Code 13

The Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield and the City of Salford Stadium have been confirmed as the host venues for the semi-finals of the 2012 Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Last year’s finalists Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors will meet at the Galpharm Stadium on Saturday July 14.

The second semi-final, a repeat of the 2009 final, sees Warrington Wolves play Huddersfield Giants at the City of Salford Stadium on Sunday July 15.

Both matches will be televised live on BBC2 and both kick off at 5.30pm.

Tickets for both ties will go on sale exclusively to the season ticket holders […]

Featherstone Rovers announce that Tommy Saxton has signed a two year contract extension that will see him remain at the club until the end of the 2014 season.

The former Castleford Tigers, Hull FC, Wakefield and Salford City Reds player has been a firm fans favourite at Featherstone Rovers since joining the club in 2008 having made a total of 116 appearances scoring 49 tries.

“I am absolutely delighted that Tommy Saxton has agreed to extend his stay with Featherstone Rovers for a further two years,” said Featherstone Rovers head coach Daryl Powell.

“He has been in sensational form […]

The London Broncos have launched a full review of their playing department following their disappointing season.

The Broncos have won just two of 13 games this season and sit in 13th position in the Super League. The club were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Huddersfield in a 50-16 thrashing and a number of Broncos fans have called for the coach to step down in light of the performances having reportedly spent the full salary cap.

A statement from the board says:

“David Hughes (Chairman), Gerry Bouman (Director) and Chief Executive Gus Mackay met on Tuesday to discuss the team’s […]

Keighley Cougars coach Jason Demetriou welcomes back four first-team players into his squad for Thursday’s televised Co-operative Championship fixture with Swinton Lions.

Paul March, Brendan Rawlins, Danny Lawton and Andy Shickell are all set to return from injury and face the Lions.

However, Demetriou has so far been unsuccessful in his attempts to add to his squad with a new signing.

He said: “We’re still trying, but it’s up in the air at the moment. Hopefully we’ll know something over the next few days.”

Cougars were without a fixture last week, but Demetriou has done his best to […]

The Official Code13 Rugby League Lock-In podcast returns with Episode 21.

The rugby league mad duo return for more of their sideways rugby league antics and analysis and share their opinions on the latest hot topics plus everything else that’s been happening in the topsy turvy world of the greatest game.

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and get episodes as soon as they are available.

You can subscribe to the podcast via the iTunes store now and this latest episode will be downloaded, just search Code13 Rugby League or click here to launch iTunes

You can click […]

Leigh Centurions announce that three members of the first team squad have extended their contracts at the club.

Matt Gardner, Steve Maden and Jonny Pownall have all agreed new deals to keep them at the club for one, three and one years respectively.

Gardner, 27, has signed an agreement to remain with the club until the end of the 2013 season.

He has been impressive in the opening half of the season since moving to Leigh from Widnes Vikings. He scored tries in six successive games earlier in the campaign and is one of four ever-presents […]

The RFL has expressed its disappointment at the BBC’s decision to ignore the views of sports fans in the consultation process into plans to impose extensive cuts to local radio services across the country.

After launching two consultations last autumn, the BBC received a record response from the public, a significant proportion  of which is known to have come from Rugby League fans after the RFL led a campaign to raise awareness of the impact of the proposals.

This appeared to have the desired effect and BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten instructed the BBC to reconsider […]

Fans of the Stobart Super League will not only have seven Super League games to contend with, they will also get the chance to see Stobart trucks from all 14 clubs during the Magic Weekend at the Eithad Stadium.

Few supporters will have spotted every Super League truck from the extensive fleet of specially branded Stobart vehicles that has been pounding the national motorway network since February but on May 26 and 27 everyone who attends Etihad Stadium, Manchester, will see at first hand the innovative sponsorship vehicles.

As well as the thrills and spills of […]

Rugby League fans are being advised to move quickly to secure their seat at the Stobart Super League Magic Weekend 2012, an event which is proving to be a bumper Box Office success.

With just 10 days to go before a full round of Super League fixtures takes place over one weekend at the Etihad Stadium, almost 50,000 tickets have been snapped up by supporters eager to experience British sport’s unique two-day spectacular.

Magic Weekend kicks off on Saturday May 26 with three Super League fixtures at the home of newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester City […]

London Broncos experienced half-back Craig Gower says his team have prepared well for the second on the road game at Gillingham this Sunday and highlights the importance of taking games on the road to spread the word.

Gower, who recently turned 34, played international rugby union for Italy and was one of 11 new recruits for the Broncos in the off-season having joined from French side Bayonne.

“At the end of the day it’s just another field,” said Gower.

“It’s about how we go and prepare ourselves to play. Playing on a pitch down there has nothing to […]

I think the system of awarding a single bonus point, for if a side loses by 12 points or less, should be applied across the game, nationally.

We’ve had some terrifically close encounters in Championship games on Premier Sports this season, and it’s made sense to see a losing side rewarded for their efforts when the score line is so close.

Other sports can be far more clear cut, lower scoring, but for a sport where – if there’s a clear disparity between the teams the score line can rack up exponentially, I think there should be a […]

Well it’s been a bit up and down at Halifax since my last opinion piece here, says head coach Karl Harrison. 

The result at Featherstone was a welcome win after the two defeats to Leigh in the League and the Cup. The loss in the Cup was particularly hard to take, as I guess most Golden point games are.

That was one that I thought got away from us, and to be honest it was a tough result to take; so close and yet so far. I thought it was a game that we could have […]

Catalans Dragons announce the signing of Newcastle Knights back rower Zeb Taia on a three year deal.

New Zealand borned Taia played for the Kiwis in 2010 and is the first recruit made by Trent Robinson for next season.

Taia, 27, made his NRL debut in 2006 with Parramatta before joining the Newcastle Knights and has played 94 games and scoring 14 tries.

“I am very pleased to join the Dragons for the next three seasons. I have heard wonderful things about Perpignan and the Catalans Dragons. My wife Nikki and I are looking forward to the […]

Hull Kingston Rovers skipper Ben Galea believes that Sunday’s clash with Castleford Tigers at MS3 Craven Park is crucial to the Robins’ season.

The Australian back-rower has labelled the game a ‘must-win’ clash for the Robins’ prospects of reaching the last eight.

Craig Sandercock’s team are currently three points adrift of the last play-off place, held at the moment by the Bradford Bulls.

“This is a massive game for us and it is hugely important to our season in terms of our hopes of making the top eight,” Galea told the Hull Daily Mail.

“I think that a […]

Bradford Bulls winger Elliot Kear insists that he is happy to be picked at either winger or full-back, just as long as he gets in the team.

The Welsh international scored a brace of tries from full-back in a recent win over London Broncos. With Bulls’ first choice full-back Brett Kearney still out injured, Kear is happy to stake a claim to the Australian’s spot.

“I’ve always enjoyed myself at full back and I’ve always seen myself as a full back or a winger,” the 23-year-old told the Telegraph and Argus.

“What’s my best position? I don’t […]

Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane has confirmed that his side will be without front-rowers Ben Flower and Paul Prescott for up to six weeks.

Prescott suffered a knee ligament injury in the Warriors’ Challenge Cup win over St Helens at the weekend. Flower damaged his hamstring playing for the club’s U-20s side against their Saints equivalents on Friday night.

Now the coach is demanding that some of the younger members of the squad step up and show what they can contribute.

“Paul Prescott has damaged knee ligaments and is out for six weeks as is Ben who […]

It is just a week and a half before the Magic Weekend kicks off at another new location, where some more identifiable top names will excite the British public.

Traditionally the weekend has been used to push rugby league in development areas Wales and Scotland, but this year feels different in being staged at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, thus putting the onus on the heartland fans to prove their love for the sport by snapping up tickets.

Football stole the headlines last weekend at that same ground, but such a turn of events is unlikely to […]

St Helens centre Michael Shenton is set to begin talks with his agent this week regarding a new contract at Langtree Park, with reports suggesting that his time at the club could be coming to an end.

Shenton’s agent, Michael Clarke is keen to state that his client has no intention of moving away from Saints, with another year on his contract to run after the end of the current season.

“Some people think Michael is out of contract at the end of this season,” Clarke told the Hull Daily Mail.

“He’s not, he’s got another year […]

St Helens hooker James Roby has targeted the Magic Weekend in Manchester as a perfect opportunity to exact revenge for his club’s recent Challenge Cup exit at the hands of Wigan Warriors.

Saints were eliminated from the last eight of the Cup with an impressive and efficient Warriors display, with Shaun Wane’s men winning 18-4 at the DW Stadium on Saturday.

That compounded the pain for Saints, who had already been beaten by their fierce local rivals at home on Good Friday.

Roby know wants to exact revenge on the big stage of Manchester City FC’s Etihad […]

Leeds Rhinos skipper Kevin Sinfield believes that the arrival of Shaun Lunt has given the team a whole new range of tactical options.

With pivot Rob Burrow and back rower Weller Hauraki also making returns from injury in Leeds’ Challenge Cup quarter-final victory over Leigh Centurions last Friday, the Rhinos now look much stronger.

“Shaun Lunt has been fantastic since we’ve got him and for him to play the full 80 in three games on the bounce is great,” Sinfield told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“To be able to mix and match with Rob and Shaun in […]

Castleford Tigers coach Ian Millward feels that loaning young players to clubs in the Championship only brings benefits to his club.

The Australian feels that the U-20s competition which acts as a reserve grade tournament in this country is not strong enough to generate the right intensity.

Instead, he believes that players benefit more from playing for first teams in the Championship.

“The under-20s comp lacks intensity and the ability to challenge people,” said the former Leigh Centurions coach.

“It doesn’t apply pressure, they are very high-scoring games and for some players who need to be playing against […]

Huddersfield Giants back Leroy Cudjoe is desperate for his team to reach the Challenge Cup final at Wembley this season.

The West Yorkshire outfit earned a place in the last four of the competition by brushing London Broncos aside at the Galpharm Stadium at the weekend.

They will face Warrington Wolves in the semi-finals, and while Cudjoe is keen to beat them and reach the final, he knows that Nathan Brown’s men must also maintain their focus when it comes to Super League.

“Winning the Challenge Cup is something you always dream about, and we’re now a step closer to living that dream,” the […]

Wakefield Wildcats coach Richard Agar has revealed that he is already planning for next season, and is looking to reduce the number of players aged over 20.

Agar has already overseen a massive changeover of personnel at Trinty since taking over in the close season. He now has 33 players in his senior squad.

He feels that this is far too swollen a number and he needs to make drastic cuts to numbers at the club.

“Next year we’ll have a smaller squad than we’ve got now. It is hard to manage a squad like that, it […]

Bradford Bulls three-quarter Karl Pryce has revealed that would accept the offer of an extension to his current one-year contract at Odsal.

The former Harlequins and Wigan Warriors star seems to have found his home with the Bulls, and is beginning to fulfil his massive potential at last.

Now he wants to continue that good form and settled in at the club for a longer stay.

“There is an option in the club’s favour for another year and we’ll sit down and talk about that. I’m extremely happy here and I’m enjoying myself,” he told the Telegraph […]

Huddersfield Giants coach Nathan Brown has waded into the controversy surrounding certain players who have been selected to play for England.

The Giants boss feels aggrieved that his player Luke Robinson has been overlooked for national honours, despite performing well on the occasions he has played for England.

Robinson was one of the players of the tour in the 2010 Four Nations trip Down Under, and also played well in last year’s match against the Exiles.

He has been snubbed since then though, with Catalan Dragons hooker Ian Henderson, an Australian-raised former Scotland international coming into the […]