Thursday 8 March 2012

Look Out! Here Come: London Skolars


There's only one London League club with any real credibility at the moment - and it's not the Broncos.

London Skolars' last minute defeat to Halifax last week - having led for 79 minutes - made everyone sit up and take notice. Coach Joe Mbu (in the running for the shortest name in Rugby League) captured the mood succinctly: "This will change the perception of a side that people just turn up and beat."

Certainly Karl Harrison recognised that Halifax allowed the Skolars to control the ruck speed and dictate the pace of the game, but they seem to have gained some steel on defence too, after shipping 80 points in their previous two NRC games against Batley and SW Scorpions.

The Skolars' main threat has always come from from the vastly experienced Neil Thorman at half-back and their two established strike-weapons in Austin Aggrey and Ade Adebesi. But Mbu has added some heavy duty back-up with Ben Bolger, Lamont Bryan, Rob Thomas and Joe Ridley joining on dual-registration terms from London Broncos. They have have also drafted in Sydney A-grade second-row Brad Hopkins from NSW Group 6 grand finalists Campbelltown Eagles.

Certainly, as season openers go, this will be no walkover - but having played for three weeks against higher division opposition, Hornets will have some valuable learnings in the locker.

The kick, bollock and scramble to get out of CC1 starts here. A 6 month dogfight that will make our division THE competition to watch in 2012.