Newcastle University Rugby League

By O. L. Boy

The clubs origins can be traced back to the academic year of when a group of pioneering students initiated the creation of the North East’s most successful University Rugby League club. Previously, students had to make the trip to Northumbria Polytechnic to play the greatest game during their academic studies. The initial men to found the club were led by Civil Engineering student Jim Sephton, who originally hailed from the Rugby League heartland of Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Playing in a borrowed kit, with the aid of rugby league enthusiast Mick Hogan, the club made a solid start to life. There was no success on the pitch but crucially the pioneers achieved the toughest feat in ensuring the continued existence of a club at a university whose traditional demographic did not, and still does not, comprise many traditional Rugby League players.

The foundations for the clubs most successful season to date arrived in the 99-00 season, when there was an unusually high intake of born and bred rugby league players, including current Super League player Andy Raleigh. Under the guidance of coach Rob Jones, In his first spell at the club, Newcastle won its first two pieces of silverware.

After a surprise end of season defeat at home to Leeds University there was a winner take all clash away at Teesside. The home side prepared for the big game with G’n’R blasting out and assembled a sizable spectator support. However, Newcastle blew their counterparts away 32-6 to secure the North East league we had dominated all season.

The greatest achievement that season came in the final match of the season against Gateshead Panthers in the North East County Cup Final. In sweltering conditions the Uni were 14 points down at half-time 16-2. Fleet footed winger Ed Dalton and dynamic scrum-half Martin Heywood had other ideas though, as Ed scorched in for two tries and ‘Uni Ball’ finally worked! This success meant the University were entered into the following seasons Rugby League Challenge Cup.

The first half of the 00-01 season saw Newcastle gain national exposure with their 1st & 2nd round Challenge Cup exploits. After being drawn against the then Yorkshire Cup champions, Hunslet Warriors, it is fair to say that most of the team did not rate our chances of success, let alone anyone else. On a blustery day and the scores locked at 4-4 Newcastle upped the ante and surged into a decisive lead. A winning realisation dawned at half-time, and despite a Warriors’ fight-back Newcastle emerged victorious 36-14 with Andy Raleigh taking yet another MoM award. We faced Leigh Miner Rangers in the next round but the all round class of one of the top amateur teams in the country proved too great, as stand-off Mick Warburton ran the defence ragged.

The second-half of the season was blighted by a horrendous injury list as the University lost their league title to Teesside University.

The clubs most successful season came in the 01-02 season as the former first year crop were now in their final season. Coached by current Harlequins RL Coach Rob Powell and boosted by another fine intake, including Gateshead Thunder prop Rob Line and England SRL International Eamonn Ruane, the ingredients were there for a successful season. After a disappointing first day loss to Northumbria (the only one to them of the season) the team grew in confidence. All of this was required as Newcastle drew another of the games top amateur teams, West Bowling in the Challenge Cup. On a bitterly cold day the Uni put in an excellent performance but in the end lost 18-16. The game, however, proved to be the catalyst for the season.

After the Christmas break Newcastle started as they left off, beating eventual National League winners Leeds Met in the BUSA Cup. Then came THE game of the season, in the form of a home fixture against Edge Hill. The game of Lars’ speech has gone down in NURL folklore, when seemingly down and out four points behind with 30 seconds left the pack miraculously won a scrum against the head. The ball was spun wide for Rob Spurr to touchdown and tie the game. Extra time ensued, with the NURL surviving two drop-goal attempts before Shires put Raleigh through a gap and the rangy loose-forward ran 60 metres to round the full-back and score.

A wet and muddy day beckoned for the semi-final against TASC. Mike Sheeran had a wow of a game, even though the team photograph would suggest he did not do much with the brighter than white appearance of his shirt! In the final of the BUSA Cup the 18-16 score-line came back to haunt NURL as the boys could not hold on against a physically superb Cardiff team who trained 6 times a week.

There was to be end of season success in four forms. In the North East League Final NURL demolished a valiant but ultimately outclassed Leeds outfit at Cochrane Park; finally achieving promotion to the elite league of the student game. Then came the SRL end of season awards. With nominations in Team of the Year and Player of the Year, NURL did the double at the inaugural awards night as Raleigh became the first NURL recipient, a feat emulated two years later by GB SRL International Alan Robinson.

The final award of the season was probably the most significant the club has ever received when, for the first time, NURL was voted Newcastle University Sports Club of the Year. The award was a fitting testament to the season’s achievements, and the fulfilment of heady dreams back in the days of Jim Sephton and the Rugby League pioneers.

By Rob Spurr