Rangers pioneers in Norway quest
Reporter: AIMEE HOWARTH
Date published: 28 July 2011
SUPPORT CREW: Saddleworth Rangers Masters players Keith Coates (back, left), Michael Coates, Mick Swift and Terry Flanagan travelled to Oslo to support Nils Haigh (bottom, left) and Lars Haigh (bottom, right), who are bisected by Lewis Haigh (centre).
RUGBY: SADDLEWORTH RANGERS stars Lars and Nils Haigh are helping to forge success for Norway in rugby league.
Lars (27), who has played for Rangers since joining the under eights team and also represented his country last October, scored the winning try as Norway defeated Germany 32-28 in Oslo in the European Shield.
Norway took an early 16-6 lead as Ingebrigsten and Schmidt scored tries and right winger Nils Haigh punished a lost ball.
The Germans fought back and then edged ahead after Keinhorst’s try and conversion but Ingebrigsten scored a second, followed by a Mellor touchdown, to put Norway back in control.
Lars, who plays in the second row, scored a try in the 57th minute to secure a win for the hosts, despite a nervy last few minutes.
He said: “It felt awesome to score a try. I was chuffed to bits.”
Younger brother Nils (19), a Rangers player since 2009, is following in his sibling’s footsteps
The talented pair, whose mother is Norwegian, were born in England but christened in Norway.
They are the only two Norwegian internationals to be based in England, with the other members of the squad plying their trade in Australia or their homeland.
Lars, who is a full-time engineer, insisted this distance doesn’t affect the team’s performances as they undergo an intense week of training together before matches.
He revealed the nation is just getting the ball rolling after gaining some momentum following the establishment of a national body — Rugby League Norge — back in 2008.
The Germany clash also saw Sarah Bennison became the first female to referee an international match, and her performance earned impressed Lars.
He said: “I don’t think gender makes a difference, as long as she can control the game and she did well.”
The brothers are set to play in their country’s next game against Malta in September as Norway look to continue their fine form in the European Shield.
