wattNorth Kent made some history despite their dominance of the Super League last weekend. Despite being expected to go home at 3am, a group of enthusiastic Castleford fans headed to Kuflink Stadium in England’s southeast corner to watch the match against London Broncos. A raucous group wearing Tex Hoy-themed Hawaiian shirts waved inflatable bananas in the 34-20 victory. Those watching on Sky saw a group of Kents cheering on Premier League players brought up by local youth clubs such as Medway Dragons, Bromley Tigers and Invicta Panthers.
The Broncos travel to Ebbsfleet United every summer when they reseed their home ground at Wimbledon, a shabby-chic ground where pier cranes dot the horizon in the Thames Estuary and Eurostar trains fly by PARKING LOT. Kent last hosted Cass 40 years ago when they visited Maidstone for a Challenge Cup tie against short-lived club Kent Invicta. More recently, the county has become a source of talent for a sport that has taken root across England.
The Broncos recruit at least 10 players every week from outside the rugby league heartland. With 16 players from the south or midlands, Cass and the London Broncos could have set a top-flight record for the widest spread of British players in the league’s history, despite only 11 taking the field. Premier League players tend to come from Pontefract, Kells or Billinge rather than Stamford Hill or Richmond, Rochester and Leicester. The Broncos’ three try scorers came from Northampton, Milton Keynes and Sidcup.
The geographical spread of British players in the Premier League is more diverse than ever before. As well as hundreds of Yorkshiremen, Lancastrians and Cumbrians, the alliance includes a dozen Londoners, from Kent, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, There are more players from Hampshire and Tyneside, as well as players from the Midlands, than at any time since the 1970s.
Why does this matter? Because having a wider range of clubs, players, fans and spectators will attract much needed investment. The growth of the players’ ranks – despite leaving a lightweight footprint – is almost entirely down to the presence of London Broncos and community clubs in the South East. About 15 years ago Super League’s biggest clubs started signing London’s young stars – Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook went to St Helens, Tony Crabbe and Dan Sarkinson went to Wigan.
Players produced by London Rugby League are now found throughout the sporting world. Thanks to the Broncos and their youth clubs, at least one player comes from 23 of England’s 39 historic counties this season, with half of the clubs in the Premier League and Championship featuring southerners. Players from the Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Thunder were introduced by Croydon Hurricanes; Halifax can field a center back combination from Essex and Middlesex; Barrow includes three Londoners; From Whitehaven to Widnes, you can hear the hometown accent in the dressing rooms. The England squad includes players developed by the West London Sharks and Medway Dragons, while NRL clubs have players honed at Croydon, Hemel Hempstead and Greenwich.
More southern talent is set to leave in September as bottom-placed Broncos are destined for relegation. Broncos head coach and director of rugby Mike Eccles wants the sport to do more for the Southeastern region. “We need to think together about a strong London,” he said. “Have some kind of protection around the player pool so we can get results like we did before. Louie played 100 games before he left, Clubby played 150 games, Sargy played 60 or so.
Last year’s Young Player of the Year in the Championship, Bill Leyland from Maidstone, became the first player to jump ship. He did not play a minute this season due to injury and moved to Hull KR. “I wouldn’t fall out with someone who signs elsewhere if it’s done right,” Eccles said. “I build a relationship with the players and I’m happy for them, but it definitely has a subconscious effect. It doesn’t help with the insecurity. It’s really hard to bring a player back when you know they’re going to leave. .
An angry Eccles said the sport threatened to cut off the southern talent pipeline. “We invest a lot of money in our academy to develop carefully selected players. It’s soul-destroying. We shed tears when we lost Lewis Bienecker and Kai Pearce-Paul – and it continues The only way we can grow is by keeping our players. Our players won’t be playing this game without us and that’s a fundamental difference London needs to get a permanent place in the Premier League.
Although his club benefits from the Broncos’ production line, Castleford coach Craig Lingard disagrees: “We need a strong London team because there are a lot of people playing there. But London doesn’t Then there’s the development club. They’ve been around for 40 or 50 years, so the club has a responsibility.
Developing players follows a very simple formula: Play enough kids long enough, coach and develop them, and the talent will emerge regardless of their zip code or cultural background. But young players need a local professional environment to get to the next level.
Not long ago, the Broncos were able to loan out promising youngsters to Division One clubs in Haringey, Oxford, Hemel and Cheltenham. Nearly all of the Broncos’ academy players currently in Super League have gained significant experience at those clubs, but they have all moved on. The pandemic has proven deadly for grassroots rugby league in many areas, with community clubs disappearing across the country since the start of the pandemic. St Albans Centurions, formed in 1996, are the latest team to be on the verge of collapse. The North East senior competition is over, as is the South West region. Unless the RFL secures Bedford Tigers a Division One spot in September, there will be no stepping stone to the south for future professional players.
After two years claiming London was their priority area, IMG has done nothing for the region. The Broncos closed their elite academy last winter due to no IMG points for player development. “Eyebrows were raised but you want the boss to go ahead and pour a million pounds into an unprotected academy?” Eccles asked. “this is not right.”
Perhaps other clubs will take up the development baton in the south. With no professional unions present, Kent has the potential to become an important growth area. “It’s important that we understand what rugby league’s strengths are and where to develop players, and Kent is one of those,” Eccles said. “See Ollie Leyland [Broncos’ half-back from Maidstone] It was inspiring for the local kids.
There is hope. Youth activities are booming in the Midlands. From Colchester’s Eastern Rhinos to Northumberland’s Yarm Wolves, there are feel-good stories coming out regularly from a range of clubs. Maybe a whole new club Staffordshire Quantums and Deeping Ducks to develop future Super League stars. why not?
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