New masters league competition starting

Rugby league players of the older generation in Manawatu won’t have to give up the ghost just yet.

Manawatu is starting up a masters rugby league competition for the first time, starting on April 9, and will run every three weeks.

There will be five teams: Kia Ora Warriors, Linton Cobras, Manawatu Classics, Marton Bears and Manawhenua Broncos, who are a Levin and Foxton team.

Linton’s Carl Ewart has been driving the project and now has got the competition off the ground. It is for players aged 35 plus.

Players in every four-or-fiveyear age bracket wears different shorts, which indicates the level of tackling the person can take, from full contact, up to rippa rugby league for the older gents.

The rules are slightly modified, including the defensive line can’t move up until the dummy half has passed the ball.

Classics and Marton usually only play in end-of-season tournaments, but this is the first time they have had a competition.

Manawhenua tried to play in the Wellington competition last year, but things didn’t work out.

Games will be 20 minutes long and they will played at central locations, starting at Linton, then Coronation Park in Palmerston North, then Marton.

For more information contact Carl Ewart at manawatumasters@vodafone .co.nz.