Final post

This is the final post on this board as the new website will go live tomorrow. Please keep bookmarking www.scorpionsrl.com for all the latest Scorpions news.

Scorpions link up with Bay Radio and Nation Radio

South Wales Scorpions Rugby League Club have announced that their official radio stations for the 2010 season will be Nation Radio and Bay Radio, part of the Town and Country Broadcasting Group that own six radio stations throughout South Wales.

Bay Radio, the local radio station for the Swansea Bay region covering the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot county boroughs, has increased its audience by over 20% since last year. Its sister station, Nation Radio, covers the whole of South Wales including Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, and is the fastest growing station in the UK.

The two stations will together be providing what is believed to be the largest amount of advertising ever for a rugby league club in Wales, with broadcasts the week prior to each of the Scorpions’ 11 home fixtures, starting with the prestigious friendly against Wigan Warriors at The Gnoll on Sunday (kick-off 2.30pm).

The Scorpions are the newest professional rugby league side in Wales. Following their game against Wigan, they will be playing 20 matches in the Co-operative Championship 1 against some of the UK’s well-known rugby league sides including former Super League clubs Oldham and Workington Town.

In addition to the radio adverts throughout 2010, Bay Radio and Nation Radio will be providing editorial support when needed in form of interview opportunities plus a link to the Scorpions website on home pages on both Bay Radio and Nation Radio sites.

The Bay Radio and Nation Radio logos will appear on the Scorpions’ home and away shirts, they will also receive advertising boards at The Gnoll, while both stations will have adverts in the match programme and links from the Scorpions website.

Scorpions’ owner Phil Davies said: “We are delighted that Bay Radio and Nation Radio are our official radio stations for 2010. We have built a good relationship with the over the last couple of months already. They’ve had us in as studio guests a few times already and next Sunday’s Wigan fixture was announced first on Bay Radio. We know this will be the start of a long and fruitful partnership and we can’t wait for kick-off on Sunday. Thanks to the additional advertising the Bay Radio and Nation Radio will be providing this week, we should get a bumper crowd and an occasion to remember.”

Andy Griffiths, Broadcast Director of Town and Country Ltd said: “We have always been keen to support local sport and we are very excited about this partnership with South Wales Scorpions. I have already been very impressed with the club’s enthusiasm, determination to develop local talent and their already good relationship with the supporters and local community. We are glad that we are able to provide support locally, in the shape of Bay Radio, and nationally with the very popular Nation Radio. We will have a presence at all matches and are very much looking forward to Sunday’s kick-off when Wigan come to town.”

Tickets for South Wales Scorpions v Wigan Warriors priced £4 for concessions and £8 for adults, can be bought by going to www.scorpionsrl.com.

Support the Scorpions lads in the Wales under 18 squad this Sunday

UNDER 18 INTERNATIONAL
Wales v France
Carmarthen Athletic RFC
Sunday 14th February, Kick-off 2pm

Wales under 18s are looking to extended their fine run of form as they take on France Juniors at Carmarthen Athletic RFC this Sunday (kick-off 2pm).

The match is the first of two junior internationals in South Wales this week with the French staying in the area and taking on Great Britain at Blackwood RFC on Wednesday evening.

Wales go into the match in a confident mood following their outstanding display in Leeds two weeks ago when they outclassed an England side 28-14 excelling in both attack and defence.

They have already named their 17 and have made just three changes from the side that beat England with Harlequins duo Jack Molloy and Gerrard Ellis and Crusaders' Jack Pring being the new additions to the side.

As expected, the majority of the Welsh players have been drawn from the Crusaders while there are two representatives from the new South Wales Scorpions side that kick-off on Sunday 21st February with a home match against Wigan Warriors.

Likewise, France's squad is dominated by players who are on the books of UTC, or Union Trieze Catalans, to give them their full name, the main feeder side to Super League outfit Catalans Dragons. However eight other clubs are represented in France's 21-man travelling squad, including four from Lezignan where they play and train alongside former Crusaders Tony Duggan, Damien Quinn and Aurelien Cologni.

France and Wales last met at under 18 level in September 2008 in the European Cup Final in Prague, a game that Wales won 38-24 to take the European crown.

Sunday's match will be preceded by an under 16 encounter between local side Dinefwr Sharks and St Albans Centurions, which kicks off at 12.30pm, while following the international, St Albans senior side goes up against South Wales Thunder, a representative Welsh amateur side, selected from players from the Welsh Conference Premier.

Wales: Rhys Evans (Warrington Wolves), Dan Godwin (Crusaders), Loren Quick (South Wales Scorpions), Owen Williams (Crusaders), Jack Pring (Crusaders), Dafydd Carter (Crusaders), Dale Evans (Crusaders), Ben Evans (Warrington Wolves), Kyle Blackmore (Crusaders), Adam Davies (Crusaders), Dale Blackmore (Rhyl Coasters), Rhodri Lloyd (Crusaders), Lewis Reece (South Wales Scorpions),
Jack Molloy (Harlequins), Owain Griffiths (Leeds Met), Nathan Hawkins (Crusaders), Gerrard Ellis (Harlequins).

France (from): Lilian Albet (Villeneuve), Noel Andreuccett (RCC Carpentras), Andrew Bigat (FC Lezignan), Theo Bonneriez (UTC), Pierre Louis Bourrel (Limoux), Julian Bousquet (FC Lezignan), Damien Cardace (FC Lezignan) Anthony Deleigne (FC Lezignan), Morgan Escare (UTC), Julien Laffite (UTC), Alexis Falip (ETC), Lenny Foncillas (UTC), Nicolas Houbloup (AS Corbeil Essonnes), Thibault Margalet (UTC), Guillaume Martinez (UTC), Marc Meye (Pia), Joseph Negre (UTC), Eloi Pelissier (UTC), Clement Soubeyras (RCC Carpentras), Remi Vignau (Toulouse).

Sunday 14th February - Carnegie Challenge Cup Second Round - Edinburgh Eagles v Blackwood Bulldogs - Meggetland Sports Complex - Boroughmuir RFC - kick-off 12.30pm

When reading that a match is taking place between Edinburgh and Blackwood, one would immediately think that this is a total mismatch.

After all, it's not often that you read about a team from Scotland's capital city going up against representatives from a town in the Caerphilly County Borough which has a population of around 23,000.

However Edinburgh Eagles and Blackwood Bulldogs are the rugby league champions of Scotland and Wales respectively and the two meet this Sunday in the second round of rugby league's oldest knockout tournament, the Carnegie Challenge Cup, with a possible tie against a professional side awaiting the winners.

In a match that extends the Wales v Scotland weekend to both codes of rugby, whatever the outcome, a piece of history will be made.

If Edinburgh Eagles win, then they will become Scotland's first ever representatives in the Third Round of the Cup while Blackwood Bulldogs hope to become the first non-professional Welsh side in ten years, and the first from the Welsh Rugby League Conference, to reach this stage.

In 2000, Cardiff Cougars, an amalgamation between Cardiff Demons and UWIC university reached the third round and lost to Keighley Cougars. Since then, only Celtic Crusaders have represented Wales in Round Three onwards.

Bulldogs chairman Andrew Smith says that it's been a hard slog to even get to Edinburgh but they are prepared for the challenge.

"When we first heard the draw, we were excited but then reality came in," he said. "How were we going to afford to get up there? It would cost us over £2,000 all told!

"But we've had a few donations thanks to articles in the local papers, Wales Rugby League are also helping us out and we've applied to the RFL to up their donation due to the distance. We're ready to go and we're all looking forward to it.

"We've our strongest team out and they're all available to travel as there's no club rugby union games this weekend. We're going up in two mini-buses early on Saturday morning, hopefully in time to watch the Six Nations game on TV, staying near to the Murrayfield ground and coming back on Sunday following the game. It's a shame that we weren't drawn at home really as it would have been a real Wales v Scotland weekend in the area, but we're prepared to travel and we want to do Wales proud."

Edinburgh's chairman Ashley Carroll, who also stars for their side, is equally looking forward to the encounter.

"This is probably the biggest match in our history," he said. "We got to the second round last year but having a home draw is a massive bonus. Hopefully we can get a decent crowd down to Meggetland, and if our preparation is good and we believe in our ability and talent then I think we can win."

The BBC have confirmed this game as their featured match which kicks off at 12.30pm at Boroughmuir RFC.

Crusaders enter the competition in round four which takes place on the weekend of 17/18 April while the final is at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 28 August.

Supporters Club meeting this Thursday at The Gnoll

The next meeting of the South Wales Scorpions Supporters Club will take place this Thursday, February 11th at 7.30pm at The Gnoll in Neath.

The meeting will give fans chance to discuss away travel and a host of other issues - and enjoy a relaxing beer in the Gnoll's excellent bar.

The supporters club look forward to welcoming many new members as everyone is welcome.

Members of the Scorpions staff will also be in attendance while season tickets and match tickets for Scorpions v Wigan Warriors will be on sale.

If you are unable to make the meeting, the tickets are available online at www.scorpionsrl.com or by calling 01656 863896.

Represent the Scorpions in Rugby League World magazine

Following Rugby League World's Super League fans preview in the current issue the magazine are wanting to do something similar for the Championship and Championship One clubs for next month's issue.

They are looking to interview three Scorpions fans via a small questionnaire.

If anybody would like to take part, please contact lorraine.marsden@totalrl.com and she'll let you have the questionnaire. They only need a brief sentence or two per answer and a small picture of yourself to go with it.