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NEWS1-12CAROLYNNE17-39COMMENT40-49SPORT50-5653Women’s Football look toprove a point against YorkKatie McTagueAfter securing safety in their BUCSleague last year, Lancaster UniversityWomen’s Football team decidedto toughen training regulationsand promote the importance ofteam spirit to push for better resultsand an overall better experiencefor everyone involved. An inclusiveclub, trials in Week 1 merelyaimed to unite new and old playersand assess the ability of enthusiasticFresher’s. What became evidentfrom the start, however, was thatthe standard of football had vastlyimproved, as had the feel of theclub as a whole.Nervously travelling to toughopponents Liverpool Hope in thefirst game of the season, the girlscame away with an incredible 2-1victory over a strong and physicalLiverpool side, carrying thismomentum to beat Manchester 2-0at home, and thrash local rivalsCumbria 8-0 away. With successivestrong victories came belief andconfidence, and with belief andconfidence came yet more wins.MMU Cheshire suffered twice atthe hands of the girls, as, yet again,did Liverpool and Manchester. Defeatto UCLAN seemed to only spura team insistent that nothing butthe league title would suffice.The 13th March, the last gameof the season, saw the team needingall three points at home toCumbria to secure the league titlefrom chasers Liverpool. Spectatorsgalore, champagne ready and waiting,a nervous start due to whatwas at stake saw questions beingasked.Then, once the first goal hit theback of the net, the pressure subsidedand the girls revelled in thrashingtheir opposition 9-0 to securethe championship. The celebrationsafterwards rivalled that of a ChampionsLeague final win, yet not acare was given. The league hadbeen won, they had worked amazinglyhard, and they fully deservedto enjoy their success.Now, with Roses just around thecorner, intensive training has replacedthe relaxation proceedingtitle winning. 3 teams will competeat York: two indoor 5 a side teamson the Saturday, and an 11 a sidesquad on the Sunday. The winningmentality has not disappeared. Aswith the league, second is not goodenough and every player believesthat they are more than capable ofbeating their fiercest rivals.However, York Women’s footballhave themselves been crownedchampions of their prospectiveleague, creating a Roses battle ofepic proportions. Fully aiming totop off an already brilliant season,Roses is LUWFC’s chance to havethe perfect year, and strongly encourageas much support as possibleat Roses 2013.Lancaster Rugby players represent North-WestNathan O’ConnorMax BrownGareth HoughtonThree members of the LancasterUniversity Rugby League teamhave been selected to representthe North West Regional Studentside in this year’s Student RugbyLeague Festival. After anotherfantastic season that saw the sidego undefeated in the league, CaptainMax Brown, Chairman GarethHoughton and top try-scorer NathanO’Connor made the final cutafter the Lynx saw a record numberof players attend the rigorous trialweekends.The annual festival, tobe held at Derby, is the showcaseupon which the England Studentsquad is selected. Representativesfrom regional sides spanning thelength and breadth of the countrybattle it out in the hope of gaininginternational honours.Lynx captain Max Brown, athird year English student fromGrizedale, is set to lead from thefront having been selected asstarting prop forward and ViceCaptain for the North West side.This isn’t Brown’s first representativehonours, having previouslyplayed for Super League Academyoutfit Hull Kingston Rovers.The two time ‘player of the year’has been the cornerstone of Lynx’simpressive attack this year, demonstratinga dynamic skill set thathas proven to be invaluable for theLynx this season.Continuing the Lynx’s forwardsdomination is back-rower andChairman Gareth Houghton. Gareth,a third year Pendle student, isanother player to have gained previoushonours in the form of servicearea representation. Houghtonhas been an ever-present force inboth attack and defence this year.Boasting an impressive defensivegame and an eye for the try line,Houghton surely stands in goodstead to represent his country.Lynx’s only back selected to representthe North West is their toptryscorer and half-back NathanO’Connor, a third year PPR studentof Pendle College. With this beingO’Connor’s third season of RugbyLeague, it would be fair to say hehas hit the ground running and willleave a sizeable hole in this formidableLynx side. Having alreadyPlayer Profilesbeen invited to the Ireland trainingcamp, O’Connor is optimistic goinginto the Regional Festival and possiblythe Student World Cup.The club has a prestigious historyof taking players with real talentand developing them to an internationalstandard, although sucha representation has never seen onthis scale before. With the very realpossibility of three internationalplayers in the club, now is an excitingtime for Lancaster Lynx andRugby League as a whole.Max Brown Nathan O’Connor Gareth Houghton