The second annual Rochdale Swarm International Mixed Tag Rugby League Festival 2010 proved to be a huge success (despite the rain!) with teams from France, Scotland and Wales along with Kiwi and Aussie rep sides taking on the best English Tag Rugby League could muster.
The standard of the teams taking part hit a new high with current Engage Super League and Co-operative Championship players turning out alongside amateur players in what has to be the highest standard of Tag Rugby League ever seen in the UK.
The 24 team event was staged at Rakewood Sports Centre near the picturesque setting of Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale, with over 500 people in attendance either playing or cheering on this carnival of Tag Rugby League setting a new height for the sport.
The host club, the Rochdale Swarm opened the Festival with a convincing victory over "Try Again" a team based in Paris, but who had called on players form across Europe to supplement their team, this had seem some of their squad fly in from Nice, Geneva, Dublin, Cyprus and Dussledorf!!! This led some some logistical problems with several of the French teams tents going missing and not arriving at the site until midnight on the Friday!!
Across the other groups early pace setters where "Try Tag Rugby" from London who where able to call upon the services of Super League Star, Jarrod Sammut who was supporting his Girlfriend, both of whom are heavily experienced at Tag Rugby (Oztag).
The day was one for fans of the game to spot several players and ex players either playing or like in the case of Willie Talau cheering on his wife who was playing for the Kiwi side NV US.
Other notable attendees where John Stankevitch who was on hand to present the winning trophies, Esene Faimalo, Misi Taulapapa, Tangi Ropati, Ged Corcoran and Oldham coach, Tony Benson.
Ryan Bradley, Rochdale Rugby League Development Officer commented: 'To be a part of the biggest tag rugby league festival in Europe is a huge honour. The weekend was a huge success and that goes down to the players. Everyone was here to have a good time and play some rugby. We had some experienced teams and novices but everyone helped each other out and the banter throughout the day and night shows that tag rugby league is a great vehicle for driving the game forward and getting more peopl involved'
Tom Allen, RFL League For All officer for Yorkshire added: 'Tag rugby league is a great alternative to the full contact version of the sport. We have had a great response accross Yorkshire with tag rugby league and this weekend emphasises the diverse range of people who can all get on the pitch together and enjoy the sport. We have a strong tag series running in Yorkshire at the moment and I am sure the interest is there to run something similar in Rochdale'.
The day saw dozens of games take place across six pitches with the group stages making way to knockout rugby with six graded finals taking place.
The winners of these where
Vase winners
Flying Horse who beat the Rochdale Swarm "A" in an all Rochdale Final
Animals in Distress Trophy Winners
Queensbury MAD Taggers "A"who defeated Dewsbury Delights in an all Yorkshire Final by "Golden Point!"
Shield winners
Littleborough Legion again winning the shield final for the second year running
Bowl winners
Bridgend Blue Heifers in an all Welsh final against another Bridgend team, the Celtic Barbarians
Hornets Rugby League Plate winners
Queensbury MAD Taggers defeated host team the Rochdale Swarm in a very close encounter.
Link4Life Cup winners and overall champions on the day
Littleborough Lightning who defeated the Kiwi exiles team, the NV US.
The final was a classic affair with the sides even after normal time, the game then went into sudden death Golden Point.
The NV US all but had the game won when they broke through but failed to ground the ball correctly, Littleborough then took advantage and winner of the Derek Wynn MVP award, David Kearns avoided the Kiwi defence to take the spoils for the local side.
One last award winner was the Littleborough Lions Player of the tournament which was selected by Ireland International and local player Ged Corcoran. This year Ged didn't select one individual but an entire team, giving the award to the French who brought so much passion and commitment to the event especially have travelled several hundred miles to attend.
Once the presentations had finished all the players and supporters partied into the night with night coming to a fitting finale with the Kiwis led by Willie Talau doing a bare chested Haka, a perfect end to a perfect day. Click here to watch the magical moment
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Photographs of the day
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