With no ‘Between The Lines’ this weekend, I took the opportunity of a rare Saturday away from local football to take in the big day for one of my favourite sports, rugby league.
Much like the round ball game, the advent of the Super League and satellite tv money has somewhat pushed aside the old traditions of the game. Instead of Bradford Northern it’s Bradford Bulls. Wakefield Trinity? Nope, it’s Wakefield Wildcats.
Unlike football, though, it’s cup competition, the Challenge Cup, keeps all of its aura and magic. It doesn’t need a sports channel telling people how great it is. It sells itself on pure competition alone.
This year it was Rhinos v Wolves – or Leeds v Warrington to the rest of us. There were plenty of fans walking up Wembley Way.
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As usual there were plenty of traders selling their tat as well:
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The crowd was a good one, almost 80,000, and here’s how Joe and I saw it all before the game:
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1-Preview.mp3|titles=1 – Preview]—————
Pretty soon into the game came the first try from a high ball:
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/2-First-Try.mp3|titles=2 – First Try]
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But then, midway through the first half, my did the heavens open!
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Half time came with the Rhinos trailing the Wolves 10-12. Or, in oldies terms, Warrington were beating Leeds. The Yorkshire side had lost the previous two finals as well so their supporters, in whose end we were sat. This was how we saw the first 40 minutes go.
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/3-Half-Time.mp3|titles=3 – Half Time]—————
Then early in the second half, it appeared that Leeds had taken the lead. Appeared. But then …
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/4-Disallowed-Try.mp3|titles=4 – Disallowed Try]
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That was a turning point. Warrington piled on the pressure and the points. With an hour gone, they were out of sight. Some Rhinos supporters weren’t too happy:
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/5-Killer-Try.mp3|titles=5 – Killer Try]
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In the end, Warrington were easy winners, 35-18. Leeds players were distraught. Their supporters left in droves well before the end – and those that stayed continued to cause trouble. 3 Challenge Cup Final defeats was unprecedented. But this was Warrington’s third Challenge Cup win in four years. They were worthy winners and their supporters were extremely happy.
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/6-Full-Time.mp3|titles=6 – Full Time]
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All in all, it was another fabulous day out, and not even the meatheads from Leeds, who it has to be said were a tiny, tiny minority of a massive support, which was the vast majority of the 79,000 crowd. My son never felt threatened at any point, in fact he likened it to Richie and Eddie from Bottom!
Supporters sitting side by side, beer in their hands, applauding both sides, creating a magnificent atmosphere – and all for a tenner. In spite of all the hype and money that top level sport seems to be just about, rugby league has got something right. Very, very right.
See you in 2013, Wembley. Fingers crossed with the Broncos!
