Common Sense by M Cheshire

Family connections

I am very often struck by the number of family connections there are in this wonderful game of ours.

Younger readers might not be aware that this year, 2008, sees the forty fifth anniversary of the release of that wonderful feature film, ‘This Sporting Life’ starring Mr Richard Harris and Miss Rachel Roberts.

Season's Greetings!

Season’s Greetings to all followers of the great game of Rugby League Football. At this time of year, one is apt to look back on previous Christmases with a sense of nostalgia, and in this respect I am no different.

Cup fever!

Once again we come to the culmination of the domestic Rugby League Season with the Final of the Challenge Cup. Or at least it would have been had not the governing body of this great sport, known to you and me as Sky TV, not decided to interfere with one of our great traditions.

A famous friend

Considering our game does not receive the coverage due to it in our national press, we do seem to attract some high profile supporters. I hear that Australian star of stage and screen Mr Russell Crowe is an avid follower of South Sydney Rabbitohs, Mr David Hinchliffe MP, watches Wakefield Trinity whenever his busy schedule allows, soccer player Mr Alan Smith is a Castleford fan and comedy actors Mr Johnny Vegas and Mr Ricky Tomlinson watch St Helens.

Soul of the North

How often have you sat on a bus these days only to have our eardrums accosted by a chav playing what sounds like Pinky and Perky on speed on his I-pod? Such things would never have occurred in my day. The idea of carrying a wind-up gramophone and several boxes of 78s onto any form of public transport is too ridiculous for words. As for these modern forms of music, what is there to say? It is awful and is crying out to be banned.

Beware of complacency!

Some of my Chemical supporting friends were quite surprised at the events which took place at Wheldon Road recently. They certainly seem to be off to a fine start to the season and Thursday’s win against the Glassblowers must have cheered them all up no end.

About the Author

Stats

Wigan	vs	Bradford
Round: 27 Fri 3 Sep 20:00
Harlequins	vs	Warrington
Round: 27 Fri 3 Sep 20:00
Hull FC	vs	Leeds
Round: 27 Sat 4 Sep 16:30
St. Helens	vs	Castleford
Round: 27 Sat 4 Sep 18:45
Crusaders	vs	Hull K R
Round: 27 Sat 4 Sep 18:45
Catalans	vs	Huddersfield
Round: 27 Sat 4 Sep 18:30

Hull K R	18 - 38	Wigan
New Craven Park Sun 22nd August
Huddersfield	52 - 4	Salford
The Galpharm Stadium Sun 22nd August
Bradford	38 - 28	Wakefield
Grattan Stadium Sun 22nd August
Castleford	40 - 28	Harlequins
The Jungle Sun 22nd August
Crusaders	10 - 36	St Helens
Racecourse Sat 21st August
Warrington	36 - 18	Hull
Halliwell Jones Stadium Fri 20th August

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Wigan	26	21	0	5	42
2	St Helens	26	19	0	7	38
3	Warrington	26	19	0	7	38
4	Leeds	26	16	1	9	33
5	Hull FC	26	16	0	10	32
6	Huddersfield	26	15	1	10	31
7	Hull K R	26	14	1	11	29
8	Castleford	26	11	0	15	22
9	Crusaders	26	11	0	15	22
10	Bradford	26	9	1	16	19
11	Wakefield	26	9	0	17	18
12	Harlequins	26	7	0	19	14
13	Salford	26	7	0	19	14
14	Catalans	26	6	0	20	12

Leigh	vs	Sheffield
Round: Play Offs Thu 2 Sep 19:30
Barrow	vs	Widnes
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:00
Featherstone	vs	Halifax
Round: Play Offs Thu 9 Sep 19:30
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Final Sun 26 Sep

Whitehaven	26 - 12	Batley
Recreation Ground Sun 22nd August
Keighley	24 - 32	Widnes
Cougar Park Sun 22nd August
Featherstone	72 - 20	Barrow
Bigfellas Stadium Sun 22nd August
Toulouse	24 - 38	Halifax
Sat 21st August
Sheffield	29 - 28	Leigh
Don Valley Stadium Thu 19th August
Barrow	14 - 32	Widnes
Craven Park Wed 18th August

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Featherstone	20	18	0	2	56
2	Halifax	20	16	0	4	50
3	Leigh	20	12	1	7	43
4	Barrow	20	12	1	7	39
5	Widnes	20	11	0	9	38
6	Sheffield	20	10	1	9	35
7	Batley	20	7	0	13	29
8	Toulouse	20	8	0	12	27
9	Dewsbury	20	6	0	14	26
10	Whitehaven	20	4	0	16	16
11	Keighley *	20	4	1	15	10

Blackpool	vs	Workington
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:30
Rochdale	vs	S Wales
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:00
Oldham	vs	York
Round: Play Offs Sun 12 Sep 15:00
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Final Sun 26 Sep

London	18 - 48	Oldham
New River Stadium Fri 27th August
Hunslet	32 - 24	South
South Leeds Stadium Sun 22nd August
Rochdale	16 - 26	Blackpool
Spotland Stadium Sun 22nd August
Swinton	94 - 0	Gateshead
Sedgley Park Sun 22nd August
Doncaster	46 - 12	Workington
Keepoat Stadium Sun 22nd August
South	16 - 18	York
Sun 15th August

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Hunslet	20	18	0	2	55
2	Oldham	20	17	0	3	52
3	York	20	12	0	8	39
4	Blackpool	20	15	0	5	38
5	Rochdale	20	10	0	10	37
6	South	20	9	0	11	34
7	Workington	20	8	1	11	33
8	Swinton	20	9	1	10	33
9	Doncaster	20	8	0	12	28
10	London	20	2	0	18	10
11	Gateshead	20	1	0	19	-2

Batley	25 - 24	Widnes
Bloomfield Road Sun 18th July
Keighley	18 - 48	Widnes
Cougar Park Sun 20th June
Leigh	4 - 25	Batley
Leigh Sports Village Thu 17th June
Hunslet	6 - 42	Leigh
South Leeds Stadium Sun 6th June
Batley	26 - 16	Sheffield
Mount Pleasant Sun 6th June
Keighley	32 - 6	York
Cougar Park Sun 6th June

Pos	Name	P	W	L	Pts
1	Dragons	23	16	7	205
2	Wests	23	15	8	37
3	Panthers	23	14	9	118
4	Titans	23	14	9	19
5	Roosters	23	13	10	39
6	Warriors	23	13	10	39
7	Sea Eagles	23	12	11	41
8	Raiders	23	12	11	4
9	Rabbitohs	23	11	12	31
10	Broncos	23	11	12	-25
11	Knights	23	10	13	-40
12	Eels	23	10	13	-64
13	Bulldogs	23	8	15	-51
14	Sharks	23	7	16	-217
15	Cowboys	23	5	18	-232
16	Storm	23	13	10	96