FEB 2010 ISSUE 63 THE RUGBY LEAGUE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE RFL DANNY CHAMPION OF THE WORLD? on the inside… Rewarding Partnerships Growing the Game Working Together 6 The war of Raise funds the Rugby League for your club worlds You Earn For every 50 £41 £500 Wembley tickets sold. You Earn For every 50 £62 dual event CONTENTS £1000 tickets sold. 5 Media matters 9 A big achievement You Earn For every 50 Wembley package tickets sold. 14 Sweet dreams £2000 Packages from £103 15 30 not out 18 New look for RLC National 20 The start of something big? You Earn For every 49 Wembley 10 Rewarding 12 Growing 21 Show me the money travel package tickets sold. partnerships the game £2000 Packages from £131 22 Catch up on coaching 24 The waiting game CARNEGIE CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 26 Breaking down barriers 28th August 2010 You Earn For every 50 dual event package 27 Game on tickets sold. £2500 Engage SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 28 Cup shocks! Packages from £124 2nd October 2010 30 Showing a clear commitment FEB 2010 ISSUE 63 THE RUGBY LEAGUE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE RFL DANNY CHAMPION OF THE WORLD? on the inside… Rewarding Partnerships Growing the Game Working Together Contact us now: 16 Working together Ray Tennant Steve Gafney T: 07595 520 338 T: 07595 520 578 E: ray.tennant@rfl.uk.com E: steve.gafney@rfl.uk.com INSIDE THIS ISSUE MEDIA MATTERS .... with John Ledger Welcome to the first Rugby League Bulletin of 2010 .... RL Here we go, here we IN NUMBERS Eyes on the prize - SL XV launch As it’s the start of a new year we’ve decided to revamp the magazine go, here we go! At long and give things a fresh look. Whilst the layout may have altered the last, after seemingly content certainly won’t and we’ll continue to include news, interviews and features from across the whole game. interminable months This issue includes a preview to the first major Rugby League event of frustration, the of 2010 – the Gillette World Club Challenge. In the lead up to the big game David Burke has interviewed both a past and present player and new season is up and I’m sure that everyone will find what Danny McGuire and Andy Gregory running .... have to say very interesting. Elsewhere in the 32-pages other highlights include news on an exciting link up between Engage Super League clubs and community 78,090 Spectators attended the teams in the Midlands, an interview with the recently appointed RFL seven Round One fixtures of En- From now until October, the biggest Director of Participation and Strategic Partnerships, David Gent, who gage Super League XI conundrum come the weekend will not be explains what the RFL will be doing in the coming years to increase how to avoid being dragged off to IKEA or roped into redecorating, but what to wear to player growth and a look back on the great work the Coaching and the game: one coat or two and, from June at Performance Department have done over the last 12 months. least, possibly no coat at all. On the field itself the season has got off to a great start with the Summer rugby has still seemed a lifetime Engage Super League and Northern Rail Cup competitions making a away these last few weeks, though, as the welcome return. However, the action isn’t just confined to the pro start of Engage Super League and Northern ranks and the coming weeks will see the student game showcased as Rail Cup has coincided with one of the the Pcubed Varsity match is held at The Twickenham Stoop, as well hardest winters of recent times, but perhaps as exciting community competitions like the Gillette National Youth that says more about how soft we’ve all become. League and Hattons Solicitors National Conference League continuing With weekly action, Rugby League has despite the inclement weather we still seem to be suffering. returned to the sports pages of national 2,657 Schools visited by and regional newspapers on a regular basis professional clubs community and while coverage on radio, television and the TOM HOYLE internet is also back with a vengeance. foundation staff in 2009 Editor Yet even before Crusaders RL and [email protected] defending champions Leeds Rhinos kicked off the 2010 season on a snow-covered pitch at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground, it The front page of The Mirror’s content or quality but the bottom line. would have needed someone with the vision supplement featured the photograph That is not to say editors and sports and hearing of The Who’s Pinball Wizard not of 14 players in front of the Palace editors do not care or do not listen, far to have been aware that professional Rugby of Westminster with Big Ben in the from it, and Rugby League fans can still League was back. background, a terrific picture from the influence how the sport is covered in their Certainly the tens of thousands of official launch of Engage Super League favourite newspaper. Rather than grumbling shoppers who crowded the Trafford Centre XV in London which helped raise the about the lack of stories in this morning’s twitter.com/CommunityRL in Manchester on January 23 for the fans’ competition’s profile immensely. paper to your pals at work or down the launch of the new Engage Super League The feedback from the newspaper sales pub, or posting a whining missive on a season were left in no doubt what was departments at The Mirror and The People messageboard, a considered letter or email coming. shows a positive impact to the circulation of to a newspaper’s editor would have far more Published by the Rugby League Services Department of the RFL. 120 Teams expected to take With a handful of clubs hosting stalls both newspapers, a rare sales spike in an era impact. The RFL, The Zone, St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6PT. part in 2010 Co-operative Rugby selling merchandise or handing out leaflets, when newspaper circulations are in general An explanation that Rugby League Tel - 01484 448000 | Fax - 01484 545582, League Conference photo opportunities with both the Carnegie decline. coverage provides a reason for you to Email - [email protected] | Internet - www.rfl.uk.com Challenge Cup and Engage Super League Unfortunately even though The Mirror continue buying/reading the paper and trophy, and a star-studded show on the and The People offer proof that quality the threat to change your buying/reading main stage hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Mark Rugby League content sells newspapers, habits should things not improve can The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the RFL Board of “Chappers” Chapman, the Trafford Centre the sport continues to struggle for exposure work, especially if the editor/sports editor Directors. launch was a huge success. in the national press, a frustrating situation receives enough of them. For those who didn’t get the chance to which reflects poorly on the power brokers Take this as a call to arms, dear Bulletin combine some retail therapy with a Rugby who used to be based around Fleet Street. readers: don’t stand idly by while sportsmen Contributors - Tom Hoyle, Phil Caplan, Neil Barraclough, swpix.com, Dave Williams, Nick League experience, there were ample The RFL’s Media Department continues whose obscenely inflated salaries and Boothroyd, Phil Hodgson, Dave Burke, John Ledger, Julie Stott reminders of the imminent return of summer to work closely with national newspaper egos are inverse proportion to their rugby. journalists to help them enhance their talents dominate the sports page of your In late January two national newspapers If you are interested in advertising in the Rugby League Bulletin, please contact - coverage and regularly lobbies the sports newspaper at the expense of the wonderful – The Mirror and The People –ran special [email protected] editors and editors who fail to give the sport athletes in Engage Super League and Co- full colour new season supplements, giving the column centimetres it merits. However operative Championship. Main Cover Photograph - Danny McGuire (swpix) 30 Attendees on the Level 1 BME Engage Super League unprecedented free in recent years control over editorial content Instead, pick up a pen, take up the © The Rugby Football League Ltd 2010 Rugby League coaching course exposure around the country. Both papers has been slowly and inexorably taken cudgels and let the people who run your promoted their specials on their front away from editors and senior journalist favourite newspaper know just what, good Designed by - Tom Hoyle pages and supported the supplements with throughout the newspaper industry by the or bad, you feel about their Rugby League Printed by - Redwood Print Ltd Tel - 01484 711111 national and regional radio advertising. accountants whose only concern is not coverage. - 4 - RUGBY LEAGUE BULLETIN www.tryit.co.uk www.tryit.co.uk RUGBY LEAGUE BULLETIN - 5 - For Leeds Rhinos stand-off Danny McGuire, victory at Elland Road on Sunday 28 THE WAR OF THE February would be extra sweet .... Danny McGuire is hoping Billy Slater and Greg Inglis don’t whip up any Storm damage for Leeds Rhinos in the World Club Challenge. On top of the world - The Rhinos stand-off knows all about 2009 winners Manly RUGBY LEAGUE Melbourne’s twin terrors having seen the dynamic duo regularly destroy Great Britain and England’s trophy aspirations. “Melbourne’s backs are outstanding,” says McGuire, “but Slater and Inglis stand out.