Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 12 June 2008

RUGBY league’s governing body says it would look into any proposal made by the three Cumbrian clubs in a bid to get into Super League.

From 2009 only clubs who have been awarded a three-year licence by the independent RFL board will be able to take part in the Engage Super League.

The RFL outlined what it looked for in a franchise to Times & Star Sport, highlighting the need for a well managed and marketed sports club.

Finance and business performance is also taken into account along with good facilities including a stadium up to Super League standard.

A spokesman for the RFL said: “We cannot comment on if a united franchise would be more favourable to obtain a licence but if Workington Town, Whitehaven and Barrow Raiders got together and discussed plans to create a Cumbrian franchise then we would be happy to look at it and access what they have put to us.

“We are currently in the middle of looking at the proposals made by clubs for the 2009 campaign and any joint venture by the Cumbrian clubs would be assessed in the same way.”

Workington Town chairman Dave Bowden has already come out in support of a growing consensus that a united rugby league team in Cumbria would be the way forward.

The Town chief stated that a united team would be the best way to go if Super League rugby was to come to Cumbria and said that the clubs should get together in the close season to discuss the proposal.

He said: “The problem at the minute is that all the clubs are very busy. It would be best if we waited until the close season to discuss the blueprint.

“If people are serious then you have to sit down and look through a tangible option for the future of rugby league in West Cumbria. Until we get together with Whitehaven and Barrow and talk it through then this is just a pipe dream.

“It would be good to see if the proposals talked about so far could work and it would be very interesting to see what a united Cumbrian team would look like.”

Mr Bowden agrees with the RFL that measures have to be in place before any proposals would be submitted to the governing body.

He said: “First we must establish a stadium with top class support facilities. The responsibility to deliver solutions does lie with the directors of each club, they have to be open minded and put aside the passions we feel for our respective clubs.”

The last time any of the Cumbrian clubs were in the top flight of rugby league was in 1996 when Workington finished bottom of the Super League.

Whitehaven almost made it into the Super League, winning NL1 in 2005, but losing the Grand Final to Castleford.

Meanwhile Town coach Dave Rotheram was pleased with new Aussie star Bryce Poisel’s debut performance against Swinton Lions (see page 47 for match report).

Rotheram said: “He played well when we had the ball, took the line on and tackled well. He showed good skill and footwork and a nice kicking game.”

And Poisel himself was pleased with his first taste of West Cumbrian rugby. The scrum-half said: “We threw the game away in the end, but I was pretty happy with it, for my first game.

“It was about four weeks since my last game, and I didn’t feel too bad. There’s a lot more to come, I just have to settle in.”

After two games away from Derwent Park, Town are at home on Sunday taking on Blackpool Panthers (3pm ko).

Town’s reserves got off the mark for the season with an emphatic 38-14 win over visitors Oldham.

Scotland international Patrick Cooper, playing in his favoured position of stand-off for the first time for Town, had a superb game.

Tomorrow the reserves are at home to Leigh (2.30pm ko), who replaced Salford at the top following a 27-26 win over the City Reds.

n Town Flyer: Monday, A Byrom, Great Broughton, C3844; Tuesday, C Goulding, Cleator, D6761; Wednesday, L Brown, Northside, B0261; yesterday, E Routledge, High Harrington, A0327; today, RR Heskett, Harrington, A1545.