Durham Tigers Rugby League

Forthcoming Events and News

2008-07-29T11:35:00.002+01:00

August 2nd
Bag packing and fundraising at Asda, Bishop Auckland meet 9:30 in main car park

August 10
u15 home to Crofton Cougars Kick off around lunch time

New Kits
The new kits should be with us early in September. All kits (tracksuit, training top,travelling top, shorts & socks) will be issued as soon as possible but please ensure that you have paid your membership as soon as possible please.
A full kit launch will be arranged for shortly after this and a catalogue of replica wear will be available as well

And so the season ends

2008-07-29T11:17:00.002+01:00

The 08 summer season has finally ended with Tigers u15's missing out on the top spot. In a thrilling final game at The Lair, the Tigers gave Jarrow Vikings an easy start to the game by allowing them free range across the pitch but began to slowly strike back, even with one player sin binned the Tigers defence was superb and Jarrow unable to take advantage. After a half time talk the Tigers began the second stanza looking like their former selves and took the game to a stunned Jarrow. Unfortunately the Tigers kept scoring in positions that made kicking difficult, but non the less soon fought back to level the scores. After a try was contravertially disallowed the game flowed from one end of the Lair to the other with neither team being able to capitalise and increase the score. In the final moments of the game Jarrow were awarded a dodgy penalty close to the Tigers line and after indicating and setting up for a tap and go, which actually touched the players foot to resume play they called ahalt and went for the kick and the two points that sealed the game. With a final score line reading 20 - 22 in Jarrows favour the Tigers just missed out on drawing at the top of the league with Peterlee and so the summer season, which Durham were treating as warm up games for entry into Yorkshire in September ended.

Under 11 & 13 squads had no game at the weekend but ended the season by starting to gell as teams and for the under11's unbeaten and the under 13's constantly reducing their losing margins, the future looks good.

Training will continue as normal over the summer period on Teusday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Hopefully the u15's will have a return game against Crofton Cougars, at The Lair, on Sunday 10 August where we hope that as many people as possible come along to support the Tigers and help increase the game day experience for the friendly buch of lads from Crofton.

The LongestDay?

2008-06-23T16:18:00.002+01:00

It certainly was the longest day for the Tigers with mixed results across the board.
All squads were at Peterlee Pumas on Saturday in what turned out to be atrocious conditions.
Due to a shortage of numbers on both sides the under 11's mixed and matched and played a good friendly game.
The under 13's had an excellent game but eventually lost out by only ten points to the more experienced Pumas. These losing margins are getting smaller all of the time and coach Rob Aspden was highly pleased with the lads for their performance.
Apparently the under 15's left their game heads in Yorkshire last week and played a terrible game, eventually losing out for the first time in a long time to a Pumas' squad that dominated the game. Final score 24 - 10.

In a strange reversal of fortune the senior squad arrived at Peterlee with five "experienced" players and four new signings, (non of which had played League before) and so the difficult but inevitable decision was made to call a halt to this years abysmal season and withdraw from the Conference before more humiliation. Peterlee were obviously disappointed, as were all concerned and offered to loan the Tigers three players and play the game as a friendly.
So fielding 12 players to the Puma's 13 the Tigers began to play their best rugby of the season and on 5 minutes following a great drive and some excellent work from the backs easily charged over for the games first score. The Pumas retaliated on the 10th minute benefiting from a mistake as the Tigers spilled the ball. The Tigers fought back and in a game that flowed from one end of the park to the other scored again only for Peterlee to come back just before the break to level the scores at 12 -12.
Peterlee began the second half by running in two tries in the first 10 minutes to extend the gap to 22 - 10. Not to be outdone the Tigers dug in and doggedly resisted try line pressure on numerous occasions and struck back twice to re level the scores. The second try was from defending the try line from another Puma attack which ended in the ball being knocked on and collected by one of the Tigers new boys who ran the full length of the field.
Final score 22 - 22.
The Tigers are grateful to the "on loan" players from Peterlee for an excellent game, giving no quarter and expecting non in return.
The Tigers players were overjoyed at the result and have requested that we play out our remaing local fixtures as friendlies and began to build for next season instead.

Girls Rugby League

2008-06-18T22:38:00.003+01:00

Over the past couple of weeks the Tigers have started training a number of girls from St. Johns' and Bishop Barrington schools. Numbers are starting to grow at Saturday morning training but we would like to extend an invitation to any other girls interested in playing Rugby League.
Call down to the club on Saturday mornings if you are interested in joining in "the greatest game" or contact:
Steve Morley 01388 664093 07961912906 or
Phil Selby 0191 3849809
for more information.

This is a new era for Tigers rugby and will hopefully add to the continued sucess of the junior squads for arguably the best junior Rugby League club in the North East.

fixtures for 21 - 6 -08

2008-06-18T17:01:00.002+01:00

All Tigers squads play at Peterlee Pumas this weekend.
Meet time for juniors is 9:00 am at the clubhouse.
Seniors meet at 12:30 pm.

Peterlee Pumas located at:
Helford Road Sports Centre
Helford Road
Peterlee

Seniors struggle, U15's win in Wakefield

2008-06-16T22:59:00.003+01:00

The Tigers poor season continued at the weekend with a visit to Jarrow Vikings ending in a 94 - 0 defeat. Following the previous weekends home loss to Newcastle Knights, 0 - 64, the Tigers' season took a serious turn for the worse when only eight players arrived at Jarrow on Saturday afternoon. This was soon reduced to six as two players were convinced the game would not go ahead and left. The arrival of Danny Ross increased the squad to seven and added some desperately needed experience. Newcomer Harry Sutton ( Prince Harry) was keen to start and was slotted into the loose forward position at which he had an immediate impact which earned him the award of Durham's man of the match. Harry quickly picked up the rules and made a series of powerful runs dancing around Jarrows' big forwards. He wasn't shy in tackling either and made some hits and try stopping chases. The Tigers actually fielded eight of their own players as a rapidly signed Mark McConnell from Darlington said he would play. He actually contacted me as I drove to Jarrow expressed and interest in playing League, said he was coming along to watch and would have his boots with him!!! He quickly picked up the game and slotted into the forwards and used his size, strength and speed to great effect. To be honest the game would not have gone ahead had it not been for a number of Jarrow players who had just finished a game offering to play for the Tigers. We are extremely indebted to them. Eventually the strain of two hard fast paced games began to tell but they continued to give their all in all areas of the game. Steve Middlemas, Karl Stephenson and Nick Butler distributed the ball to great effect and help bring the Tigers close several times only to be taken down just short of the try line.
The next couple of weeks are important for the Tigers. The chances of being in the top half of the league are gone and if playing numbers don't increase to respectable numbers the season will be over. Durham Tigers will not be put into the same situation again, it was embarrassing to say the least.

Under 15's
On Sunday 15 June the 15's travelled to Crofton Cougars on the outskirts of Wakefield for a friendly.
Following an easy journey down the road the Tigers were shown into the recently built and refurbished community centre / clubhouse by an extremely friendly bunch.
The Tigers walked proudly from the changing room in the old black and orange strip which had only just come back from having their new sponsors logo's printed on it.
It was an impressive sight and was appreciated by the large crowd of Crofton supporters.

At the kick off the Tigers were a little unsettled and nervous and made some mistakes and missed tackles that allowed Crofton to take the lead just under three minutes. That was enough to wake the Tigers up and after quickly relieving Crofton of the ball after the restart anf some good drives in passing play Ed Henty drove forward to level the scores just after six minutes. The Tigers then began to dominate the big Crofton forwards stopping their drives short on most occasions only to be penalised for silly things to lose well defended yards and allow Crofton to move closer to the Tigers try line. They were stopped every time though and at seventeen minutes Dan Tinkler danced passed several players to score try number two. Crofton scored on nineteen and a half minutes, to level the score, after the referee deemed the ball to be knocked on by a Tigers player in their own twenty. However following a great chase from the restart Jake Middlemas powered over the line for try number three. Hard long drives from Gareth Morley Scott Shield and Mark Sowerby saw the Tigers within inches of the Crofton line only for them to be stopped or penalised for knocking on when the ball was illegally ripped. Liam Cooper scooted from about twenty-five only to be stopped inside the ten by a total of five Crofton players. His ability and confidence increasing all the time Liam is becoming a serious contender for a place in the starting line up.Another player who had an outstanding game was Jonny Collinson with strong drives and tackling, another player whose work rate and ability has improved dramatically. It was pleasing to see them both have great games.
The half ended with the Tigers leading 18 - 12

Within two minutes of the start of the second half Scott Shield powered over the line to increase the lead to 24 - 18 to be followed not five minutes later by Micheal Brown, who again played a blinder of a game at full back. His ability and speed was commented on by the Crofton coach after only ten minutes as he had already collected and ran the ball out of the Tigers danger zone on a number of occasions.
For the next fifteen minutes the game went from end to end. The Tigers seemed to be penalised on a regular basis but always held Crofton at bay and return the ball deep into opposition territory only to have to come back and start again. the Tigers had reached the usual point in the game where concentration slips slightly. Possibly because a lot of substitutions were made to give all of the squad a run out the Tigers were again unsettled but they quickly settled and again held their own against the much heavier Crofton side. After a break for a Crofton player to receive treatment the squad was swapped back and began to reassert itself on the game. Following great drives from the forwards, whose fitness was begining to get the better of their tiring opponents and some great offloading and passing across the centres and wings Ed Henty strolled across the line in the corner for his second and the Tigers sixth and last try. Following a number of illogical penalties Crofton were offered an easy try to make the final score a respectable 24 - 36 win for the Tigers.
This was a great game with a brilliant atmosphere that was appreciated by all concerned. Spectators came to us at the end and thanked the team for a fantastic game and expressed how impressed they were with the Tigers in their play and behaviour and that it was the most enjoyable game of League that they had seen for a while and that included Super League locals Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
The after game hospitality was enjoyable as was "the crack" as it was so politely put. Crofton's choice of man of the match was Ed Henty, "just by the thickness of a blade of grass" from Micheal Brown.
The journey home was made more agreeable by the win and was a good end to a great trip to the "Heartland"

results for 31 5 08

2008-06-01T20:43:00.002+01:00

All Tigers' squads had league games this weekend with mixed results.
under 11's
Once again the cubs dominated the game against Wallsend. Mixing in the action were our under9 players who ran rings around the Wallsend team. The way in which the cubs play and respond to pressure is really encouraging for the future.

under 13's
This game was really close this time with Wallsend taking the win at 18 - 24. The Tigers began to play some flowing rugby and fought hard against a physically much larger squad. Lack of time training together showed at times but the Tigers hung on and fought back time after time. Wallsend were not allowed to dominate the game as the Tigers backed up hard effective tackling with some well worked moves, great offloads and punishing runs. It is becoming more and more obvious that the 13's are not far from that elusive dominant game and win.

under 15's
The 15's once again played host to Durham Demons who showed real improvement from the last encounter. Some new players have added new dimensions to the Demons running and defensive game and on a number of occasions they bothered the Tigers. However at half time the Tigers led 30 points to 12 and returned from the break to win comfortably 50 - 12 with the Demons unable to restrain the Tigers as they ran all over the Lair putting together some superb plays and showing that their confidence and belief in themselves is returning.

Seniors
The senior squad travelled to Sunderland for their Co-Operative Northern Premiership game. Looking to build on last weeks 66 - 0 win over Whitley Bay Barbarians, the Tigers had a number of players missing but were joined for the first time this season by veteran campaigner Phil Tomlinson and new recruit James Dawkins, a tall Australian in his first Rugby League outing. Unfortunately Sunderland also had a highly modified squad from the previous few weeks and fielded a large number of Union players from some of the larger clubs in the area. They had an excellent game plan and continually ran their larger, but quick forwards, straight at the backs and this relentless punishment began to show. Rob Aspden re-injured his left knee again and so Glen Ramshaw moved up from the second row to have a great game tackling and running hard with the ball. New boy James, normally a centre or winger in Union, was drafted into the second row and what a sensation! He quickly picked up the game and with dazzling speed and a great step ran in two tries. He later had to be taken off the field with a blood injury to the left eyebrow but after a rinse and vas job was back in action. Phil T showed that he had lost nothing in his time away from the game and ran and tackled relentlessly. The rest of the squad performed brilliantly. Sunderland managed to score from silly mistakes or were gifted the ball from putting pressure on the tiring backs who were half their size. At the end of the game the final score, in Sunderlands favour, was 46 - 24.

Tigers show claws at last

2008-05-30T19:50:00.002+01:00

Last weekend's games (24/5) saw the Tigers win 3 out of four games. The senior squad joined in the sucess of the under 11 and under15 squads. Only the under 13's struggled to match Peterlee Pumas down at the Lair.
Reports to follow soon.

2008-05-19T19:53:00.004+01:00

Mediocre weekend for Tigers

Under 11's win at Whitley Bay but Under 13's lose in last few minutes of the game. Tigers senior/open age squad punished by Leeds Akkies.

Tigers 8 Leeds Akkies 88

Starting their warm up with only 14 players looked like a hard 80 minutes work was the order of the day for the Tigers who were missing experienced players again. Gareth Edwards troublesome shoulder injury sidelined him in the final few minutes of the warm up period so it looked more like the "we will fight them on the beaches" and "never have so many" speeches were being readied.
Making a welcome guest appearance for the Tigers was Andy Rispin, who as usual ran himself ragged making some big tackles and powerful runs. Rich Macnair again commanded the squad and kicked and tackled out of trouble on numerous occasions.
Leeds struck first after a few minutes as their size, speed and experience showed. The Tigers fought back and after some brilliant off-loading and slipping of tackles the ball came out to the side and back into the hands of League debutant Andy Brown to break another tackle and put the ball down over the line.

Leeds' class then started started to show and with several available replacements ran the Tigers ragged but, much to their credit, the Tigers never gave up and with dogged determination produced some amazing goal line defense to keep the score a lot lower than it could have been. Things were so desperate for the Tigers that when Coxy tried to put in a slide tackle to stop yet another Leeds try, Leeds players pleaded with the referee not to sin bin him.

Half time saw a boost in Tigers fortunes with the arrival of experienced player Micky Ruddick and new boy Evil Taff, much to the relief of Ryan Lynch who needed to be replaced because of an injury to his hip. Leeds soon found out why Evil Taff is so called as he started to wreak havoc in the Leeds attack. Mick Ruddick got down to the serious business of charging through with the ball and dropping Leeds players in the process. This lifted Tigers spirits again and the tackle rate and ferocity uncreased.
In the end though it made little difference as Leeds, who clearly should not be in this division, literally ran over the now seriously flagging Tigers.
Next week the Tigers play host to Whitley Bay Barbarians and based on the efforts from this game things are looking good.

Junior scores and reports will be made available as soon as I can get them. I do know that, once again, our under11 squad won.

Games for weekend 17May

2008-05-12T22:32:00.000+01:00

under 11 & 13 squads away to Whitley Bay Barbarians.
Note: the Barbarians are playing this season at Whitley Bay High School, Monkseaton Drive (A1148) Whitley Bay.

Because there is only one pitch available under 11's kick off at 10.00 Meet at the club to be ready to leave at 8.45.
Under 13's meet just after 9.00 for 11.00 kick off.

The under 15 fixture is yet to be determined but players should meet up at 9.00 with both playing and training kit.

Senior/open age squad are due to play Leeds Akkies at Bishop Auckland, kicking off at 2.30pm, meet time 12.45 / 1.00pm.

Carlisle Fixture Postponed

2008-05-07T17:24:00.000+01:00

The open age fixture against Carlisle Centurions due 10 May 2008 has been postponed. This is due to lack of training and time spent rebuilding the squad. The day will be used instead for training beginning at 11.30am. Hopefully more players will be able to attend so that we can at least assess our strengths and weakness' and move into the next game against Leeds Akkies (17May) more settled and competitively.

Tigers ravaged by Pumas

2008-05-05T15:38:00.000+01:00

May 3rd 2008

Tigers 6 Peterlee 54

The open age squad was beaten by a much larger and organised squad on Saturday afternoon but the score line does not do justice to the valliant effort given by the Tigers. After literally managing to get 17 players at 1.30 the Tigers, with little preparation for this season, took to the field and despite looking small in comparison to the Pumas began with confidence holding the Pumas in their own half until the 15th minute when a lucky break saw the Tigers stumble. Not to be outdone the Tigers restarted by again dominating the Pumas and making groud with excellent defensive play and quick attacks allowing Dan Halliday to even the score. A great kick from Rich Macnair saw the Tigers take the lead. The size of the Pumas though was beginning to tell and the Tigets with limited subs began to crack slightly after long periods of briiliant defensive work. The Pumas again scored after lucky breaks from punishing sets to score after 29, 35 and 39 minutes. The end of the first half could not come soon enough for an exhausted Tigers squad. Andy Kennedy, Rob Aspden, Glenn Ramshaw, Dan Halliday, Paul Maughan and Steve Middlemas gave it their all with some hard tackling and strong runs in the forwards but with no replacements available were soon beginning to flag. Paul Maughan was then taken from the field with a strained diaphragm and mild concussion putting even more pressure on the pack who were being swapped around for damage limitation. Brilliant runs from the backs, Rich Macnair leading by example, brought the Tigers close several times only to be thwarted by the huge wall of puma forwards. Gareth Edwards played his usual brilliant Gareth Edwards game and inspired new boys Leigh Cox and Andy Nicholl into action. Taffy Reynolds was again fearless in the tackle and combined with Nick Butler to make some superb try stopping tackles and chase the ball all over the field. Time after time Tigers players limped or were carried from the field only to return to the game minutes later. Only Paul, hospitalised by this time with concussion and Dan Richardson who was to visit A & E with a classic stinger injury didn't actually make it back onto the field. The Pumaas maNaged to score a further 6 times in the second half but the Tigers fought them all of the way to the end. peterlee had 3 players sin binned at various points throughout the game but the Tigers were unable to capitalise due to the shear size and strength of the Pumas.
Despite this loss the atmosphere in the number 1 changing room was positive. The descision was made to forfiet next weeks game away at Carlisle and have a training and recovery session ready for the rest of the season.
An impressive display from the Tigers which will, when all things are considered, was encouraging and a great foundation from which to build.