Saints in Rochdale Hornets link-up (From St Helens Star)

Saints in Rochdale Hornets link-up

9:38am Thursday 11th October 2012 in Latest News

SAINTS look set to go into partnership with Rochdale Hornets and forge closer ties with Whitehaven after the RFL confirmed the scrapping of the under 20s competition.

In a major shake-up of the tiers below Super League, both the under 20s and under 18s competitions have been axed and replaced by a single under 19s competition.

Those players who fall between the 19s and the Super League will have the opportunity for first team rugby by way of the link up with clubs from the Championship.

As a result of strong encouragement from the RFL some partnerships have already been confirmed between Warrington and Swinton, Bradford and Dewsbury and Leeds and Hunslet. Although the situation is still described as “a work in progress”, the Star understands that Saints will join up with Rochdale, under the likely watch of Matt Calland and academy coach Ian Talbot in the Championship One.

Clubs are also allowed to buddy up with a second Championship team, but they must be away from the M62 corridor. Again, the Star understands that Whitehaven have been targeted as the club to fit the bill to accommodate Saints’ older non-first team players in the more intense Championship competition.