Great Britain Police Rugby League

Last updated

Great Britain Police
Great Britain Police RL logo.png
Club information
Full nameGreat Britain Police Rugby League
Short nameBritish Police, GBP
Coloursred and navy blue
Current details
Ground(s)
  • Mayfield Sports Centre
Competition Challenge Cup

Great Britain Police Rugby League, (sometimes referred in Rugby League media to as British Police or GB Police, [1] [2] ) is a British rugby league team representing the police forces in the United Kingdom. The team have regularly played in the Challenge Cup since 2010. [3] They usually play their home games groundsharing with Rochdale Mayfield at Mayfield Sports Centre in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. [4] Playing membership is only open to serving members of the police. [5] [6]

Contents

History

Police kit Man of the match Rugby League- Czech Republic XIII vs. British Police - 512278784 (cropped).jpg
Police kit

A rugby league team representing the British Police had been around since the 1990s. [6] They would mostly play matches against overseas police representative teams. [7] The individual county forces play inter-police rugby league matches which determine selection for the Great Britain Police team. [6]

The majority of the Great Britain Police team come from serving officers from rugby league's heartland forces of Yorkshire as well as Lancashire Constabulary but team members also come from non-heartland police forces such as London's Metropolitan Police and Leicestershire Constabulary. [1] The Great Britain Police team played in their first Challenge Cup in 2010, joining the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force teams as the uniformed services representatives in the competition. [1] Their first manager for the Challenge Cup was Jon Hamer, whom had played for Bradford Bulls in the 1996 Challenge Cup Final against St. Helens. [1] Though the Great Britain Police team do not compete in the British rugby league pyramid, they do partake in international tours as well as the Inter-Forces Competition against the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. [8] [6] They also take part in a Tri-Nations competition against the representative teams of the Australian Federal Police and the New Zealand Police. [9]

Challenge Cup

Year20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
RoundR2R1——R2R1R1R1R1R2R2—R1R2

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Challenge Cup gets underway this weekend". LoveRugbyLeague. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "GB Police 18-22 Westgate Common". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Great Britain Police Rugby team laid down the law against Torfaen Tigers". Greater Manchester Police. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "Derby day beckons for Police in Coral Challenge Cup". Rugby League World. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "GB Police looking to lay down the law at Wigan St Pats". The Home of Rugby League. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Where are they now? Bradford Northern legend Jon Hamer". Rugby League World. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Rugby League" . The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 December 1997. p. 56. Retrieved 30 March 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Motum to lead the way as Police target Challenge Cup triumph at Kells". Rugby League World. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "Great Britain Police Rugby team laid down the law winning 66-0 against Torfaen Tigers". News 4 Trafford. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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