Yarm/Catterick U16s travelled to Cramlington looking to continue their development and were met by a strong home side. Despite some brave defending and big tackles early on, Cramlington made the most of their opportunities and took a 30-0 lead into half-time. The second half saw a much-improved performance from our players. After regrouping at the break, the team came out with renewed energy and determination, scoring some excellent tries and putting Cramlington under pressure. Evan crossed for a well-deserved try under the posts, while the whole team showed great commitment, teamwork and resilience throughout the half. Unfortunately, the game was brought to an early conclusion following an injury to a Cramlington player after a tackle from the restart. Everyone at Catterick Crusaders wishes the player a full and speedy recovery and hopes to see him back on the field soon. While the final score finished 40-16 in Cramlington's favour, there were plenty of positives to take from the game. The players never gave up, continued to work hard for each other and showed exactly what they are capable of during a strong second-half display. Well done to every player for their effort, attitude and determination. Final Score: Cramlington 40 – 16 Yarm/Catterick

A gloomy morning, with the wind picking up and rain falling sideways, just another typical day in the North. The conditions, however, did nothing to deter the Catterick Crusaders as they made the journey north to face Gateshead Storm. Storm entered the match full of confidence after their convincing victory over us at the Yarm Festival. The Crusaders, meanwhile, had prepared well throughout the week, focusing on getting the basics right in both attack and defence. Storm opened the scoring in the first half, capitalising on some slick handling to cross in the corner. The Crusaders responded well, hitting back with a try of their own. The game then became an evenly contested battle for the next ten minutes, with both sides trading possession and territory. As the half progressed, Storm began to make effective use of their powerful ball carriers. They dominated much of the final ten minutes before the break, scoring several well-worked tries and building a healthy lead. The Crusaders came out for the second half with renewed energy and intent. From the kick-off, Jack's determined chase put Storm under immediate pressure, forcing errors and setting the tone. Playing in the right areas of the field and applying sustained pressure, the Crusaders were rewarded with two tries and continued to challenge Storm right up until the final whistle. Final score 54 - 26 Although the result didn't go our way, spirits remained high. The effort, determination, and progress shown by the boys were clear for everyone to see and gave the team plenty to be proud of. The improvements across the squad are becoming increasingly evident. Communication is improving, the halves are taking greater control of the game, the forwards are running hard and direct, and the wingers are chasing kicks with real commitment. As coaches, we couldn't be prouder of the boys and the progress they are making. A special congratulations goes to Odin and Leighton, who both made their rugby league debuts. A fantastic achievement and the first of many games to come. Player of the Match Several players put their hands up with outstanding performances today. Oscar's delivery were excellent, Euwan's vision and composure in chaotic situations were invaluable, and Charlie topped the metre gained while scoring some superb tries. However, the Coach's Player of the Match award goes to Evan. He led from the front with strong carries in attack and backed it up with some big defensive hits. His work rate and physicality were outstanding throughout the game. A huge thank you to all the parents who made the trip today. Your support, whatever the weather, is greatly appreciated and makes a real difference to the team. Perhaps the biggest compliment of the day came from the Storm coach, who said: "The big talking point for us today is how much the Crusaders have come on in the last few weeks." Well done, Crusaders. Keep working hard and the results will follow. 🏉

On Saturday Crusaders Masters headed West into Lakeland and the picturesque town of Ambleside, for Masters in the Lakes. The festival was well organised by Carlisle Masters and equally well hosted by Ambleside Rugby Union. In a change to the advertised format, Crusaders found themselves playing Barrow Masters as the last fixture of the day. This proved no drama whatsoever as we got to watch some great Masters Rugby League from the other teams. When game time arrived it was worthy of the wait. A fantastic game ensued, played at a fast pace despite the lack of youthful exuberance. Crusaders defended the edges really well and had much less of an issue removing tags, from Gold shorters and above, with a well organised defensive line. In attack Jase and Longers steered the team around the park with no lack of volunteers to take the ball in. There was some great line breaks and wide shots from the team. In the second half, after some brilliant build up work, Longers took the ball at first receiver and took it wide and to the left at the line, with perfect timing he hit Mike, who, after exploiting some space, still had some scrambling bodies to beat. A great turn of pace saw show the defenders a clean pair of heals for a great try! The game was played with great spirit throughout and was very much enjoyed by both teams and the others teams who now enjoying the Ambleside hospitality. Congratulations to Longers for picking up Master of the Match. Congratulations to Goadie, who has the dubious honour of being the first player to don our new Richard of the Day and Prat Hat. This was for picking up the ball from an offside position after Foxy had made a fine ball stop from a Barrow kick off! The post match raffle etc raised a whopping £600 for MacMillan Cancer Support. After a few slices of pizzas and a few quaffettes the vast majority of the team headed back home. Gaz, Jase, Goadie and Darren had other plans and decided to camp near Bowness and head into Bowness itself for a few sociables, where they bumped into some of the gents from Normanton Masters. A really good night was had by all.

Last week Yarm/Catterick took on Chester-le-Street United at Yarm in very warm conditions. With a squad of 20 players compared to Chester-le-Street's 12, we worked together to make sure everyone got a game. Before kick-off, Chester-le-Street awarded us the league win due to their low numbers, but both teams were keen to get a good game played. To help balance the teams, we lent Chester-le-Street a player from the start so the match could be played 13-a-side. Early in the game, Chester-le-Street knocked on from receiving the ball and shortly afterwards suffered an injury. Samuel was asked to switch teams for a period and put in a fantastic shift for them. Yarm/Catterick opened the scoring after a strong run from Mackenzie ended with him being tipped in the tackle, earning a penalty. We made the most of the opportunity and crossed for our first try. The heat played a big part throughout the game, with players taking every chance to get water during breaks in play. Chester-le-Street enjoyed some possession but after another knock-on, we won the ball from the scrum and excellent teamwork saw us run in another try. Later in the half, Chester-le-Street stole the ball on the fourth tackle and created a two-on-one opportunity, but Harrison showed great awareness to score for Yarm/Catterick. Just before half-time, Chester-le-Street were forced into touch close to their own try line and a tiring defence allowed us to add another score. At the break, Yarm/Catterick led 46-0. The second half saw more of our players switch teams to help even things up. With the result already decided, the players asked the coaches if they could have some "pizza time" playing with a bit more freedom and focusing on enjoying themselves. The game became much more competitive, with Chester-le-Street getting a couple of well-deserved tries, including one from Mackenzie while playing for them. The final score finished 66-20 to Yarm/Catterick, but the second half ended 20-20, showing how evenly matched the teams were once the numbers were balanced. A huge credit goes to all the players, especially those who switched teams throughout the game to make sure everyone got plenty of rugby and enjoyed the afternoon.

Tomorrow see’s Crusaders Masters back in action when they take a trip to Ambleside for the Masters in the Lakes festival at Ambleside. Masters in the Lakes is hosted by Carlisle Masters and see’s teams from Arlecdon, Normanton, Maryport, Portico Vine, Barrow, Crosfields, as well as ourselves and the hosts. The festival see’s us take on the hosts in a 3pm kick off. Crusaders welcome back Jase, Longers, Mike and Ian who all missed the home game against Doncaster Toll Bar. Hitting a milestone is Ben and Darren who will make their 25th appearance for Crusaders. Well done Gents. Don, Darren, Ali and Ben also continue their journey as 100% attendance for games played this season. Could we be dishing out 4 Master of Steel Awards at the season’s end? Let’s hope so. Our appreciation goes to Barry, Brian and Big Foot who back us up for numbers. Growth at Crusaders has been outstanding this season, with player availability consistently in double figures, home or away. We are only a few seasons into our journey but interest and commitment continues to grow.

Catterick Crusaders U14s hosted Yarm Wolves today and made an excellent start to the game. The forwards set the tone with some strong defence and forced an early turnover. From the resulting scrum, the ball was moved quickly through the backs to Charlie, who beat five defenders on a brilliant run to score the opening try. Yarm Wolves responded well and showed why they are such a strong, well-drilled side. Their pressure in both attack and defence during the first three quarters allowed them to take control of the game and put the Crusaders under sustained pressure. Defensively, we know there are areas to improve. At times we didn't move forward as a unit, allowing Yarm's powerful runners to build momentum and break through our defensive line. However, the boys recognised this themselves and spoke about improving their communication and teamwork going into the final quarter. Their response was fantastic. The Crusaders won the final quarter, produced some great passages of play, and crossed for several more tries. The improvement from our previous meeting with Yarm Wolves just three weeks ago was clear to see, and there are plenty of positives to build on moving forward. Coach's Player of the Match There were strong performances across the team, with Charlie, Ollie, Euwan, and Mason all putting in some excellent defensive work. Today's Coach's Player of the Match goes to Charlie, who led by example throughout the game. He scored two excellent tries, made a crucial try-saving tackle in the first quarter, and worked tirelessly from start to finish. A huge thank you to all the parents and supporters who came along to cheer the boys on. Your continued support is greatly appreciated. Well done, boys. Keep working hard, learning, and improving together.

Catterick Crusaders 38 – 6 Yarm Wolves A fantastic all‑round team performance from the Catterick Crusaders today, overcoming both the heat and a determined Yarm Wolves side. From the first whistle, the Crusaders showed outstanding effort, commitment, and attitude. Every player contributed, and the togetherness on display was clear for everyone watching. Our defence was rock‑solid throughout, shutting down Yarm’s attacks with discipline and teamwork. In attack, the boys were sharp, creative, and constantly working for each other, producing some brilliant rugby from start to finish. A huge thank you goes to the Crusaders players who stepped in to help Yarm today, your attitude and willingness to support the opposition was superb. You should all be incredibly proud of your efforts. * Coaches Player — Noah Button Recognised for excellent kicking and a composed, intelligent performance throughout the game * Parents’ Player — Dauntaye Creighton Making his debut and delivering an outstanding all‑round display. A brilliant first game. * Yarm Wolves Coaches Player — Lucas Steel Praised for an excellent all‑round performance and strong contribution to the team. Well done to every single player involved. In tough conditions, the Crusaders showed teamwork, resilience, and real quality. A performance to be proud of.

The Catterick Crusaders Under 8s took part in their second festival of the season on a warm and sunny morning, showing great enthusiasm and determination throughout. The team played two games and put in some excellent performances, scoring a total of four tries across the matches. It was fantastic to see the players growing in confidence and putting into practice the skills they have been working on in training. One of the biggest positives from the day was the progress the squad is making with their tagging. The players are beginning to get a real understanding of how and when to take the tags from the opposition, which is an important part of their development in the game. Most importantly, the team showed great teamwork, effort, and sportsmanship, making everyone at the club proud. With another three weeks of training ahead before the next festival, the coaches are excited to continue building on this progress and helping the players develop even further. Well done to all of the Under 8s – keep up the hard work and enjoy the training sessions ahead! #OneClub #CatterickCrusaders #FutureStars #Under8sRugbyLeague

On Saturday Crusaders Cubs had the pleasure of the company of Chester-Le-Street Little Rippa’s and Cramlington Rockets U6’s for their session. It was a glorious day for some fun games and the session started with the tig game, Stinky Bibs. After initially only tigging their club mates everyone soon worked out it far easier just to tig the closest person. Next up was a very popular game with Crusaders, “avoid the camera”. Coach Jase draped a bib over his head and stumbled around whilst trying to catch the players on camera. Screams, screetches and howls of laughter were a plenty whilst everyone ran around trying to avoid the camera. Next up was Cops and Robbers. The aim of the game is for the Cops to tig the robbers with a ball and eventually fill the jail. Any dropped ball results in a “JAILBREAK!” and chaos resumes. 2 sets of Cops managed to fill the jail without dropping the ball with gets bags of praise but also results in the “ooohhh yeah boogie” as a celebration! Our final game was Red, Yellow, Blue dot try scoring. After the session everyone was rewarded with a hotdog which went down extremely well. Crusaders Cubs would like to thanks the Little Rippa’s and Rockets for making the journey down. It was great hosting you and we hope to visit you soon!

In a rare twist for the Masters season, Catterick Crusaders welcomed Doncaster Toll Bar under bright sunshine rather than the usual downpour. Doncaster made the trip north in great spirits, the banter flowing from the moment they arrived. The Crusaders squad — boosted by two players from North East Thunder Masters — were equally upbeat and eager to get stuck in before enjoying the traditional post‑match social. The game began in true Masters fashion with handshakes all round before the Crusaders sent a deep kick into Toll Bar territory. Doncaster immediately showed their class, settling into their rhythm and demonstrating why they’re such a well‑drilled outfit. Throughout the match, the black‑and‑white‑shorted visitors delivered strong defensive efforts while also displaying sharp attacking play. A special mention goes to the Crusaders players making their debuts — each one embraced the Masters ethos and slotted in seamlessly, proving they belonged on the field from the first whistle. There was also a battle scar earned on the day, with our very own Carpark picking up a shiner after bravely stepping into yet another tackle. An unfortunate stray elbow caught him high, but it certainly didn’t dampen his performance or his enthusiasm. As is tradition in Masters Rugby League, the match finished with a nil‑nil result — a reflection not of the action on the field, but of the spirit, camaraderie, and respect that define the game. A huge thank you to Doncaster Toll Bar Masters for making the journey. We look forward to seeing you again later in the season.

Today, our Masters side take on our friends Doncaster Toll Bar Masters at Robertson Rd. The “not available” list, is fairly lengthy with Jase, Ian, Mark, Longers, Baz, Jay, Andy, Domo, Mike and Dean all not available. However, despite this, Crusaders still have 14 players available. Don, Ben, Darren and Ali remain the teams ever presents, could we have four Masters of Steel this year? On debut we have Blackie, Pete and Kenton. Also joining in the fun are Barry and Den from North East Thunder Masters. Kick off is scheduled for 2pm at Robertson Rd, with our very own Clarkie officiated. It would be great to see some spectators on the sideline and at the post match drinks at The Hildyard Arms.

It was a perfect day for rugby as five players from the Catterick Crusaders U16s travelled to join forces with Yarm for a tough fixture against Gateshead Storm. Played 11-a-side with just one substitute each, the game demanded effort, resilience and teamwork from every player on the field, and the Crusaders lads certainly delivered. The match got off to the perfect start when Storm knocked on directly from the kick-off, allowing the team to capitalise immediately and run in the opening try. It was an early boost and set the tone for a highly competitive contest. Storm soon settled into the game and responded with tries of their own, but the first half remained incredibly tight throughout, with both sides trading scores in an entertaining battle. At the break, the teams were locked level at 18-18. The second half started brilliantly once again, with Mackenzie making a powerful break before Euan finished the move by going over the line. Jackson was outstanding from the back, repeatedly making strong carries and gaining valuable metres to keep the team moving forward under pressure. Storm managed to edge ahead for the first time in the game after scoring a couple of quick tries, but the response from the team showed real character. Great passing from Will created the opportunity for Mackenzie to crash over for another crucial try. One of the biggest moments of the match came when Gateshead looked certain to score again, only for Sam to produce a huge tackle that lifted the entire team. From that moment, momentum swung back our way, and the boys marched back downfield to score under the posts and secure an excellent 40-32 victory. The Crusaders lads played with tremendous grit and determination throughout the afternoon, and all five players should be incredibly proud of the part they played in a fantastic team performance. A huge thank you also goes to all the parents for getting the lads there and supporting the team throughout the day.