regulars.
It was Huddersfield’s first piece of silverware since taking the old Northern Ford Premiership title six years ago.
Their five grand prize has gone in to the club’s end-of-season Mad Monday fund. Should be quite a celebration.
Yet Cumbria had the potential to field a formidable side. Imagine the likes of Haven’s Craig Calvert, Workington’s Shaun Lunt and a handful of the county’s top-flight players taking the field. They would do us proud.
The main obstacle to that dream becoming reality is timing. On the face of it, holding the tournament three days before the Challenge Cup final, when, of course, all but the Wembley combatants enjoy a free weekend, seems a good idea.
But it does not suit Cumbria. The five Super League clubs that took part obviously boast bigger squads than Haven, Town and Barrow and were able to field competitive sides at Headingley.
Unlike the west Cumbrian clubs, the other competing teams from outside Super League – Leeds Met, The Army and Fiji UK – were not on the brink of launching play-off campaigns.
Barrow had a tough rearranged NL2 clash with Doncaster on the same night as the Nines were held.
Two of the county’s finest, Hull’s Ewan Dowes and James Graham, of St Helens, who would qualify through his west Cumbrian dad, were preparing to go head-to-head in the Challenge Cup final.
Town boss Dave Rotheram embraced the Floodlit concept and made all of his eligible players available for selection.
But Haven coach Ged Stokes – and who can blame him – wanted his squad to focus on the play-offs.
It may well have been a different story if the tournament had been held at a more suitable time for the county. Pre-season may be best.
The one Super League player to turn out for Cumbria was Wigan’s Lee Mossop, which says much about the former Hensingham lad’s superb attitude.
The 19-year-old has since penned a new three-year pro deal with the Warriors and is surely set for a glittering future.
It would be no surprise if the huge back-rower had bigger fish to fry in the next few years and England come calling. In the meantime, Lee, welcome to Cumbria.
