London Skolars
The first graduate club and now well established in the National Conference League Second Division. Although in the Conference there have been few victories on the field this season, and surprisingly none so far at their New River home, the club remain positive and ambitious. Defeat in the Challenge Cup to Wigan St Judes was a blow, but there were many positive signs in the team's performance, and it is to be hoped that the New Year will bring a return to on field success in the league competition.

The club's second team have been competing in the South Division of the Student Rugby League this season. This is a new venture for the club but it is to be hoped that this will yield positive benefits both for the Skolars and the league as a whole. The Skolars are also still very much involved in the London Amateur Rugby League, their youth programme is active and has been extended to include U11's and U13's teams, and the club hope that their newly-formed women's set-up will continue to develop.

Training takes place throughout the year at the New River Sports Stadium, on Tuesdays and Thursdays (beginning at 7.30 pm).

Help can be given for work and accommodation for the right players.

For more information on the London Skolars, please contact Tim Williams or Hector McNeil.
Tim Williams on 0171 269 3432 (day) or 0171 609 8661 (evenings)
Hector McNeil on 0181 360 6703 (evenings)

North Leeds Cowboys (by Ben Gent)

Thunder, Sharks, Eagles, Giants ... and now the North Leeds Cowboys may be the latest to jump on the merger bandwagon. The team is still everyone's favourite opponents, continuing attractive, running rugby with a stubborn refusal to foul, cheat, tackle or otherwise detain opponents as they stroll over the Cowboys' line. New players continue to arrive, but many of the squad have yet to meet. The largest attendance to date is still the session to mark the departure of French winger Renaud to summer climes.

So the new millennium may bring some new hope for a team whose record in the Twentieth Century makes for painful reading. The potential merger with Leeds Supporters ARLFC will widen the player base, allow us to maintain our SRL links and find a permanent base in the North of Leeds. We'll let you know ...

Anyone interested in becoming a Cowboy, should contact the following:
Thomas Hynes on 07747 827213
Ben Gent on 0114 255 2210
Dave Wainwright on 0113 253 6863

Nottingham Outlaws
With the 1999 season a distant memory, things have been quiet in the Outlaws camp, the Under 13's development has continued through our 'off season' training on a Thursday night at Nottingham Moderns RFC and this will resume after New Year in line with school holidays.

The senior team will commence training in March with a couple of friendlies to be planned before the start of the season 2000. At a recent committee meeting it was decided that a lot more effort this season would be targeted at the U13's and developing a second team and also to give financial support to people obtaining coaching qualifications at both senior and U13's level. From the beginning of the New Year, we will be looking to recruit new players of all abilities as well as people to assist with the general running of the club and match days. Sponsors and fund-raising ideas are always welcome.

Contacts:
Lee Gibson on 0115 956 5888 or by email: ELVIS@OUTLAWS1.FREESERVE.CO.UK
Gavin Baker on 0115 914 4875

Coventry Bears
History of the Bears.....

Coventry Bears were formed in 1998 by a group of University students led by Alan Robinson, then Great Britain Student Rugby League captain and full Irish International. He approached Keith Fairbrother, the Coventry Rugby Union club's Chairman and one time League player, with a plan to form a team to play from Coundon Road.

Following a meeting in early 1999 the club was founded. Great strides were taken in the first season with the fledgling team playing friendlies and winning all their games against Rugby League Conference clubs. The team defeated the Army U 21s and only narrowly lost to the Royal Navy and GB Students.
The highlights of the first season included invitations to play curtain raisers at both the London Broncos versus Bradford Bulls Super League game at Leicester RU's Welford Road ground and also at the RL Conference Grand Final.

Coventry Bears were admitted into the RL Conference for the 2000 season and were unbeaten by any club within their conference. The Bears then won their 'quarter-final' against Manchester before being narrowly defeated by only one point in the semi-finals at Superleague club Warrington Wolves' Wilderspool Stadium.

Coventry were honoured by being asked to host both the 2000 Season Launch and the Grand Final. As a further recognition the Bears were presented with the 'Club of the Year' award for the 2000 season.

The team play their home games at Coventry Rugby Union FC's Coundon Road ground and will continue to do so until a new stadium is completed in 2003.

The new ground will be located on the site of the old Butts athletics stadium which in the three years before the Great War was the home of the Coventry Northern Union team.
Northern Union changed its name to Rugby League in 1923 so the wheel will soon have come full circle with Rugby League once again being played at its original city home.

If you are interested in helping us as a player, sponsor or in our off the field activities, you will be made very welcome. CONTACT:
Ron Banks on 024 7662 3950 (office) or 024 7645 5856 (evenings)
Alan Robinson on 01926 432177 (office) or 024 7655 3615 (evenings)
Chris Norman on 024 7644 2772

Trafford Borough
Trafford Old Boys phone Simon: 0161 905 3597

Birmingham Bulldogs
One of the longest established clubs in the rugby league development areas, Birmingham have now been in existence for a decade and during this time-span have enjoyed successes in the East Midlands League and in the inaugural Southern Conference League when they were semi-finalists. The club have continued their participation in the Rugby League Conference and in 1999 came close to a Semi-Final place, finishing third in the Western Division and ninth in the overall composite table. The club have had many Student Rugby League players and graduates in their ranks over the years, and are keen to continue this tradition in the future. For more information, please ring Jamie Walsh or John Simkin.
Jamie Walsh on 01564 774846
John Simkin on 0121 707 8773
The club can also be contacted on the Email on brumrlfc@aol.com

Derby City
Derby City, after their first season in the Rugby League Conference and a full winter season in the BARLA East Midlands League, took a well-earned break in August and September. Following the club's AGM and social night in early October, the key task during the winter was seen as expanding and strengthening what the Australians call the "front office", that band of people who do all the work off the field. This has been successfully completed with a new club secretary and an expanded committee including a number of new positions to improve match day organisation, communication and youth development. Derby City also became a company limited by guarantee during the summer. Although this brings with it quite an increase in the administrative load on the club, it has the twin benefits of protecting the club officers from negligence claims and giving legal protection to the members funds held by the club.

"One of the things that pleased me", noted John Finch, the club's press officer, "was the number of people coming to us having seen the increased publicity the Conference generated and asking to play in 2000. These have ranged from very experienced players to people who have never played rugby of any sort but have promised to attend training to learn". The club had a considerable number of student players last season and was very proud of the fact that two of their number, Martin Kent and John Cartledge, were called up to train with the junior international squads to play the NSW young achievers and the Under 18 Australian side on December 19th.

The club is very keen to hear from any Student Rugby League players coming to work or study in Derbyshire. Training starts again in earnest on Thursday 13th January 2000 at the Moorways Centre, Derby and anyone interested should contact the following:
Dave Kent (Club Secretary) on 01332 721483
Ray Wilson (Coach) on 0115 849 2990
Or on email: eddy@hillage.freeserve.co.uk

Hindley Pumas (Women's RL)
In Wigan Borough, there is currently only one ladies' rugby league team - ours! The team started at Wigan St Patrick's ARLFC about five years ago, and quickly rose through the league to enter the old Division One. A split in the team brought the necessity to attract new players, and the girls only lost their premiership status due to divisional reorganisation, last year, when two divisions became three. We moved to Hindley ARLFC two seasons ago, and have been well settled there, being treated wholly as part of the club, with only negligible prejudice against the women's game, and some 95% support from club members there.

Last season saw us win the divisional title, resulting in our playing premiership rugby league again in the forthcoming season. Our squad is ever growing, with another three or four players signing up this year, to bring our squad numbers to a total of 20, to date. Of these, four currently train with the GB squad, five were chosen to play at County level last season, and four were called to GB Academy. Two girls toured New Zealand last summer. As a result of courses in September, three team members have become qualified coaches. We are trying to set up a girls' team to feed into ours. Hindley has several girls coming up through children's teams, and it would be a great pity to lose them from the game because they are too young to play open age rugby league.

We train on Monday evenings at the Cardinal Newman pitches, in Derby Lane, Hindley, from 7.30 pm until 9 pm. When winter draws in, training switches to a local prison gym.

The girls come from all walks of life, with students, factory workers, joiners, engineers, shop workers and a postal worker among them. We are self-funded, and use Car Boot sales, raffles, and match programme sales amongst other things, to raise money. Girls pay subs during the season, but out of this we try to pay something towards travelling expenses to away games.

Potential players are welcome to contact Terry Hockenhull to register their interest.
Terry Hockenhull on 01925 652746

Huntingdon
Huntingdon have been playing their recent rugby league in the summer London League competition, in which they ended up on top. During the course of the summer, the club also played a friendly against Oxford Cavaliers' second team, thus measuring their standards against a current Rugby League Conference club. The club have been in existence for a number of years, and there are encouraging signs that the club are entering a successful period in their history. Anyone interested in getting involved with the Huntingdon club should contact Steve Bennett.
Steve Bennett 01733 565514

Leicester Phoenix
Another of the long-established clubs playing in the Southern half of England, the Phoenix are keen to capitalise on a successful 1999 Rugby League Conference campaign which also saw the club very much in the spotlight by appearing in a curtain-raiser match against Coventry Bears prior to the London Broncos - Bradford Bulls 'On the Road' game. Over the years, the club has fielded players with Student Rugby League backgrounds, and any prospective players, volunteer helpers etc from the student ranks would be made very welcome.
Howard Ludbrook on 01572 787206

Newmarket
Rugby league in the East Anglia/Eastern region is currently going through an unprecedented 'boom' period. The area now boasts five clubs - Ipswich Rhinos, South Norfolk Saints, Cambridge Eagles, Huntingdon and now Newmarket, the newest addition to what is becoming a mini rugby league 'hotbed'. The Newmarket club hope to join the Rugby League Conference and played a number of friendly fixtures during the course of the summer/autumn period. One of their leading lights is Mark Armstrong, a man with a Student Rugby League background through his involvement with the Cambridge University Rugby League club, and anyone interested in getting involved with the Newmarket club, should contact Mark. Mark Armstrong 01954 231049 (work) or on the Email: MarkArmst@aol.com

Oxford Cavaliers
· The club play at Marston Ferry Road, Summertown, in Oxford.
· Oxford Cavaliers currently field teams at Under 13, Under 14, Alliance and Open Age level.
· The club Chairman is Lionel Hurst and Head Coach is Dave Doran.
· Oxford has a Rugby Football League Development Officer with an SRL background - Caro Wild, formerly of Luton University.
· Darrell Griffin (whom the club use as an "ambassador for Oxford Schools") signed in 1998 for the London Broncos. In 1998, he was the Cavaliers' Young Player of the Year.
· The club have a good link with the Oxford University club. John Hobart, Jeremy Shires and Simon Yarrow have all played for the University.
· In 1999, the club reached the Regional Final, and John Williams, Steve Lacey, Simon Hill and Jon Flatman (an SRL player at Birmingham University) all received representative honours.
· Oxford Cavaliers are the 1999 Rugby League Conference Club of the Year.

Oxford Cavaliers are looking for players (boys, girls, men and women are all welcome) to add to their club numbers, whether they be experienced or new to rugby league. In addition, the Cavaliers are keen to attract referees, coaches and administrative personnel to help strengthen the club and the sport. The club are growing, have become a significant force in the Rugby League Conference and are extremely ambitious.

CONTACT: Kath Allison on 01295 255966 or 0402 624769.

St Albans
Centurions Despite the playing side of the Centurions being in winter hibernation, a lot of activity is going on behind the scenes in preparation for Rugby League Conference (RLC) season 2000 - that's assuming that their application is accepted.

The old RLC season had not finished and four members of the Centurions backroom staff, coaches Ken Edwards and Marcus Tobin, physio Phil McGucken and manager Gary Tetlow had taken on similar roles with London and the South U17's, who played and narrowly lost to the Australian Young Achievers. Marcus is now working closely with the U18 version that play Australian Schoolboys in Oxford along with assisting the coaching at Oxford University and the London Skolars National Conference side. All this is good experience because Marcus has been appointed the Centurions head coach for season 2000. Assisting him will be John Ballantyne who is currently working with Luton University and another, yet to be confirmed. On the playing front, the club are maintaining their contacts with all their players, whether they be resting league boys or wintering union players, and building and developing their squad. They have been approached by several new players with SRL backgrounds with a view to playing next year. It is the intention to run a second team next season. The club's reputation and profile has heightened locally and using their networks, the club are in a position to find employment for interested players - should any other players be interested in playing for the Centurions, contact Gary Tetlow on 01727 840530. The club is well run and prides itself on its welcoming nature and good social side.

The junior side has not been overlooked and with an Awards for All grant decision impending, there could be a lot of activity in the near future. Tony Bottomley is chairing the junior section and with two coaches at both U13 and U14 levels and a dedicated treasurer and social committee, the future certainly looks bright. That said, the club are attempting to align its efforts with the needs of local higher education establishments which run related courses and whose students require hands on training. For further information, contact:
Tony on 01923 445188
Gary Tetlow on 01727 840530
Tony Bottomley on 01923 445188

Teesside Steelers
Teesside Steelers currently play in Division Three of the CMS Yorkshire League, and would love to hear from students or graduates in the area who would like to join this ambitious club. Despite the news concerning Gateshead Thunder, there is still much to admire and look forward to in rugby league in the area, and the Steelers remain one of the leading lights of North East amateur rugby league.

The Steelers have a web site address in http://www.teessidesteelers.ukf.net For details on Teesside Steelers, try the web site, or contact the following:
Ade Crowe on 01388 458268
Lloyd Darby on 01642 371019

West Bank
West Bank RLFC serves the South Widnes community area of the same name. The club runs two senior and seven junior sides, playing matches at the local Sports Ground, and being based at both the Mersey and the Swan public houses in West Bank.

This season the senior section first team, under the coaching direction of Peter Glynn is competing in the North West Counties (NWC) Division One. A technical input to training has been provided by David Hulme. However, he has now returned to Salford. To date, the first team has struggled on the pitch and has won only three of the ten matches played. The second string are a young and enthusiastic group of players (including several local students) who are competing well without much luck or success. All of the junior teams are well subscribed with almost 150 youngsters affiliated to the club. All the teams are proving to be competitive with the Under 14's and Under 15's in particular in the hunt for silverware.

To aid the recruitment of more junior players, and to develop and expand the club's role in the local community, the club have initiated a development plan. The plan will target a local primary school which neither competes in the local schools' competition nor offers rugby league as part of the physical exercise curriculum. Club coaches will deliver the goods and hopes are high that the youngsters will be able to play matches against other local schools in the spring. The club are hoping that the pupils will be recruited to the sport and identify with their 'local community club', and that the sport is allowed to develop to its full potential in the school. The scheme will be launched during the NWC mid-season break which commences in December.

The club held a 'Rugby League Forum' on Monday 11th October at the Autoquest Stadium in Widnes. The forum panel included such luminaries as Stuart Cummings, Martyn Sadler, Peter Deakin and Tony Chambers, and was chaired by David Campbell. Julian Harrison attended the event and will testify to the excellence of the panel's answers to the many probing questions. Forthcoming fund-raising events include: Christmas Party - Friday December 3rd; Sportsman's Dinner - late January 2000; Junior section sponsored event - Spring 2000.

If anyone would like to join one of the most ambitious and pro-active clubs in the area in either a playing, administration, or coaching capacity, then please contact the club. The club is looking to increase its number of current students and graduates involved, and is attempting to establish long-lasting links with the university clubs in the Merseyside area.
Neil Farrell (Chairman) on 01484 667044
Paul Farrell (Projects and Development Officer) on 0151 420 6802