All Golds v Newcastle Thunder IPC 2016
News and views from the world of rugby league plus all you need to know ahead of the game
News and views from the world of rugby league plus all you need to know ahead of the game
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WEST OF ENGLAND<br />
UPDATE WRITTEN BY CHRIS WILSON<br />
EXPANDED LEAGUE TO<br />
GET UNDERWAY IN MAY<br />
The West of England Rugby<br />
League has doubled in size ahead<br />
of <strong>2016</strong> with the addition of five<br />
new teams to the division.<br />
20<br />
Gloucestershire Warriors and<br />
Oxford Cavaliers both return<br />
to the league after spells in the<br />
Conference League South and<br />
they are joined by newcomers<br />
Forest Bulldogs who played a<br />
number of friendlies last year and<br />
will be tasting competitive Rugby<br />
League action for the first time<br />
in <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
The line-up is completed by<br />
Southampton Spitfires and US<br />
Portsmouth Seahawks who have<br />
joined from the Southern Leagues.<br />
The increase in teams has led to a<br />
new format being introduced with<br />
the teams splitting initially into<br />
two groups of five, before coming<br />
together for crossover fixtures<br />
and play offs, leading to a double<br />
Grand Final.<br />
The Warriors were West of<br />
England champions in 2014<br />
and have been placed in a pool<br />
containing rivals Bristol Sonics,<br />
defending champions Bath<br />
& Wiltshire Romans, Oxford<br />
Cavaliers (2012 champions)<br />
as well as 2015 South East<br />
division champions Portsmouth<br />
Seahawks.<br />
Meanwhile, Cheltenham Phoenix,<br />
champions in 2013, will face the<br />
newcomers Forest Bulldogs,<br />
Swindon St George, Somerset<br />
Vikings and the Southampton<br />
Spitfires in the other pool.<br />
The first round of league fixtures<br />
will take place on 14 May, with<br />
cross-pool games scheduled for<br />
25 June and 30 July with the<br />
playoffs starting on 6 August<br />
POOL 1<br />
• Bath & Wiltshire Romans<br />
• Bristol Sonics<br />
• Gloucestershire Warriors<br />
• Oxford Cavaliers<br />
• US Portsmouth Seahawks<br />
POOL 2<br />
• Cheltenham Phoenix<br />
• Forest Bulldogs<br />
• Somerset Vikings<br />
• Southampton Spitfires<br />
• Swindon St George<br />
There will be no change in the<br />
South West League, with Cornish<br />
Rebels, Exeter Centurions, Devon<br />
Sharks, Plymouth Titans and<br />
North Devon Raiders all set to<br />
battle it out for honours again in<br />
<strong>2016</strong>.<br />
Both campaigns will be opened<br />
with a Nines Event.<br />
The South West Nines will take<br />
place at Exeter University on<br />
Sunday 1 May <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
The West of England season<br />
starts on the following weekend<br />
with the second annual West of<br />
England Nines, which again will be<br />
hosted by Swindon St George on<br />
Saturday 7 May.<br />
www.allgoldsrugby.com
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