Teams rebuff switch to summer game

SUMMER SHUN: Fred Halliwell is happy for Hollinwood to carry on playing in winter.

RUGBY:

HIGGINSHAW and Hollinwood will continue to support winter rugby.

While Saddleworth Rangers, Oldham St Anne’s and Waterhead are preparing for a summer campaign in the National Conference League, the two local sides are prepared to put up with the cold and wet.

Higginshaw and Hollinwood play in Division Two and Three respectively of the North-West Counties League.

There were fears that the league, which was formed in 1974, would fold after the majority of clubs opted to switch to a summer competition.

The new North-West Counties Men’s Summer League gets under way next month with the ‘War of the Roses’ Cup competition, while the league campaign is set to start in April.

The number of sides in the North-West winter league is down by almost three-quarters to 12, but

officials are carrying on regardless. Hollinwood are one of the dozen. They joined the NWCL in 2011 after a long association with the Pennine League.

Club stalwart Fred Halliwell said: “We’re enjoying it and are starting to have a little bit of success.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to come over from the Pennine League, but you could say I’ve been converted. It’s better quality and the players are a lot fitter, which is something we’re having to contend with.

“As for summer rugby, it’s brilliant for training, but it’s no fun playing a competitive game on rock-hard pitches. I’ve seen players come back with burns on their legs and even on their chests. It’s awful.”

Higginshaw also have no plans to move, and they are hoping the decision to stay put could work in their favour in terms of squad recruitment.

John Mellor, of Higginshaw, said: “We reckon we’ll pick up some players as they won’t all want to play in the summer.”

As for the other local team in the NWCL, Fitton Hill Bulldogs, they have yet to make up their minds about a move to summer rugby.

NWCL secretary Ron Girvin has explained why the decision was taken to keep going despite a significant drop in teams.

He said: “The committee considered out of loyalty to the remaining clubs, plus the fact there have been since several new enquiries from clubs for next season — including some who will be trying the summer game in March — it was only fair to keep the league open.”

Rugby Football League official John McMullen added: “This is great news that the winter teams will still have a league to play in.”