This week saw an extra boost for the Rhinos with Mataitiasi Vave being awarded Parkhouse Player of the Week (2nd July 2005).

Since coming back into the side the impact "Max" has had has been nothing short of sensational.

His 4 tries against Nottingham turned a fine team performance into points. He cause havok to the South London Storm who really struggled to contain him, scoring another try. Then last weekend against Luton, he demolished their defence in the first half and ended up with another hat-trick.

This award is well deserved for Max and a proud moment for the Rhinos.

Our challenge now is to utilise his undoubted talent and further integrate it into our team plays.

Well Done Max !!!

Ipswich Rhinos' Dave West capped a fine performance off with a try for England Lionhearts against the Irish Wolfhounds at Odsal Stadium on 3rd July 2005.

Dave almost scored in the first half but was denied by a last ditch tackle. Not to be foiled, he managed to cross the line late in the second half but it did not prevent the Lionhearts going down to the Irish Wolfhounds 8 - 26.

For a full match report click www.summerconference.net

Ipswich Rhinos' flying winger Dave West has been selected to play for the England Lionhearts. The amateur international teams match is against Ireland on Sunday 3rd July 2005 at the home of the Bradford Bulls - Odsal stadium.This is a great personal honour for Dave and a great advert for the Rhinos.

Good Luck Dave - Watch this space for further news.

New Rhinos coach Andrew "Skip" Skipper is working hard to bring in new tactics and is heavily promoting a very technical approach to defensive and attacking patterns. The tactics are beginning to bare fruit in the fine performance against Greenwich last week.

New and current players are challenged to play to this style at training on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7pm - Bring your boots and brains.

Four geographical regions will kick off on the weekend of May 7th culminating in a highly prestigious Grand Final for the Harry Jepson Trophy which, this year, will take place in Wales on Sunday 28th August as part of a festival of Rugby League, which will also host the Powergen Challenge Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff the day before.

In addition fourteen new clubs will take part in eight regional leagues and with the four Premier Divisions above that for 2005, the total number of sides playing throughout the length and breadth of England and Wales will reach 80.

TOTALRL.COM RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE VIII - 2005 STRUCTURE

RLC PREMIER NORTH - Copeland Athletic, West Cumbria Crusaders, Penrith Pumas, Jarrow Vikings, Sunderland City, Peterlee Pumas

RLC PREMIER CENTRAL - Leeds Akademiks, Hull Phoenix, Manchester Knights, Bolton Le Moors, Telford Raiders, Nottingham Outlaws

RLC PREMIER SOUTH - Ipswich Rhinos, West London Sharks, Greenwich Admirals, London Skolars, South London Storm, Luton Vipers

RLC WALES - Bridgend Blue Bulls, Cardiff Demons, Aberavon Fighting Irish, Torfaen Tigers, Newport Titans, Swansea Valley Miners, Valley Cougars

Ipswich Rhinos Joel Barrett recently made his international debut for The Netherlands. Following the game the Rhinos were delighted to receive the following letter from Ian Thompson of the Dutch Rugby League Board:

"Just a big thank you for allowing such a young talented player in Joel Barrett to help Holland to their first ever international victory when we beat serbia 24-14 on sunday at Rotterdam. He made his debut  for the Netherlands in a very physical game on tuesday in a 24-14 defeat by Scotland Students. Joel was a great ambassador to the Ipswich club and a real credit to the way the young man presented himself over the whole week.

Also after the home game against Hemel on 26 June, Brendan Cook and Peter LeMarquand travelled north for a training session with the England Lionhearts squad. Peter is now officially part of the Lionhearts squad and will be involved in all further training sessions etc. Whilst Brendan, following his debut against Scotland two weeks ago, is included in the 18 man squad that will travel to Dublin to play Ireland on 10 July 2004.

ABOVE: Brendan Cook lines up for the England Lionhearts

An Eastern Division representative side travelled to Nottingham on Sunday 30 May to take part in a competition between the eight regional divisions of the rugby league conference and succeeded in winning the plate competition, and have had a player selected for the England Lionhearts side to play Scotland in Glasgow on the 13th June. The Eastern Division side made up of players from five of the regions clubs, and strengthened by three guest players from Wetherby, were very unlucky in their first match to lose to the competition favourites Yorkshire after having led for much of the game. However, Yorkshire scored a try on the last play of the game to snatch victory and put the Eastern Division into the Plate competition. Two excellent wins against West Midlands, and London and South East in the final, gave the Eastern Division a well-deserved victory in the Plate Competition.

ABOVE: The Eastern region divisional team

England Selection. Through out the competition players were being assessed by selectors for the England Lionhearts team, to play in the Amateur home international series starting in two weeks time with a game against Scotland. From the Eastern Region, Ipswich Rhino Brendan Cook has been selected in a squad of 18 players for the first game in Glasgow on the 13th of June. Although only 20 years old Brendan is playing in his fourth season of senior rugby league with the Rhinos and is also currently training with the England Students squad. Brendan, who lives in Colchester and is a past student of the Colchester sixth form College, is currently studying at the West of England university in Bristol.

ABOVE: Brendan Cook

Eastern Division Squad: Peter Lemarquand (Ipswich Rhinos) Richard Burton (Ipswich Rhinos) David West (Ipswich Rhinos) Daryl Walters (Ipswich Rhinos) Adam Cook (Ipswich Rhinos) Brendan Cook (Ipswich Rhinos) Dave Horne (South Norfolk Saints) John Paxton (St Ives Roosters) David Sykes (St Ives Roosters) Michael Sykes (St Ives Roosters) Gary Langley (Hemel Stags) Craig Bailey (Hemel Stags) Stu Langthorne (Luton Vipers) Steve Evans (Luton Vipers) Martin Crosfill (Wetherby) Micky Lyons (Wetherby) Nick Lekenby (Wetherby)

Ipswich players Adam and Brendan Cook and Pete Smith made the long journey to Wakefield immediately after Saturday's opening Conference match at St Ives to take part in an England Students training session on Sunday. England Students Coach Lee Addison will be taking a close look at the young Rhinos stars who have been earning rave reviews after starring in the Rhinos side all season before being eliminated by Bridgend at the semi final stage of the Conference play offs.

Addison, who is also coach of Conference side Liverpool Buccaneers, will be visiting Ipswich in June in his capacity of England Coach to host two Rhinos Club training sessions. Sunday's England Students training session at Wakefield College is compulsory for players wishing to be considered for selection for the two test match tour to France in July or Holland in August. Adam and Brendan were pupils of Colchester Sixth Form College and are now studying at Chelsea College, Brighton University, and The West of England University, Bristol, respectively. Peter was a pupil at The Royal Grammer School, Colchester, and is now studying at Durham University.

To ensure Ipswich Rhinos have the best possible match day preparation Pat and Alec Thomson have sponsored Ipswich Rhinos physio Sara Percival so that she can attend mid week training and sort out all the players pains and strains. Pat and Alec first met Sara and a number of the Rhino players when they started supporting their local Union side, Mersea Island RUFC. However Alec's real love, having played the game in his army days, is rugby league and the couple regularly make the 70 mile round trip to watch the Rhinos home games, and travel to many of the away games. Ipswich Rhinos very much appreciate their match day vocal support and their new sponsorship, which means Sara can be proactive in treating players injuries and ensure their match day fitness.

ABOVE: Pat and Alec Thomson presenting a sponsorship
cheque to club physio Sara Percival

Following their success on the pitch the Ipswich Rhinos have now won recognition off the pitch when the end of season awards were announced at TotalRL.com Rugby League Conference awards ceremony in Widnes. The Ipswich Rhinos reached the semi finals of the Harry Jepson Trophy where they were beaten by the eventual winners Bridgend Blue Bulls having beaten all the top teams in the Eastern and London divisions. An achievement that got the club four nominations for the end of season awards:

Best Club
Best Administration
Peter Le Marquand nominated for player of the year
Dave West for young player of the year.

Club captain Peter Le Marquand missed out on the Conference player of the year award but was named in the Conference Dream team for which he received a commemorative shirt and was introduced to the crowd at the Halton Stadium, Widnes during the National division one play off proceedings.

ABOVE: Barbara Peachey (far left) with Ipswich Rhinos
"Club of the Year" award at the Halton Stadium, Widnes

However, the ultimate accolade for the Rhinos at the end of their most successful season ever was the presentation to Barbara Peachey, Club secretary, of the 2003 Best Team Award which recognizes the tremendous effort on and off of the pitch that is required to make the club successful. It is also recognition for the tremendous amount of administrative work done by Barbara and her Husband and club Chairman David Peachey without which there would be no Ipswich Rhinos.

Ipswich Rhinos have joined forces with Conference clubs to petition the BBC to extend its coverage of SuperLeague to the entire country. A petition is being raised to pressure the Board of Govenors into screening SuperLeague all over the country rather than just in the north of England. Rugby League Conference clubs are poised to collect signatures from its members calling for the BBC to make the change in policy towards Rugby League. A petition sheet is to be made available to download from the TotalRL.com website. The sheets are expected to be passed on to the BBC during May once the Conference season is underway. Local BBC Offices such as BBC Look East in Ipswich and BBC Radio Suffolk (who have been instrumental in featuring Rugby League through the Ipswich Rhinos) are being keep informed and may actually pass on the petitions on behalf of the clubs.

Ipswich Rhinos rugby league player Brendan Cook won through selection trials to be named in a London Barbarians side that played a pre-season exhibition game against Super League team The London Broncos at St Albans Woolams Stadium on 12 February 2004. The London Barbarians side of representatives from the various London national division and conference sides met head on with with a full strength Bronco side who have just returned from their pre-season training camp in Dubia. Although well beaten on the night all of the London Barbarians revelled in the experience of trying to match the speed and hard hitting tackles of the Super League side. Brendan, normally a loose forward but playing as prop, was given plenty of opportunities to demonstate his tackling ability but attacking opportunities were few and far between as the Broncos pounded the Barbarians defence throughout the game. After the game there was an opportunity to socialise with the Broncos players and collect their autographs on his match shirt.

The Ipswich Rhinos have enjoyed a very successful 2003 culminating in the Club being named Rugby League Conference Team of the Year from over fifty clubs nationwide. The Rhinos secured 2nd place in the Eastern Division after a flying start to the season and then defeated West London, South Norfolk and Crawley in consecutive rounds to reach the RLC semi finals for the first time. Eventual winners Bridgend advanced from a tough Semi Final with Ipswich to overcome Carlisle in the final. Tane Trafford landed the Man of the match award in the Semi Final despite being on the losing side. Other highlights from 2003 included:

Two Ipswich players Pete Le Marquand and Dave West were nominated for national Awards.
Pete Le Marquand voted the best stand off in the conference and placed in the Rugby League World Dream Team.
Tane Trafford and Pete Le Marquand were qualified as Coaches.
Ipswich Rhinos increased their training to two nights a week in season.
Large increase in players necessitating an increase to two sides in 2004.
First club dinner to be held at Portman Road home of Ipswich Town Football Club.
Final game of the year was a very successful renewal of the Iain King Memorial match.
A very large number of visits to the club website in 2003.
Several very interesting applicants for the Coaching positions available in 2004.

Ipswich Rhinos new black and gold shirts are now available in sizes 42", 44" and 46" chest at £35.00 + £2.50 P+P.

Please send a cheque to "Ipswich Rhinos Rugby League Club", stating size and address for posting to:
Barbara Peachey
c/o Ipswich Rugby Club
Humber Doucy Lane
Ipswich
IP4 3PZ

Please e-mail info@rhinos.co.uk if you have any questions regarding the purchase of Ipswich Rhinos replica jerseys.

Keep up to date with how the Conference is revolutionising the face of the British game by clicking on:
http://www.summerconference.net/

Checkout http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/default.stm for good quality up to date rugby league news. It's nearly as good as this site!!