In this week's 'Set of Six' we take a look at the permutations of the final weekend of the Betfred Championship and League 1 seasons as well as compiling some of the best Rugby League stories you may have missed...
Play-off permutations
This weekend will see the culmination of both the regular Betfred Championship and League 1 seasons and while the teams who will compete in the play-offs are confirmed there are still positions to be played for.
Toronto will head into the play-offs knowing they need to win two games to earn promotion to Super League, but Toulouse and York will be looking to earn home advantage in the Qualifying Final while Leigh will be aiming to finish 3rd in order to claim a second chance in the play-offs. Featherstone could finish 4th and earn home advantage in the Elimination Final.
ðŸ—£ï¸ "A real comprehensive win."
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) September 4, 2019
👠@AHendo09 was impressed with @FevRovers' huge victory at the weekend and believes this will give them confidence heading into the @Betfred Championship play-offs.
Watch - IN FULL - on #OURLEAGUE 👉 https://t.co/TcVGx1sSP5 pic.twitter.com/iroynA3xqC
In Betfred League 1 both Whitehaven and Oldham will have hopes of lifting the title however Whitehaven come into the weekend as favourites sitting two points clear of their nearest rivals.
As for the play-off places, if Oldham were to lose, they could be leapfrogged into 2nd by Newcastle Thunder, Hunslet could be overtaken by Doncaster in 4th and Workington can finish as high as 5th.
135 years old
Last week the Rugby Football League celebrated their 124th birthday, but this weekend it will be the National Conference League’s Huddersfield Underbank Rangers who will surpass a milestone as they celebrate their 135th birthday.
The club were formed in 1884 and – in the early 1900s – launched the career of Huddersfield Rugby League legend Harold Wagstaff who would also go on to captain Great Britain in the Rorke’s Drift Test in 1914.
It's #Underbank135 this weekend, celebrate it with a jam-packed day of Rugby League on September 7th.
— Huddersfield Giants (@Giantsrl) September 4, 2019
Read more â¬‡ï¸ https://t.co/NseNlKVYbk
On Saturday there will be FIVE fixtures in a festival of Rugby League at Underbank Rangers with the main event seeing their first team host Thatto Heath Crusaders at 2:30pm. Throughout the day the U12s, U10s, U8s and Masters teams will also compete alongside a family fun day including a live band, a BBQ and much more!
Back to Blackpool
Earlier this season the Rugby League community descended on Blackpool for the Summer Bash and this weekend the game will showcase its inclusivity as it once again takes over the seaside town with the ‘Grand Day Out’.
Fired up to be part of this on Saturday. A brilliant way to showcase all the forms of Rugby League. Come watch us in action! https://t.co/MQzt5zM1xC
— Adam Hills (@adamhillscomedy) September 4, 2019
The ‘Grand Day Out’ will see tag, touch, wheelchair, masters, LDRL and PDRL all played in one location and broadcast LIVE on Our League from 10am on Saturday.
Southern Rugby League set for a big weekend
Hemel Stags’ Pennine Way Stadium will be the venue this Sunday (8 September, 2.30pm) for the 23rd Harry Jepson Trophy Final – and it promises to be one of the best yet.
It’s Midlands against London, with Mansfield-based area champions Sherwood Wolf Hunt up against the Wests Warriors A.
🆠It's semi-final time in the Southern Conference League this weekend...
— Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) September 4, 2019
🯠@ValleyCougarsRL 🆚 @LonChargersRL ðŸ®
ðŸ›¡ï¸ @Wests_Warriors 🆚 @HoistsRLFC 💚
🤔 Who makes the Grand Final? pic.twitter.com/3Nth9E2JuD
Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the inaugural Southern Conference League will take place with Valley Cougars welcoming London Chargers while Wests Warriors host Hammersmith Hill Hoists in search of a Grand Final berth.
Aldershot’s Army Rugby Stadium will host the Southern Conference Grand Final on Saturday 14 September.
Kit Men Appreciation Posts
Over the last week we have seen some appreciation for one of the unsung heroes at every Rugby League club – the kit man!
Dewsbury Rams were the first to celebrate their kit man – Chris Hill – who has spent over 36 years working at the Rams covering more than 1000 games beginning in the late 1970s taking the mantle from his Dad.
Agreed! #KitmanBri 👕 pic.twitter.com/5ACyiJisQZ
— Sheffield Eagles (@SheffieldEagles) September 1, 2019
Workington Town also thanked their kit man Steve who was the first person in the building and the last man home after their 16-30 win over Hunslet. Sheffield Eagles replied with a brilliant image of their kit man – Brian – celebrating their recent AB Sundecks 1895 Cup triumph at Wembley Stadium.
A good will gesture
Hull FC prop-forward Levy Nzoungou took social media by storm on Monday afternoon after a wonderful act of kindness in Hull city centre.
The former St Helens, Toulouse and Salford man had a jacket in the boot of his car and handed it to a homeless man before returning the following day to provide the man with more clothing.
— Levy Nzoungou (@LevyNzoungou) September 2, 2019
Nzoungou has encouraged people to help out in their local communities saying, ‘You don’t need to be a superhero to save life or help people massively’.
