Official West Hartlepool RFC

DURHAM COUNTY RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.


Good evening everyone, back to business after the Yuletide Festivities! Les Henderson is taking in the Horden v Hartlepool Rovers match (meet from 1.30) this week end which game is also being utilised by the Selectors for their meeting to pick the initial County Squad for the 2009 Championship.

To keep you further advised, Fergie King has been hospitalised during the holidays and will be out of commission for six weeks and I’ll let you know of his progress as I get reports.

Regards
Chris McLoughlin

Hon.Sec.

So does this mean the selectors are only picking the squad from 2 teams ???

My thoughts also. Is this Seniors or under 18's, 16's, etc???

no but they usually pick a match to watch then meet after - although there will be one or two they want to watch during the game. It'll be the senior county.

I think they should only pick players from Horden. They are the premier club.

Not being funny but why pick a county team from 2 clubs who play in pretty low leagues? would it not be more beneficial to the county if they picked a team from clubs like Westoe and West? Maybe include the usual 1 or 2 from Rovers (the Foremans) then build the squad around the 2 strongest teams in the county!

I'm not saying Rovers and Horden are bad teams but surely the level they are playing at isnt as strong as West and Westoe!

Bigbob, since when have west been one of the 2 strongest teams in the county? are you forgetting about Mowden?

I apologise, i did forget Mowden but to be honest they aren't doing too well this year and i think West and Westoe would beat Mowden on current form. So on league standings alone West and Westoe are up there as strongest teams!!

Lots of other clubs in County Durham, like Blaydon and Durham City!!!

Gerry, Rovers ain't the best team in the area by a long way!!! Mowden 2nds beat you on Saturday!!!

I like Gerry's humour, suitable for 3 year olds ... :oD

Blaydon tend not to let their players play for the county. Correct me if i'm wrong but i cant think of a Blaydon player in the county squad from last season.
I agree that thier are lots of other clubs in the county but none playing at the same standard as Mowden, Westoe and West. Surely if the county want to move up the leagues they should pick a squad from the better teams!

Yes, I agree.
Was just correcting folks geography.
Plus of course there is the Durham Uni. side that seems to fill up the County U20s side, which has caused some upset in the past!!!

truth is nobody really cares about the county game around here anymore!

Which is a shame but a sign of the times

Yeh it is a shame as there is a lot of history. It is not the honour it used to be thats for sure! Mind you, selection has always been bent!

As a big supporter of my native county, I would like to see Durham players picked at all levels before the itinerant Uni boys. I have expressed this wish very firmly to one of the County Selectors too. Incidentally I am aware that the same selector has watched West, Stockton and Billingham this season as part of his selection duties.

I dare add that if Fergie King is out of commission when the original squad is selected there won't be as many Uni boys in it. Well at least I live in hope.

When this was raised last year someone said that players actually had to express an interest in playing for the County.

What ever happened to being selected on merit not whether you'd like to play for the county or not.

West under 16's a couple of years ago had seven players in the A & B County sides. Many of the same players are still more than good enough but I don't beleive that they have been approached.