Thought you might be interested in how The Hexham Courant (local paper for Tynedale RFC) covered the county championship final. Bearing in mind it was for Northumbrian consumption and that in his excitement, the reporter has said 'Tynedale' when he meant to say 'Northumberland' on at least one occasion, it might offer an insight for Cornish ND2 clubs as to what they will be facing this coming season. http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/sport/rugby/1.119821

Let's hope he meets up with the Boarding Party when we come to stay.I'm bringing my Lindisfarne L.P. with me to help us get in the mood!.

   Thanks for that, QM.  Sounds like you're as bonkers up there as we are down here!

The BP is already looking forward to our Tynedale trip for the first game of the season - please be gentle with us!!

It's going to be a big, big game and what bugs me most of all, is that I have absolutely no idea how well Tyne will stack up against ND2 clubs. Obviously we consider ourselves superior to Blaydon, having put 50+ points on them at their place on the run in last year, but the Southern teams are a mystery to us. Bay's string of promotions is very impressive and I am sure you are all wondering just how much further it can go - perhaps the fact that there are 3 Cornish clubs in ND2 might lead to a dilution of talent? Roll on the new season.

You can rest assured that there will be no news on any potential new signings from Tynedale before the second half of August. I really hope Rob Miller is able to play against Bay. He is currently in the U20 RWC and an outstanding runner at IC or FB (although he plays FH for Falcons and England). I'll do a review of what to expect from Tyne on this board in advance of the season when there is some news to impart. I think mid table is a realistic objective

I think we would settle for that QM.

I enjoyed that report, the journalist seems to have done a fair bit of research (though he managed to cram in every cliche in the book!).  As far I can tell he got all his facts right.  An object lesson for certain Cornwall-based journos, IMO.

Tynedale-centric but well written and wryly amusing, one has to say.
I assume the Jonny Williams who propped for N'land is the Falcons player who appeared briefly for the Pirates against Coventry last season whilst on loan to CP with 2 team-mates.
I also saw him come on as sub for the Falcons when a below par side were flayed by Sale in the Premiership, so he gets around a bit.
Not sure how many of these guys were on loan from Falcons and how many will be available next season.

Just a question QM. How many loan players did you have from Newcastle last year?

More to the point, any idea yet how many there will be this year?

Was going to tactfully ask that question rather than putting two feet right in. In for a penny in for a pound. QM did any of your loan players (if you had any from newcastle) go between your club and Blaydon at the end of the season or was that just a scandalous rumour mentioned by a Redruth supporter?  

--Last edited by bay on 2008-06-10 21:07:47 --

The question of loan players is a tricky one. Jonny Williams came through the ranks of Tynedale juniors and got a contract at Falcons. Yes, he was at Pirates for a while last season and subsequently was allowed to play for Tyne when not required by Falcons. We used him off the bench in the main. Several other players are in a similar boat - Tyne through and through but with a Falcons contract. Others, were placed on season long loans with Tyne and Rob Vickers, Tim Swinson, Micky Young and Rob Miller all played both for Tyne and had GP experience. In any given match, there will probably be 4 players in the squad with Falcons connections, but as mentioned above, if they have Tynedale origins, how do you classify them? Many players come to Tynedale hoping to break into the Falcons professional ranks. The former DoR at Falcons, John Fletcher, played for England A many moons ago whilst still a Tynedale player, which perhaps explains the strength of the relationship.

At the end of 2006/7, when Tyne were pipped by Blaydon for promotion, Blaydon offered contracts to 14 Tyne players (they did not have contracts at Tyne). Only one accepted. If they have tried again this year and I have not heard that that is the case, as it is widely accepted that Tyne are now stronger than Blaydon even though they were playing in a lower league, I should think there would be a similar response. There is quite a strong rivalry between the clubs.

Interesting.  Do you think you will finish above Blaydon in the league?  Should get the rivalry going.

Quote :

QM said: There is quite a strong rivalry between the clubs.

QM, I suspect that there is an element of understatement here  

Wino, ever so slightly. Tyne are one of the traditional rugby clubs and do things the same way they have always done. Only recently, they have got rather good at it and are probably the highest placed fully amateur club in the English game. Blaydon was always a smaller club and as a lad, I don't even think they were on our fixture list. We used to play their neighbours - such giants of the game such as Winlaton Vulcans and Gateshead Fell (where are they now), but not Blaydon. They have found some funding and have done really well for themselves. We only have ourselves to blame losing promotion to them the season before last - there were umpteen opportunities to secure the single point that would have done it for us.

I'd suggest having a rummage around the Tyne website if you have a chance. It's not overly parochial in the way some clubs can be and shows that we have problems just the same as everyone else. But it will give you a flavour for the club. One example is that there are several current players who are the sons and even grandsons of former players. Always a good sign

QM, I am not quite sure what you mean by a fully amateur club. To me it means a club where the membership completely funds itself. I wonder if that is really the case with Tynedale.

That said there are clubs which spend a veritable fortune, and you are clearly not one of those.

Tyne do not pay players - in actual fact, they still pay match fees.

That is fair enough then.

Div 2 and players pay match fees even the ones on loan from newcastle? Must be the only national 2 club operating like that.

"Overly parochial" , moi??

How can you have a Newcastle player on loan and having him paying his subs. Doesnt make sense unless Newcastle are funding it all.