Somewhere I have some cuttings from a south west newspaper from the early 1990s on the subject of RU players from that area who "went north" between the wars. There were a surprisingly high number of west country converts.

There were efforts to create a pro league down South West just before WWI but it didnt quite get off the ground. There were some games played against pro clubs (I know Coventry went down there to play a couple of games) but they were sadly just too late to link up with Welsh developments that were just dying off then.

This year is the Centenary of the Torquay Northern Union team. We're hoping to stage the Devon v Cornwall game on their ground. There's still a picture of them in the clubhouse.

Good luck to them. The university's backing might prove crucial in keeping it going, so a good partnership to have.

I hope they don't play at a union owned ground. I hate RL clubs being union club's b**ches.

The most likely ground is the Prince of Wales Stadium, which is owned by the council, and currently used by the UG RL team, the Cheltenham Tigers RU club, and an athletics club. It's just about Champ1 standard with plenty of room for improvement. Tigers RU also own a large expanse of lands called Newlands, out of town on the way to the racecourse.

The University own a lot of land in Cheltenham and Gloucester, including The Folly, just down the road from the PoW, where the uni 2nds sometimes play and where the huge schools comp runs. There's nothing there yet, but room for a stadium if that is how they chose to go.

Aside from that, there's Cheltenham Town FC, Gloucester RFU, and potentially Gloucester City FC, with stadia that could stage pro RL.

Sometimes it's the only option to share with a union club.

Hoping to stage the International at Torquays ground? Lets hope the tides not in when it rains then.

Who's coaching Devon this year?

Rob Stockwell if he's around, with Matt Cuss either way

Are Gloucester City close to returning home?? Always enjoyed going to Meadow Park and it was a real shame flood damage drove them out.

They're years away from a return, I believe, and currently play at Cheltenham Town having had a few years playing at Cirencester.

An Oxford bid is competing with Coventry for the final spot.
A decision on the fourth venue will be announced later this summer.

Wish they'd let us know before NCL application deadline.