Last updated at 12:38, Thursday, 11 March 2010

Cumbrian amateur rugby league clubs are being asked by the RFL to voice their ideas over a possible split season.

After numerous calls from leagues across the country to look seriously at the problems clubs have had putting on games with the severe winter weather, the RFL’s Community Board is taking up the challenge.

The board is setting up a working party to report back to them on the possibility of having a split season, starting in September but having a break over December and January before resuming up until the end of May.

A letter is going out to all clubs to ask them to send representatives to meetings next Monday and Tuesday, at Leigh East and Oulton respectively, to air their views.

There will be a second round of meetings at the same two clubs at the end of the month before a final gathering at the George Hotel, in Huddersfield, on April 14.

BARLA vice chair, Three Counties chair, and Cumberland League secretary John Pattinson, of Maryport, sit on the Community Board so will be involved in the decision making process.

Cumberland League chairman, Roger Blair said: “The working group will look at the problems presented by the playing seasons and at the conclusion prepare a report for the Community Board.

“For me, a lot will depend on the players, a club can want to change but the bottom line is that the players themselves should decide when they want to play.

“There are big questions to be asked, about the cup competitions and when they would fit in. But they are holding these meetings so that everyone invited can go and put their two penn’orth in.”

• The Cumberland League disciplinary committee have fined Kells and Maryport, following the abandonment of their game on February 20.

The game was called off after 73 minutes following a melee, in which a referee was struck, as Kells were leading 18-8.

The committee decided the result would stand, handing Kells the two points as they deemed Maryport would not have come back from that in the time remaining.

But the clubs were fined for the abandonment and for players running in to cause a melee.

They decided that the referee had not been struck intentionally.

First published at 11:26, Thursday, 11 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk