Match Preview Coventry Bears v Gloucestershire All Golds

Local rivals, with a surprising amount of history between them…

This Sunday, May 21stsees Coventry Bears take on Gloucestershire All Golds in a Kingstone Press League 1 fixture at the Butts Park Arena, for what is sure to be a keenly contested local derby.

The All Golds joined the ranks of Semi-professional Rugby League in 2013, two years before the Bears, and a keen but friendly rivalry has built since then.

Last year, the Bears did the double over the All Golds, and will be looking to get their season back on track again after a stuttering start to the 2017 season which saw them slump alarmingly last week at York, conceding 42 points in a second half where they barely touched the ball.

By contrast, All Golds chalked up another memorable first by beating North Wales Crusaders 36-28 and are on a good run of form.

So what about this history?

Both these teams are rooted in the amateur game of the 1990s, but it was in 1986 that Rugby League started to gain a foothold in a large swathe of territory across England between London and the heartlands of the North. This was when MASWARLA [the Midlands and South Western Amateur Rugby League Association] was born and the two teams playing on Sunday are carrying the torch for each of those two regions.

Coventry could lay claim to being one of the very first examples of expansion, and the game was played in Coventry from 1910 until 1913 with the local team playing against Northern opposition.

Meanwhile, Gloucestershire’s All Golds take their name from the New Zealand All Golds team whose win in Cheltenhamgained them the first ever Test Series against England way back in 1908.

But that is all in the past as we look ahead to Sunday, and Bears Head Coach Tom Tsang is defiant after recent setbacks

‘Looking ahead we know the size of the task at hand to drag ourselves off the canvas to face Gloucester who are coming off the back of a very impressive result beating North Wales, but we all have a point to prove this week, so i am optimistic for a bounce back.’

Coventry Bears v Gloucestershire All Golds, Sunday 21st May kick off 3pm

Adults £12, Concessions £10, Youths £5, Kids go free.