Durham Tigers
Encyclopedia
Durham Tigers are a rugby league
club based in Sunnydale Leisure Centre, Shildon
, County Durham
in the North East of England. They originally played in the city of Durham
. The city of Durham is now represented in the Rugby League Conference
by Durham Demons.
The club has a number of age level teams playing in the Yorkshire Youth league and the North East Junior League
.
The clubs most famous old boy Patrick Rich
went on to play professionally for Keighley Cougars
, Oldham Roughyeds
, London Skolars
and Sheffield Eagles
.
in the city of Durham
.
When adult rugby league moved to a summer season, the Tigers, located at a cricket ground, could not play in the summer. Without the backing of adult rugby the junior section failed to flourish.
The game in the area was revived when Lisa Jaggar, Rugby League North East regional development officer, asked Gareth Barron and Phil Selby to form a senior side to go into the Rugby League Conference North East division to fill a gap created when Gateshead Panthers merged into Newcastle Knights before the 2001 season.
The newly renamed Durham Phoenix struggled but were eventually rescued when players from Gateshead Storm
helped out Durham. After this initial season the club returned to their former name of Durham Tigers.
The club moved to Bishop Auckland RFC's West Mills ground. With an influx of players from Bishop Auckland RFC and Consett RFC as well as Yorkshire-based players the team flourished. Durham Tigers won the North East division in 2005 and went into the national play-offs only to lose to Wetherby Bulldogs.
Junior development then became the issue, having become one of the top junior sides in the North East, the under-16s joined the Yorkshire Youth league.
In 2007 Durham stepped up and joined the North Premier Division. Coach John Coutts joined Gateshead Storm and a couple of leading players went with him. Yorkshire-based players stopped playing for Durham when a Yorkshire Premier
division was formed. Results were poor and the team folded after a big defeat by Jarrow Vikings
. Following on from this the club committee decided to concentrate on junior development.
Durham planned to upgrade facilities at Bishop Auckland in partnership with Bishop Auckland RFC having acquired Sports England Club Mark status. However, the club's lease was revoked and Durham Tigers initially re-located to St. John's School. However in March 2010 the club moved into the Sunnydale Leisure Centre in Shildon
with the intention of making this their long term home.
Durham Demons formed in 2010 and represented the city of Durham in the North East RLC.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in Sunnydale Leisure Centre, Shildon
Shildon
Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. It is situated 2 miles to the south east of Bishop Auckland and 11 miles north of Darlington. It is 13 miles away from Durham, 23 miles from Sunderland and 23 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in the North East of England. They originally played in the city of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. The city of Durham is now represented in the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
by Durham Demons.
The club has a number of age level teams playing in the Yorkshire Youth league and the North East Junior League
North East Junior League
The North East Junior League is a rugby league competition for clubs in the North East of England.It is competed for at under-12, under-14 and under-16 levels. Under-10 sides also exist but only play friendlies...
.
The clubs most famous old boy Patrick Rich
Patrick Rich
Patrick Rich is an English former semi-professional rugby league player who represented Oldham Roughyeds RLFC in the Northern Ford Premiership .-Playing career:...
went on to play professionally for Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
, Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds
Oldham Roughyeds is an English professional rugby league club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Championship One. Oldham is one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895....
, London Skolars
London Skolars
London Skolars are a rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in North London. They were founded in 1995 and have been semi-professional since 2003, operating in Championship One...
and Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
.
History
Durham Tigers date back to the early 1990s when rugby league began to be played in the North East of England. The team was formed by Steve Rich and was based at the cricket club in Langley MoorLangley Moor
Langley Moor is a former mining village in County Durham, in England. It is between Brandon, Meadowfield and the Neville's Cross area of Durham....
in the city of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
.
When adult rugby league moved to a summer season, the Tigers, located at a cricket ground, could not play in the summer. Without the backing of adult rugby the junior section failed to flourish.
The game in the area was revived when Lisa Jaggar, Rugby League North East regional development officer, asked Gareth Barron and Phil Selby to form a senior side to go into the Rugby League Conference North East division to fill a gap created when Gateshead Panthers merged into Newcastle Knights before the 2001 season.
The newly renamed Durham Phoenix struggled but were eventually rescued when players from Gateshead Storm
Gateshead Storm
Newcastle Storm are an amateur rugby league club in the North East of England. They play in the North East Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-Newcastle Knights:...
helped out Durham. After this initial season the club returned to their former name of Durham Tigers.
The club moved to Bishop Auckland RFC's West Mills ground. With an influx of players from Bishop Auckland RFC and Consett RFC as well as Yorkshire-based players the team flourished. Durham Tigers won the North East division in 2005 and went into the national play-offs only to lose to Wetherby Bulldogs.
Junior development then became the issue, having become one of the top junior sides in the North East, the under-16s joined the Yorkshire Youth league.
In 2007 Durham stepped up and joined the North Premier Division. Coach John Coutts joined Gateshead Storm and a couple of leading players went with him. Yorkshire-based players stopped playing for Durham when a Yorkshire Premier
Rugby League Conference Yorkshire Premier
The Rugby League Conference Yorkshire Premier is a division in the Rugby League Conference for teams in the Yorkshire area.It was first contested in 2008 following the break-up of the previous North Premier into the North West and Yorkshire Premiers....
division was formed. Results were poor and the team folded after a big defeat by Jarrow Vikings
Jarrow Vikings
Jarrow Vikings are a rugby league team based in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear. They play in the North East Premier division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
. Following on from this the club committee decided to concentrate on junior development.
Durham planned to upgrade facilities at Bishop Auckland in partnership with Bishop Auckland RFC having acquired Sports England Club Mark status. However, the club's lease was revoked and Durham Tigers initially re-located to St. John's School. However in March 2010 the club moved into the Sunnydale Leisure Centre in Shildon
Shildon
Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. It is situated 2 miles to the south east of Bishop Auckland and 11 miles north of Darlington. It is 13 miles away from Durham, 23 miles from Sunderland and 23 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
with the intention of making this their long term home.
Durham Demons formed in 2010 and represented the city of Durham in the North East RLC.
Club honours
- RLC North East Division: 2005
- Yorkshire league cup semi-finalists: 2008
- Under-12 league and play-off winners: 2008/09