60 Shields Gazette, Thursday, November 3, 2011 www.shieldsgazette.com LOCALLOCAL SPORTS SPORT VIKINGYOU are never too old to play – that is the ethos of Masters Rugby League. Sports writer GARY FOSTER, pictured left, donned his boots and put himself to the test to see if the sport really is something people of all ages and abilities can enjoy. DESPITE photographic “It allows players to engage in the sport at an appropriate level evidence that I’m allergic without the serious risk of injury. to all kinds of exercise, “Players with long-term injuries can chose to play in the appropriate I’m no stranger to coloured shorts to limit the level of competitive sport. impact and risk of injury. I played football for many “It is about friendship and a celebration of playing sport.” years, and still to this day The tournament I was playing in spend many an hour toiling was organised by Jarrow Vikings, on a cricket field. and featured teams from the home At school I played basketball, club, Yorkshire sides Milford, rugby union and swam, as well Wetherby and West Leeds, and as representing the football and Crossfields from Lancashire. cricket teams. So I proudly, if not a little But until last weekend, I had nervously, donned the black and never ever thought about trying my gold of Vikings. hand at Rugby League. I didn’t have too long to dwell In truth, I knew next to nothing how I would do as we were first up, about the sport. with Wetherby our opponents. So when the gauntlet was thrown Surprisingly, it didn’t go too badly. down by Jarrow Vikings chairman I made a couple of early tackles and and Rugby Football League Armed didn’t have any handling errors. Forces development officer George Then came the big moment – Taylor, you would think I would be glory was within my reach. more than a little apprehensive. A lung-bursting run down the But no – there and then I took up wing (not at any great pace, but the challenge. lung-bursting for me all the same) The bravado quickly wore off and put me in a great position. when the Masters tournament at I was in the clear – all I needed Monkton Stadium arrived with just was ball to hand and then it was a one training session under my belt, race for the line. I have to say it was with more than Sadly, the pass went astray, a little trepidation that I stepped on hitting me on the chest instead to the field of play. of finding my hands and then George, a Vikings and Great bouncing into touch – the chance Britain Masters player, told me was gone. there was no need to worry. Wheezing like an asthmatic pit Thankfully, he was right. pony, I was left to reflect on what Masters Rugby League is a could have been. different breed of sport. The game ended honours-even It is competitive in asmuchas with neither side able to break the players still strive to make the deadlock. defining burst for the try line, but Matches continued in much the overall, there is just a huge sense of same vein, with Warrington-based camaraderie. Crossfields proving a cut above the There’s no niggle, no backbiting rest. and no petulance. Against us (Vikings) they ran Your opponents are still out to in three unanswered tries, one of beat you, and depending on your which came after a rather weak age (only certain age groups are tackle from yours truly failed to tackled normally), they will look to stop my opponent crossing the line stop you in your tracks. to score. I’ve got one or two bruises to The final game of the day saw prove that at my age (39, if you Vikings take on an all-star team must ask), the contact is far from made up of players from the visiting minimal. sides. But once your opponent has put This was it, my last chance to get WAITING FOR you to the floor, they’ll pick you up, my name on the scoresheet – a final THAT KILLER dust you down and give you a well push for glory. PASS ... Gary done pat on the back. And then it arrived. I received the Foster gets ready There is a sense they are just ball just inside the opposition half, happy you are there to share in ran through a gap in the defence to run for the line the love of the sport, and mutual and then stopped. for Jarrow Vikings appreciation you are there giving Having thought I had been touch in the Rugby it your all, whatever your age or tackled by one of the older players, League Masters ability – something George was I came to a halt. competition. keen to echo: “It’s a truly inclusive Then came the cries of my team- game for players over the age of 35, mates, followed by the call of the retired from competitive rugby. referee that I hadn’t been tackled. www.shieldsgazette.com Shields Gazette, Thursday, November 3, 2011 61 LOCAL SPORT Steve Pitts Question of tests your sporting SPORT knowledge Who am I? Who is our mystery celebrity? 1 I was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lan- cashire, in 1941. 2 I played for West Ham, Stoke and West Brom, as well as in America with Seattle Sounders. 3 I played 49 times for England and scored 24 goals. 4 I managed Chelsea for two years from 1979. 5 I scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final at Wembley VETERANHow to in 1966. master Whistle stop You’ve got 60 seconds British Athletics Writers’ Masters to answer as many Association? MASTERS Rugby League q u e s t i o n s a s yo u 4 Which ex-Man Utd play- is for players aged 35 and can...time yourself. ers has just led Molde to over, and was started in 1 Which club has El-Hadji a league title? New Zealand in 1992. Diouf signed for? 5 In what position is Since then, the sport has 2 How old was Jordan Britain’s Elena Baltacha grown in popularity and Ibe when he scored for ranked in women’s world spread to both Australia and Wycombe in a League tennis? the UK. One game on Saturday? 6 Which Olympic medalist There are a number 3 Who was named male has announced his retire- of rule changes, which athlete of the year by the ment from cycling? separate Masters from the READY TO RUMBLE ... above, the Vikings Masters team. Below, Gary tries to Rugby League game, chief evade the tackles. of these is the tackling system. True or false? There are various Here are six statements about our pictured celebrity methods of tackling – which are true and which are false? permitted, depending on a player’s age, and these are 1 I was born career in Eng- highlighted using colour- Neil Francis land at Notting- coded shorts. Lennon in Lur- ham Forest. These are: white shorts gan, Northern 5 I w o n 4 0 35 to 39 years old – normal Ireland, in 1971. caps for North- tackling; black shorts 40 to 2 My first club e r n I re l a n d 49 – normal tackling; red in England was before retiring shorts 50 to 59 – players Crewe Alexan- in 2002 after must be physically stopped d re , w h o I receiving death and held and in defence, red played for 147 threats. shorts players must make times. 6 I joined Celtic a definite two-handed hold 3 In my 170 league appear- as a coach in 2008 and on the attacker; gold shorts ances for Leicester City, I was appointed manager 60-plus – to tackle or be scored less than 10 goals. on a permanent basis in 4 I finished my playing the summer of 2009. tackled, players need to just touch. Other differences between the two codes include Na passive scrums, defensive me the year lines retreating five metres In which year did 3 South Africa won the instead of 10, and kicking these events occur? Rugby World Cup with a is only allowed on the last 1 The European Court 15–12 win over New tackle. of Justice ruled that Zealand in the final. Anyone who wants to footballers were 4 Stephen Hendry get involved with Masters entitled to a free (left) beat Nigel Rugby League can contact transfer at the Bond 18-9 to win Jarrow Vikings chairman end of their con- snooker’s World George Taylor on 07841 783 tracts. Championship. 998 or at george.taylor@rfl. 2 Umpire Darrell 5 Pete Sampras uk.com or the North East Hair no-balled Sri won Wimbledon League for All officer on L a n ka n M u tt i a h and the US Open. 07990 760 205 or at adam. Muralitharan seven times 6 Michael Schumacher [email protected] for throwing in a Test won his second F1 world against Australia. drivers’ title. Momentum gone, I tried to charge for playing their first-ever game of Rugby at his chest which he was unable to hold the line once more, only to be tackled League” on to. If he had, he was away and would by opponents who had managed to get “Chris is my brother-in-law and has have scored. Spot the star... back. often said how much he would like to “Obviously, by the time he had relayed The chance had gone begging, and play, but did not feel he was fit enough the story to anyone else, it would have this time there was no wayward pass to and was too old, so I called his bluff and been an 80-metre break and he would blame, just a foolish decision by myself.