Rugby League: Mayfield host GB Police & England Students in National Rugby League Competition

Great Britain Police Rugby League Squad

Rochdale Mayfield ARLFC are hosting a national representative Rugby League game on Wednesday 18 April, in a game between Great Britain Police RL & England Students RL.

This is the first game of the 2018 President's Cup and is a representative competition organised by the Rugby Football League, which also includes the British Armed Forces and Great Britain Teachers.

Many local players will be hoping to be involved for both the students and for GB Police squad, including Mayfield ARLFC Player of the Year, prop forward James Connaughton who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury but hopes to be available for selection in the police squad.

Other local GMP officers who will be hoping to be playing in the GB Police team are Isaac Noi, who has played at Mayfield and is a very a promising centre, Lewis Ainley, who has plays scrum half and had a very good tour to Canada with the police squad last year, and the vice captain of the GB Police team, Ben Marsden, who is the son of Bob Marsden, former Rochdale Hornets player.

Head coach of GB Police RL team Gareth Pratt, from Littleborough, is hoping for a good game between the two representative teams. He said: "The England Students who played in the World Cup in Australia last year, and are the current Home Nations Champions, look to be a very strong team with players from top amateur and professional teams."

Pratt is holding the final training session for the GB Police squad this weekend and will be finalising his squad after that.

Chris Cowling, GB Police RL team manager, says he hopes the local rugby league supporters, students and police officers will attend Mayfield ARLFC to support their teams and the local players in what could be a very tough encounter.

Great Britain Police RL v England Students RL
Venue: Rochdale Mayfield ARLFC
Wednesday 18 April
Kick Off: 7.30pm