Campbell claims quick-try record

ROUGHYEDS ROUND UP:

SPEED merchant Chris Campbell was quickly out of his blocks to scotch claims that Danny Samuels of Hornets RL had scored the fastest-ever rugby league try.

Samuels scored against Swinton Lions in a Championship One game at Sedgley Park last Saturday in 7.9 seconds.

Hornets are waiting confirmation that the Samuels try can be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records, but the Rugby Football League have since been alerted to claims that the record belongs to former Oldham winger Campbell — and has done for the past seven years.

“I scored in seven seconds flat playing for Oldham against Doncaster at the old Belle Vue ground on May 18, 2003,” said 29-year-old Campbell, now head coach and player for Warrington Wizards in the National Conference.

“As soon as I heard Hornets were claiming the record for Danny Samuels I rang the Oldham club to look back in their records.

“I remember it as though it were yesterday. I chased Gareth Barber’s kick-off as hard as I could. My opposite winger fumbled the ball and I dived on it. Try!

“It was timed at seven seconds. It later appeared in a couple of rugby league publications but it was never submitted to the Guinness Book of Records. At the time I don’t think we made as much of it as we perhaps should have done.

“After all, it’s not just my record. It’s one for the Oldham club as well. It’s one we share surely.”

Campbell, who later went on to play for Rochdale, added: “I just want to put the record straight, that’s all.”


LUCAS ONYANGO’S two touch-downs against London Skolars propelled the winger to the top of the Co-operative Championship One try scoring chart.

The speedy Kenyan (pictured), who ended last season with 14 tries in competitive matches, already has 10 in the league alone in 2010.

He is currently one clear of former Roughyeds man Damian Munro of Blackpool and York’s Danny Ratcliffe, with Paul Ballard (Blackpool), Wayne McHugh (Hunslet) and Wayne English (Hornets RL) all on eight apiece.


ROUGHYEDS have appointed the Rev Tony Ford, of Christ Church, Chadderton as club chaplain.

His first duty was to bless the club’s new ground at Whitebank before the opening game against York.

Married with two children, Tony will be at the next few games in his clerical collar so that supporters can recognise him and get to know him.

He works at Christ Church with the Rev John Simmons, who is the chaplain at Oldham Athletic.