Speedway
A League of Nations
Wed 30th Oct 2013, 20:00 – Group D
Attendance: 7,247 – Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bristol.
USA 32 (20) VS. Cook Islands (12) 20
Admission 10.00 (standing), group programme 4.00.
Sat 16th Nov 2013, 20:00 – Quarter Finals.
Attendance: 22,276 – Venue: DW Stadium, Wigan.
England 34 (26) VS. France (6) 6
Admission 30.00 (seated), programme 5.00.
Sun 17th Nov 2013, 15:00 – Quarter Finals.
Attendance: 12,766 – Venue: Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington.
Samoa 4 (0) VS. Fiji (18) 22
Admission 20.00 (standing), programme 5.00.
Sat 23rd November, 13:00 – ‘The Big Hit’, Semi Finals Day.
Attendance 67,545 – Venue: Wembley Stadium.
New Zealand 20 (8) VS. England (8) 18
Admission 50.00 (seated), programme 6.00 (covered both games).
Saturday 23rd November, 15:00 – ‘The Big Hit’ Semi finals Day.
Attendance 67,545 – Venue: Wembley Stadium.
Australia 64 (34 ) VS. Fiji (0) 0
Admission- as above- programme as above.
I’ve had a month since the Final on Nov 30th at Old Trafford to reflect on this wonderful tournament. During the Autumn of 2000, the last time we had the World Cup on these shores I had dipped my toes in and watched two England games at Twickenham and Leeds Headingley. Both of which were thoroughly enjoyed, and I had made a vow at the time to make more of an effort to watch Rugby League live.
As it has turned out, since, I’ve only actually watched two live games, one at Castleford (v Halifax, 2002), and one at London Broncos (v Leeds, 2013). The main reason I guess being the time and effort I’ve spent visiting new football grounds and also collecting the Speedway tracks of England/Scotland and Europe. So for me personally, this WC tournament was a real wake up call to get my finger out, and dedicate some serious time and effort to visit the Rugby League and even possibly some new Rugby Union grounds of our fair islands.
The final itself was a disappointment. Whether NZ had given too much of themselves in the ‘battle of Wembley’ v England in semi, or whether the Aussie team were just man for man too strong, is hard to say. But Australia regained the trophy they had lost to New Zealand in Brisbane in 2008, winning 34-2 and in the process Old Trafford recorded an international record crowd of 74,468. A more fitting final would have been the NZ/Eng Semi.
But the tournament for me had started at a windy and drizzly dark night at the Memorial stadium in Bristol. Home to Bristol Rovers FC and Bristol RFU, so hardly a Rugby league heartland. Yet 7,500 turned out to watch the minnows of ‘The Cook Islands’ and the debut making ‘USA’. The vast majority of the crowd, who created a carnival atmosphere were backing the Cooks. After they performed their version of the Haka the game started with them on the front foot, but as the game progressed the USA grew stronger, and early in the second half they took a stranglehold on the game to eventually win by 12 points. Did it make the back page of USA sports pages? I doubt it, it should have though.
Although my next games were not until the Quarter final stages, I was reading and hearing of great games and very good crowds at unlikely places such as Rochdale, Workington and Wrexham. Huddersfields John Smiths Stadium recorded its first ever full house for a sports fixture for England’s group game against Ireland and Rochdale FC’s ‘Spotland’ had a full house and the locals backing Fiji! The Scots took up residence, bag pipes an all at Derwent Park, Workington. But my next game was at Wigan’s ‘DW stadium’, the home of Wigan Athletic FC and Wigan RFL team, a super league giant. Although not a complete sell out, it was close to it, and although our seats were a little disappointing with a poor view, being down by a corner flag, England cantered to a fairly easy 34-6 victory over France, job done, a Wembley SF guaranteed.
The following day, I had a terrace ticket at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington for the South Sea Island QF match up of Samoa v Fiji. Ros decided on the day, as the weather was too gloomy to visit anywhere else to purchase a terrace ticket as well. As a ground collector, I only had one word to describe the HJ Stadium, ‘Wow’. Purpose-built for the Warrington Wolves and opened in 2004, it is exactly what all new build football grounds ‘should be’, were it not for the Taylor reports insistence on all seater stadium. Frankly the stadium knocked spots off the rather soulless DW Stadium. The 15,200 capacity HJ has one side of a steeply raked covered terracing, where we stood at the back, one end behind the goal is also terraced, with the main stand opposite, with another stand of seats off to our right. The crowd created a fantastic atmosphere.
It’s hard to describe how emotional one (I) can (did) get about two countries you’d struggle to pinpoint on a map, but pre-match, we were treated to the national anthems of both countries. With muscle toned fit athletes standing and holding each other shoulder to shoulder blasting out their anthems whilst gently swaying side to side. The Fijians in particular have a very jaunty anthem, that seems to confirm their Island as being deeply religious. Then the Samoan’s got into position, the crowd hushed, as they performed their war dance, called ‘The Manu Siva Tau’ in front of the Fijians, mikes placed on the pitch to pick out their guttural chants. An enormous round of applause followed it, before silence again, and the Fijian’s get in a circle, and blast out their hymn, like they were a professional choir. At the end, I admit to having wet eyes, I looked at Ros and she was beaming from ear to ear, this was pure theatre, ‘pure sport’ and you just knew these two teams would give everything they could to make it to the Semi Finals at Wembley Stadium.
For a flavour of the haka’s/wardances and hymns performed by NZ/Samao/Tonga and Fiji at the WC, see;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFkuUE9TXOk
What ensued was as I’ve told people since, one of the most enjoyable sporting events I’ve ever witnessed. The Samoan’s who had been based in Warrington had the backing of the locals, who regularly chanted ‘Whoaaaaa Samoaaa’. Due to my ignorance of League, I had expected Samoa to be too strong for Fiji. How wrong I was. It would seem that Samoa are a stronger ‘Union’ playing nation. Fiji were the keenest, quicker and sharper in their passing. The physicality of the game was a sight to behold, no holds barred tackling, which a couple of times threatened to get out of hand, but didn’t. Fiji won the respect of the local crowd and won many new fans with their display. In summary, great venue, great theatre, great game, great crowd, enjoyment factor 10/10 🙂
Sat 23rd Nov, a rare ‘non football’ Saturday for me, as I took the train and tube to Wembley Stadium. I’d splashed out on a fifty pound ticket for the ‘Big Hit’ Semi Finals, and was chuffed to find I was in the Club Wembley area. Not the area opposite the TV cameras, but the Club Wembley on the camera side. Very spacious concourses with so many more places to buy food and drink, a diner style cafe, it really was very nice indeed. My friend Steve had also purchased a ticket and was a block down, and after finding I had a seat free next to me, nearer the half way line in the middle tier, he joined me for the second half of the England game. And what a game it turned out to be, as holders NZ were still ‘slight’ favourites to beat England, but England after a shaky opening minutes looked determined to be at Old Trafford, Sam Burgess was dominant, Hall and Charnley impressive on the wings, and Graham a rock in the middle. The atmosphere was amazing, with many New Zealanders in the crowd. After a phenomenal game of RL which you couldn’t take your eyes off, with 1 minute to go, yes just 1 minute away from the World Cup final, England were 18-14 to the good. A try 15 mins from the end from Burgess and a conversion from Sinfield, and the crowd were on the edge of their seats anticipating celebrating reaching the final.
Then with 20 seconds left on the clock, NZ after some serious last five-minutes of pressure in the England last quarter finally scored a try from Shaun Johnson, all around could be seen England fans with heads in hands, New Zealanders dancing around like they had just won the world cup. Sport can be very cruel as well as life affirming. That man again Johnson kept his cool and converted the kick, 20-18, all over, England out. The mood around Wembley had changed in a matter of minutes.
It didn’t hurt me as deep to my soul as it had when I was at Wembley in 1996, when England lost on penalties to Germany in the Euros in ‘my sport’, but I was never the less absolutely gutted. The England players stood, sat, drained, unbelieving, they had given so much on the day, and probably deserved to have gone through on the balance of play.
What followed was a procession, as Australia dumped Fiji 64-0, in such a one-sided game of sport, that of the 67,000 who’d been present for the Eng v NZ Semi, only about 15-20,000 remained at the end. A real case of ‘After the Lords Mayors Show’, it’s a shame the draw hadn’t fallen the other way round with the Eng game being the main course of the day.
On reflection, in some ways I rediscovered so much in watching the Rugby in the WC that I feel has been lost in football, especially at the higher levels of the professional football game. Honesty, committment, a feeling that the players were giving their all, but that they had a deep respect for their sport (and the referees), and if they lost, yes they might cry (as some of the Samoan’s did at Warrington and England players did at Wembley), but ultimately they knew, that their Sport, and this competition was the winner. Hopefully the BBC exposure of the tournament turned many new fans onto RL. Especially with it being such a Northern dominated code. There is such a deep ingrained intolerance to League in Union territories, personally as a spectator sport I believe it’s miles ahead of Union, with its continual stoppages and scrums. So, I shall keeping a close eye on the progress and attendances of the likes of the London Skolars, Oxford and Hemel Rugby League Clubs, and live in hope that the re-emergence from administration of The London Broncos with their new venture of ground sharing at ‘The Hive’ with Barnet FC, will be a positive one. And I shall be stepping into more Rugby League grounds during the Spring/Summer of 2014, if you haven’t experienced it as a live sport, you should.
As sung in Warrington, and at Wembley…..
Blessing grant oh God of nations on the isles of Fiji
As we stand united under noble banner blue
And we honour and defend the cause of freedom ever
Onward march together
God bless Fiji
CHORUS:
For Fiji, ever Fiji, let our voices ring with pride
For Fiji, ever Fiji, her name hail far and wide,
A land of freedom, hope and glory, to endure what ever befall
May God bless Fiji
Forever more!
Blessing grant, oh God of nations, on the isles of Fiji
Shores of golden sand and sunshine, happiness and song
Stand united, we of Fiji, fame and glory ever
Onward march together
God bless Fiji.
Broncos restore some pride
Thursday August 1st 2013, kick off 8pm at Twickenham Stoop Stadium.
Rugby League Super League.
London Broncos (All Black/Sky Blue trim) 18-30 Leeds Rhinos (Blue/Yellow/White).
Att 2,377, admission £20, programme £3, pastie £2, beer £3.75.
A visit to the Stoop had been on my agenda for a few years now to watch the Broncos. The Stoop is actually the home ground of the ‘Harlequins’ Rugby Union club, which sits in the shadow of the headquarters of RU, Twickenham Stadium. Harlequins are a number of (many now playing out in the suburbs of Bucks/Herts and Berks) well established London-based Rugby Union clubs, in facts Broncos were previously labelled Harlequins RL, before reverting to name of the Broncos.
For those of you unaware, Rugby has two different sets of codes and leagues in England. ‘Union’ is largely played and well supported in the South of England and Wales. ‘League’ grew up in the North, with its catchment area being a line across the country from the Humber to where the Mersey meets the Irish sea, and played in a few other areas just to the North of that line.
Union and League fans are passionate about 'their' sport, and both view the other code as inferior. So for the best part of a century league has been played 'Oooop Naaarth' and Union further South, and never the twain shall meet. A Union team has 15 players and League 13 players.
In many ways League has historically been closer to football (soccer), it has attracted a working class following in it's norther towns and cities, and the grounds the game were played on looked more like football grounds than the Union grounds, IE standing terracing for football/R league and seated stands for Union.
Since the revolution of Leagues ‘Super League’ and the promotion of it from Sky Sports, League is now played largely, certainly the top-level at all seater stadiums. Broncos who have been around under various guises since originally playing in 1980 at Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage have always struggled to attract foot fall through the turnstiles. The South’s sports followers already has football/cricket and rugby union in its heart, and apart from a hardcore who follow the Broncos, the casual walk up support has never been forthcoming and seems unlikely to do so in the future. Also this would probably explain the nomadic existence of the club, who have moved around London, from Fulham FC to the Crystal Palace Sports Centre, Barnet Copthall Stadium to Charlton FC/Brentford FC, one wonders how many of the original Fulham RL fans have followed them around their travels?
Tonight the reigning champions from Leeds were in town on a balmy London evening, where the temp gauge had hit 32 celsius (34 at Heathrow Airport apparently). The green sheen of the pitch looked magnificent and with fans able to sup a cool pint pitchside, you’d think the sports public of London would arrive in droves, well no, with the East Stand housing about 700 Leeds fans, and upward of 2/300 also sitting in our West Stand, the turnout of 2,377 must have been a major disappointment to the owner David Hughes. The attendances though have always been a bone of contention and hinder the progress of the club in being able to attract the really big names of the sport, although they did have some semblance of success in the late 90s making a challenge cup final and finishing second in the league in 1997.
On the pitch, Leeds had too much craft, movement and pace, however Broncos put in a solid performance which clearly must have been a vast improvement on their 70-0 thrashing to Wigan the previous weekend in the Challenge Cup S/F. The match ebbed and flowed and was thoroughly enjoyable, as it progressed making mental note to self to take in more Rugby League, and perhaps even some Union during the winter. Leeds (and England) Captain Kevin Sinfield was making his 500th appearance for the Rhinos, and his kicking was sublime, wherever the angle into the posts.
The result was never in doubt, as Leeds took the points without one felt needing to use their last gear, but the game had been a great advert for rugby league, and with it being so easy to reach the venue by train from my work I will be back next season for more League action.
Build a rocket boys
Saturday June 9th 2012 at 19:00 at the Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, Herts. 
Premier League, Rye House Rockets 59-34 Berwick Bandits, Admission £16, Programme £2.
My first visit of the season to a speedway meeting, and it was long overdue. Various reasons had kept me away from the tracks. April had been a virtual washout, with the monsoon conditions causing most meetings to be postponed. May had seen me laid low with a flu bug, and at the same time I had car problems and then we had a weeks holiday in Cornwall later in the month. Which meant by the time I’d pencilled in a visit to Rye House I was desperate for some shale action.
Ros was happy to accompany me, with the proviso we had at least a few hours prior to the meeting at nearby Capel Manor college gardens, near the M25, and so off we went.
I try to take in at least one meeting a season at Rye House, their regular race night is 7pm Saturday, so making it a popular choice amongst shale track hoppers.
Rye House is a location in Hoddesdon in the English county of Hertfordshire, now in the Lee Valley Regional Park. There were medieval buildings there, for about 450 years, of which only a gatehouse remains; it is a Grade I listed building.The House gave its name to the Rye House Plot, an assassination attempt of 1683 that was a violent consequence of the Exclusion Crisis in British politics at the end of the 1670s. The Gatehouse sits just outside the entrance to the speedway venue and is well worth a quick look.
Going into this meeting, Berwick had raced 3 league meetings and had won them all. Whereas the Rockets had indifferent form, but had just recorded in the previous week or so an excellent 46-44 win at pre-season title favourites Ipswich, and a 45 all draw at Redcar so clearly confidence was fairly high in their camp.
The Hoddesdon stadium is one of the best tracks in the country, and on each visit I seem to notice another little improvement or addition to facilities for spectators, although the octogenarian promoter Len Silver makes great play of his “world-famous” fish and chip restaurant underneath the stand, Ros and I dined her for the second time, and both found the food mediocre at best. Agreeing that whatever oil they cook the fish in, it’s not very agreeable, if you pardon the pun!
Anyway, it was a pleasant mild sunny evening, as I met up with my friend Dave Lewis, and the three of us took up a position on the wooden terracing above the start gate, our favourite viewing position at the track. Most watch the action from the two seated stands situated on the home straight, or where we had settled on the terracing. Although Len has added seats to the bends over the years, due to rising dust and shale these areas are less popular with fans. As is usual for a Saturday evening in the summer at Rye House, it was a healthy turnout, numbering about 1,000 I’d guess.
The 1st heat was pretty uneventful and the rockets stormed to an early 5-1 lead with Dane Charlie Gjedde winning the race. The second race came to a sudden halt when away rider Alex Edberg became entagled with rocket Jason Garrity on the back straight which caused his bike to catapult down the track whilst he hit the fence at some speed, it looked quite nasty.
It was soon clear this was indeed a serious injury as the ambulance spent some time on the track, and Edberg was then taken to a local hospital for attention to his injuries. We later heard he’d actually broken his shoulder. Although broken collar bones are very common injuries on the speedway track, shoulder breaks are less so, sounds painful! So, a 45 minute delay ensued, before we had an ambulance back on the circuit.
The re-run was won by Jason Bunyan for the home team and running 2nd was team mate Jason Garrity, and so after two heats Rye already led 10-2. And by heat 7 it was 32-10, clearly this was not going to be a close meeting. With Bandits number one Ricky Ashworth, either having an off night, or clearly not liking the small technical Rye House track.
Although Seb Alden put up some resitance, with three race wins, the dominant rockets shared the points amongst the team to bang in an impressive home display, regularly leaving the tapes and being first to corner one. As is typical on the short but tricky rye house track, passing was not a regular occurence but the racing always remained interesting none the less.
Alden and Ashworth won the last heat 5-1 to offer a token of comfort for the small band of travelling bandits fans, but I should imagine it was a very long journey home to the borders after this thrashing.
I shall watch the progress of the Rockets and the Bandits closely after this meeting.
Scoring;
Rye House – 59 – C.Gjedde 10, L.Bowen 7+3, A.Mellgren 9+1, R.Hawkins 6+2, J.Frampton 12, J.Garrity 7+2, J.Bunyan 8+2.
Berwick – 34- R.Ashworth 8+1, L.Tomicek 0, L.Complin 7, D.Bellego 3, S.Alden 13, A.Edberg (retired injured) 0, J.King 3.
Record of Speedway Tracks Visited by 1st visit
No of visits to each track, as of 1/1/12 in brackets ( ) Where not listed, stats not researched yet. Where a meeting is abandoned, but racing has commenced, that meeting is counted. If the meeting is abandoned ‘before’ the racing commenced, than that meeting is not counted. Where a double header takes place at the same venue on the same day, it counts as ‘1’ visit.
Up to and including July 15th 2012.
1- Wimbledon Stadium – 1973 – 1st meeting unknown. 
2- (16) Arlington Stadium, Eastbourne – 22/3/87 – Eastbourne 10-20 Wimbledon, Challenge 1st Leg, Abandoned after 5 heats.
Attended the following week 29/3, result 44-34.
3-(1) Hackney Stadium, Waterden Road – 4/5/87 – Hackney 38-40 Oxford, British League, League Cup.
4- (50- last meeting 2006) – Arena Essex Raceway – 14/5/99 – Arena Essex 54-35 Stoke, Premier League.
5- (3) Smallbrook Stadium, Ryde – 25/5/99 – Isle of Wight 55-35 Workington, Premier League.
6- (1) Foxhall Stadium – 27/5/99 – Ipswich 48-41 Oxford, Elite League.
7- (32) Smallmead Stadium – 31/5/99 – Reading 50-40 Exeter, Premier League.
8- (1) The County Ground- 19/7/99 – Exeter 42-48 Arena Essex, Premier League.
9- (10) Blunsdon Stadium – 29/7/99 – Swindon 53-37 Arena Essex, Premier League Knock Out Cup.
10- (6) Brandon Stadium, Coventry – 31/7/99 – British Grand Prix, Winner- Tony Rickardsson.
11- (5) Alwalton, East of England Showgrounds – 24/4/00 – Peterborough 42-48 Coventry, Elite League.
12- (14) Rye House Stadium – 13/10/00 – Rye House 50-38 Boston, Conference Knockout Cup Final.
13- Hayley Stadium, Queensway Meadows – 8/6/01 – Newport 42-47 Glasgow, Premier League.
14- (10) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Glamorgan, S Wales – 9/6/01 – British Grand Prix, Winner > Tony Rickardsson.
16- (1) Shielfield Park – 6/4/02 – Berwick 48-42 Glasgow, Premier League Trophy. *Also watched Berwick Rangers FC at this venue on the same day.
17- (1) Matje Gubca Stadium, Krsko, Slovenia – 22/6/02 – Slovenian Grand Prix, Winner > Ryan Sullivan.
18- (1) Derwent Park – 3/8/02 – Workington 47-43 Sheffield, Premier League.
19- (1) Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield – 4/8/02 – World Team Cup, Abandoned (rain) after 20 heats. Aus 46 GB 42 Czech Rep 28, Ger 9.
20-(1) Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden – 31/8/02 – Scandanavian GP, Winner > Leigh Adams.
21- (1) Kirkmanshulme Lane, Belle Vue – 8/9/02 – Premier League Riders Championship, Winner > Adam Shields.
22- Sandy Lane – 11/4/03 – Oxford 51:39 Belle Vue, Elite League.
23- (1) Avesta Motorstadion (Masarna Speedway), Sweden – 31/5/03 – Swedish GP, Winner > Ryan Sullivan.
24- Iwade, Sittingbourne Speedway- 29/6/03 – Vic Harding Memorial Individual Meeting, Winner > James Theobald.
25- (2) Oak Tree Arena, Highbridge- 25/7/03 – Somerset 58:32 Stoke, Premier League.
26- (2) Outrup, Denmark – 4/8/03 – World Team Cup, Event 2 – Aus 62 GB 60 Slov 27 Italy 7.
27- (1) Holsted, Denmark – 5/8/03 – World Team Cup, Event 3 – Pol 58 Swe 56 Rus 28 Hungary 9.
28- (1) Vojens, Denmark – 9/8/03 – World Team Cup, Final – Swe 62 Aus 57 Den 53 Pol 49 GB 44.
29- (1) Hi-Edge Raceway – 25/4/04 – Buxton 58:44 Coventry, Conference League Trophy.
30- (1) Marketa Stadium, Prague – 15/5/04 – Czech Grand Prix, Winner > Jason Crump.
31- (2) Wessex Stadium – 25/6/04 – Weymouth 47:48 Wimbledon, Conference Knockout Cup.
32- (1) Norfolk Arena – 29/9/04 – Kings Lynn 52:41 Workington, Young Shield Q/F 1st Leg. DH -Also Conf league- KL 48:42 Buxton (2).
33- (1) Viking Ship Stadium, Hamar – 2/10/04 – Norwegian Grand Prix, Winner > Tony Rickardsson.
34- (1) Normanby Road – 7/8/05 – Scunthorpe 64:29 Sittingbourne, Conference League.
35- (1) Parken Stadium, Copenhagen – 24/6/06 – Danish Grand Prix, Winner > Hans Andersen.
36- (1) Slangerup – 25/6/06 – Slangerup 48:51 Holsted, Danish Super League.
37- (1) Brighton Centre, East Sussex – 10/12/06 – Brighton Indoor Bonanza, Pairs Winners > Martin Dugard/Lubos Tomicek, Individual Winner > Martin Dugard.
38- (2) Loomer Road – 2/6/07 – Stoke 49:41 Newport, Premier League Knockout Cup.
39- (1) South Tees Motorsport Park – 12/7/07 – Redcar 47:46 Somerset, Premier League.
40- (1) Veltins Arena, Gelsinkirchen – 13/10/07 – German Grand Prix, Winner > Andreas Jonsson.
41- (1) St Boniface Arena – 13/6/08 – Plymouth 56:34 Rye House, Conference League.
42- (1) G&B Stadium, Malilla (Dackarna Speedway), Sweden – 16/8/08 – Scandanavian Grand Prix – Winner > Leigh Adams.
43- (1) Stadio Olimpia, Terenzano, Udine, Italy – 26/9/09 – Italian Grand Prix – Winner > Tomasz Gollob. 
44- (1) Armadale Stadium – 8/4/11 – Edinburgh 56:37 Redcar, Premier League.
45- (1) Beaumont Sports Park – 30/4/11 – Leicester 40:50 Somerset, Premier League.
46- (1) Newcastle Stadium, Byker – 11/9/11 – Newcastle 44:46 Workington, Premier League.
47- (1) Central Park, Sittingbourne – 8/7/13 – Kent Kings 39:52 Mildenhall, National League.
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