A record number of clubs and players took part in this year’s Masters Rugby League National Festival at Blackpool’s Stanley Park last Saturday.
454 players, three of them aged over 80, took part in the games across five pitches with over three hours of Masters action. 30 clubs entered teams at the annual Blackpool Masters-hosted event, with various players from other clubs guesting on the day. The record turnout also included a record number of Women’s Masters players, with teams from Leigh Miners Ladies and Blackpool Belles joined by guests from Conwy Celts.
And the 31 games where officiated by record 15 referees, including Referee of the Festival Tom Harrison who also played for Blackpool.
The annual ‘Masters Moment’ award went to Blackpool’s Ronnie Braithwaite, who scored three long distance tries outpacing several younger players on each occasion. He also coached the Blackpool Belles.
Blackpool Belles’ Liz Mackay was named Women’s Player of the Day. Liz was playing her first ever game of Rugby League at the age of 69, alongside her daughter Ailsa Hall.
There were several new clubs among the record 30 in attendance, with Wigan side Ince Rosebridge emerging as Team of the Festival.
Masters Rugby League now looks ahead to Saturday 15 October, when Northeast Masters will host a festival at Jarovians Rugby Club prior to the opening match of the Rugby League World Cup between England and Samoa at St James’s Park.
