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Sponsors
in association with
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Results:
to be emailed by the Monday following each round (click here)
The signed match report form, to be posted, scanned & emailed (JPG/PDF) or faxed to the contact details shown, must be received by the Friday following the match. (2 Point Penalty)
Sides receive Fair Play credits for submitting written reports and photo images (both by email only)
NB: photos received to date will still be loaded; time permitted!)
Click link above
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Competition Dates
Qualifying Pool matches
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23-Sep
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Round One
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07-Oct
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Round Two
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04-Nov
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Round Three
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18-Nov
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Round Four
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16-Dec
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Round Five
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13-Jan
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Round Six
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3-Feb
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Round Seven
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Knock Out stage
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17-Feb
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Preliminary Round Matches
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02-Mar
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'Super Sunday'
Quarter FInals
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16-Mar
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All Competitions
Semi-Finals
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06-Apr
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27-Apr
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Challenge Cup
Finals Day
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Junior Referees
North West Coordinator
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Links & Downloads
(click link)
- Previous Winners
- County Festival arrangements
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AND ON TO THE FINALS...
...but not before recording the result of the Under 14s Blacksticks Blue Bowl match, in which Sefton beat Bury 30-5 to take the first of the 2007/08 competition titles.
The new sponsorship, as reported in 'Touchine' (March), Click here...
In answer to a number of enquiries, the application form to join the competition in 2008/09 will be circulated to Junior Fixture Secretaries towards the end of the season.
For 2007/08, as at the Quarter Finals stage, all home venues are requested to ensure:
1) That pitches are roped off, or matches are played on pitches with suitable boundary fences;
2) That Society referees, or suitably qualified referees, capable of handling the knock out stages of the relevant competitions at the age grade in question, are engaged to control the matches;
3) that they note that if matches are not played on the day through weather problems, the fixture is reversed for the following week, with the original AWAY side still going in the case of a draw;
4) that a Steward is appointed to each game to ensure that the participation of the supporting adults is appropriate, and that the safety of the spectators and non-playing players in ensured;
5) that, where multiple fixtures are to be played at one venue, the younger teams play first, and
for all sides:
6) The the respective Fixture Secretaries (see Junior Pool page) communicate with each other to ensure that each side knows the arrangements;
7) That all registration cards are in order to avoid clubs seking a walk over through a technical misdemeanour;
8) That if a player is not registered in accordance with the competition rules, that he be withdrawn from the squad before seeking to play him.
The Knock Out Draw
The full draw for the Blacksticks Blue Challenge Cup, Junior Plate & Junior Vase can be found HERE...
NEW THREE-YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL ANNOUNCED...
In a major investment, the award winning Lancashire cheese maker, Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses of Inglewhite, near Preston, has agreed to support the County’s season-long ‘BLACKSTICKS BLUE’ Junior Challenge for the Under 13s to Under 16s age groups.
Thirty-five clubs, over 100 teams and well over 2000 players are involved in an competition which starts in September and reaches its conclusion at the end of April with two strongly-contested festival days, both providing a celebration of junior rugby in Lancashire.
Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, with dairies in Preston, Cheshire and South Africa, is well known for its “Blacksticks Blue” variety and the brand takes a distinctive position on the cheese counters of most of the UK supermarket shelves.
In addition to sponsoring the 375-match competition, the company will also be supporting Lancashire rugby's junior County squads as ‘headline’ sponsors. ‘BLACKSTICKS BLUE’ will appear on all the Lancashire shirts worn by the Under 14s to Under 18s representative sides.
Colin Hall, Managing Director of the family company, was delighted to learn that the three-year investment had attracted the eye of the Sportsmatch Panel during a very competitive bidding process.
“Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses is delighted to be associated with Lancashire County RFU, and to take the thriving junior competition forward for the next three years. ‘Blacksticks Blue’ is one of our principal brands, and we are looking forward to our association with Lancashire rugby and the players involved”
County Treasurer, Robert Grant, is very appreciative of the company's involvement. “We have set ourselves a long term-aim to build lasting and productive relationships with major commercial partners. Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses is now a key members of the ‘Club Lancashire’ team.”
'BLACKSTICKS BLUE' JUNIOR CHALLENGE 2007/08
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Following a 'cracking match' at Southport, the closest of all the Play Off games, The 'Blacksticks Blue' Under 14s Junior Bowl, finalists are Bury and Sefton, who meet at Bury on Sun, 2nd March.
Tries by full back Hugh Ellis, lock Jonathon Low, and Tom Jackson (a prop who also coverted a couple), plus a pair from centre Jordan Caldwell ensured that Southport compete in the Vase.
No 8, Dillon Williams' hat-trick built Sefton's solid response, but despite James Doyle's try and Connor Harrison's two conversion, Sefton were just edged (by a 29-24 margin) out of the Vase, but into an away trip to Bury.
The Junior Bowl Final will be the 49th knock-out fixture in a hectic programme on Super Sunday, 98 teams aiming towards the respective Finals.
BOWL RESULT: SEFTON 30 - BURY 5
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For the results uo to Round Seven, see panel on the right.
FOR THE RECORD...
A record-equalling number of teams is taking part in a competition which will include a record number of matches up to the Challenge Cup Finals day on Sunday, 27th April 2008.
Individual Awards
In addition to the awards already made each year, and allied to the competition itself, i.e. the 'Match Reporter', 'Photographer', 'Junior Referee' and 'Junior Volunteer' awards, at least one new award will be included this year.
Working with 'Blacksticks Blue', our new sponsors, nominations will be sought to highlight the 'Coach of the Year', with nominations being made in March at each age group, prior to an individual award to be named at the end of the season. This will recognise coaching skills and techniques at Under 13s to 16s, to be considered as examples of developing 'best practice', rather than team results. More on this will follow shortly...
BLACKSTICK BLUE FINALS : April 6th & April 27th
The eight-match 'Blacksticks Blue' Junior Plate and Junior Vase Finals Day take places at Manchester on Sunday, 6th April.
Three clubs have applied to host Lancashire's 'Blacksticks Blue' Junior Challenge Cup Finals, on Sunday 27th April. A decision on the venue will be taken in the New Year, the Lancashire's twentieth Junior Cup Finals Day.
All other dates are as per the fixtures allocated by the Competitions Committee, all to be played on the scheduled Junior Challenge days and as first published in October 2006. No subsequent alterations to the Qualifying Pool fixtures will be accomodated, designed to ensure that the maximum number of teams play on both the first and last rounds of the qualifying pool, and in the other rounds that no more than two competition games are played at the same venue on the same day.
PLEASE NOTE:
1) The CRB details forms for Managers and Coaches, giving details of adults supervising children in the Junior Challenge MUST be completed, with current RFU-sourced CRB numbers, and issued within within the last three years. These completed forms will be sent to the County Welfare Officer and County Executive Committee to ensure Lancashire's compliance with RFU regulations.
2) There will ne no 'first-round' amnesty for RFU Registrations this season. Registration cards must be available for inspection from Round One. Following a recent Court of Appeal judgement, the existing regulation regarding age grade players is re-emphasised. As has always been the regulation for the Junior Cup Competition, NO player may take part in a match in an age group below that in which he qualifies by virtue of his date of birth, i.e. at midnight on 31st August at the beginning of the season.
3) All clubs are encouraged to advise players NOT to wear bladed boots particularly in competition matches, especially metal or the plastic/nylon variety;
4) For all matches, and particularly at 15s and 16s, a spectator viewing area is roped, fenced or segregated to ensure no encroachment onto the pitch or injury to players/spectators; and
5) For all matches, a designated 'steward' should be appointed to ensure that crowd behaviour is appropriate and controlled within both the terms of the RFU Code of Conduct and the traditions of the game.
