Try Womens Rugby Night

Carlisle Cougars invite all women to try rugby at an free open evening on 10th of March at the rugby club on Warwick Road. Rugby is a sport for all.

The Cougars have a mix of players with over ten years experience to those who have only started playing this season. You don’t need to be fit to start playing, and if you are tall or short, fast or strong you can play a key role in the team.

“Rugby is a great team game. Its a good sport to get into if you play other sports, and want to try something different, or if you just want to try something new” said Lucy Meadley, captain of the Cougars.

Playing rugby is also a great way to meet new people. “Players come from every walk of life, and range in age from 18 to over 40.” The Cougars play in a league called Championship North 2, against teams from Preston, Sheffield, Scunthorpe and clubs in the North East.

Now is a good time to join the team as a number of friendly tournaments are coming up over the next couple of months. Four Cougars players are also representing the North East of England this year, which is the first step on the pathway to playing for England.

The session on the 10th of March, is a great way to see if you would like to play the sport. You need a tracksuit, or shorts and a sweat shirt and rugby or football boots if you have them. If not trainers will do.

Showers are available afterwards and you will be more than welcome to pop in to the club house for a drink after the session. Please contact Lucy to register an interest or for more information at carlislecougars@hotmail.com or on mobile 07912110785.

North 1 East League Analysis

The league table makes strange reading, and despite the stage of the season there is still the probability of much change in the final run in.

Carlisle are currently 11th with 16 pts.  Morpeth are immediately below us on 13 pts, followed by Gateshead on 12 pts and Ilkley on 7 pts.

There are four teams, Darlington, Old Brodleians, Durham City and Percy Park, above us on 17 pts.  Pontefract are on 18 pts and above them come Driffield on 21 pts and Hartlepool Rovers on 22 pts.  Well ahead at the top are Sandal and Billingham on 32 pts.

There is still a lot to play for, and when you consider that Hartlepool Rovers have remained in 3rd place in the league despite three consecutive defeats, starting with out visit to The Friarage, leaving only 6 pts between our current position and that 3rd slot, a lot can still be achieved in what remains of the season.

Carlisle have eight remaining league fixtures, with five of them at home.  The remaining travels are to Morpeth (6th March), Darlington (3rd April) and Sandal (10th April).  Given the recent form of the Warwick Road lads, there is no reason why we should not expect a comfortable return of league points from those trips.

We have the benefit of three consecutive home matches, starting with Old Crossleyans on 13th March, followed by Percy Park and Pontefract.
The last two fixtures are versus Driffield (17th April) and Gateshead (24th April).

Unlikely, but if the two top teams were to lose all their remaining games, it is still mathematically possible to reach the pinnacle of the league, but to do so any one of the nine teams who could that, would have to overhaul huge points differentials!

The important thing though, is to maintain a gap between ourselves and the 12th placed side.

Volunteer Helpers Required

We are always looking for extra pairs of hands to help around the Club and any contribution is welcome.

We have a loyal band of helpers covering various activities throughout the Club but unfortunately many of the tasks fall on the shoulders of the same few.

Amongst other matters we require help assistance on match days to control the gate/access, parking, distributing programmes, keeping the scoreboard and collecting donations. The last three items apply to First XV fixtures only.

Controlling the car parking is particularly important when Carlisle United have a home fixture which puts extra strain on the space available. Help is not required every Saturday but in some shape or form is for most of the season.

If anyone out there thinks they might be able to help with any of these (or indeed other) matters either on a regular or occasional basis, please contact either Stewart Simpson on 01768 864230 or Peter Carruthers on 01228 576084.
Thanks.

Leading Point Scorers

The 1st XV may well have been languishing in the nether regions of the league, but since the early days of the season, we have had two players who have consistently featured in the top ten of the various scoring tables.

After last Saturday at home to Ilkley, Glen Weightman is now lying at third in the top points kicking league with 29 conversions, 21 penalties and one drop goal, giving him a total of 124 points slotted between the posts.

The talented stand off has also scored six league tries and that gives him nineteenth position in the try scoring table.

He appears at fifth in the overall points scoring table with 154 points.

He might win a seat at the Rugby Roundup awards dinner yet!

Centre Chris Harris, who has struggled a little to reach his form of last season, nevertheless features at ten in the top try scorers for the league, and has been in the top group throughout the season.  He has grabbed eleven tries for himself and the team.

Keep it up  -  we need more from you yet!

Carlisle Cougars Captain scores for North East of England

Four Carlisle Cougars; Lucy Meadley (loose head prop), Rosie Tyson (second row), Lisa Ritchie (fly half) and Holly Freestone (Centre), and Hannah Sherlock (Centre) from Wigton (premiership club Team Northumbria) were selected to play for the North East of England at the regional trials

Simone Lyn was also invited to train with the squad. After just one training session The North East took on the East of England in Newark on Sunday, in their first pool game of three in the regional competition this season.

The first half was tightly contested by both teams, the North East side having most of the possesion but the East threatening well from turnover ball. Props Lucy Meadley and Katie Story (England tight head) ensured the North East were dominamt in the scrums and lineouts, securing their own ball and winning opposition ball.

The score at the interval was a close 10:5 to the North East. The second half saw the North East really start to control the game. Cougars captain Lucy Meadley opened the scoring after making a break through the mid-field.

A futher try was scored by the North East’s winger. Hannah Sherlock scored the last try of the game, powering over the line after receiving a quick pass off a 5 metre scrum, Lisa Ritchie converted 3 of the 5 tries leaving the final score 31-5. The next game for the North East is 28th of February against the East Midlands in Huddersfield.

Carlisle Cougars focus on their league campaign this week away to top of the table Novos (Newcastle).

Anyone interested in playing womens rugby is invited to a taster session on March 10th. Email carlislecougars@hotmail.com or call 07912119785 to register interest.

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