STANDING in front of a set of rugby posts you begin to realise how big they actually are.

So it's hard to imagine half of them being hidden by flood water.

But Jason Cross, and his fellow Doncaster Toll Bar amateur rugby league club officials, saw exactly that image as they watched television footage two years ago.

Days of heavy rain in Toll Bar completely flooded the village and the hardworking volunteers who ran the club could only watch the screens in dismay as pictures flashed up of their base drowned in water.

They faced the task of saving it from ruin - once the 15 foot deep, murky, E. coli-ridden water had been removed.

"We never saw the water at its deepest - we only saw it on television," recalls Jason, who coaches the club's Under 15 side.

"The whole village was closed off so we didn't see it until we were able to drive there ourselves.

"The first time we went there the pitches still looked like a big pond and the only grass you could see was brown-coloured.

"The smell was awful - it really was like you were standing in a bucket of manure."

For 39-year-old Jason, a Toll Bar stalwart as a player, coach and official since the club was formed in 1996, the scene was devastating.

Not only had the pitches become more suited to rowing than rugby but the clubhouse, which housed the changing rooms and bar facilities, had also been swamped by five feet of water.

It left officials facing the prospect of rebuilding their club from scratch once the water disappeared.

Within days of the disaster Jason contacted rugby league's governing body, the Rugby Football League, for their advice.

The RFL was unable to offer cash aid but used its voice to tell the rugby league world about Toll Bar's plight.

Support streamed in from professional clubs, including several Super League sides, and other amateur teams from all around the country.

Money was raised by auctioning off signed shirts, match balls and other memorabilia at a sportsmans dinner while the RFL arranged for club volunteers, which included many of Toll Bar's rugby-mad children, to
bucket-collect cash at the 2007 Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Fans at the games between Bradford Bulls and St Helens in Huddersfield, and Wigan Warriors and Catalan Dragons in Warrington, all knew about the devastation and generously dug deep into their pockets.

In total the club raised more than £14,000 and the cash went towards relaying their council-owned pitches.

"There was a high amount of E. Coli on the pitches," said Jason.

"It can be diluted with rainfall but not to a level safe enough for kids to play rugby."

So Jason and his band of helpers had the pitches dug up and weedkiller sprayed on them to kill the bacteria, before grass experts moved in to relay the turf.

More help came from Wheatley Hills rugby union club who let Toll Bar use their York Road facilities, as did Scawthorpe's Don Valley School.

The club's insurance policy covered their Prospect Road ground but, according to Jason, they were forced to fight for a payout before being handed £240,000 towards the rebuilding work.

Jason said: "All that was left of the clubhouse was the shell of the building.

"The internal walls were contaminated so everything had to be pulled down."

Jason, who specialises in project management for a roofing company, used his expertise to take charge of Toll Bar's recovery and called on contacts in the trade to help rebuild the clubhouse.

Many local companies rallied round to help tarmac the car park and provide supplies for the shower and kitchen areas.

New windows and doors were put in and checks were made to ensure the building had dried out properly to allow the installation of new
electric and plumbing systems.

The hard slog continued throughout the winter months as the new facilities took shape.

And, in April 2008, nine months after the floods Toll Bar unveiled their new improved clubhouse, which included modern bar and changing facilities, with rugby league legend Ellery Hanley doing the honours at the opening ceremony.

Jason said: "For us to get Ellery here was fantastic - he's the biggest icon in rugby league.

"The clubhouse was packed to the rafters and it was a brilliant night."

Despite the devastation Jason had always been optimistic about the future of the club.

He said: "One way or another we were determined to get the club back up and running.

"It was bloody hard work but we did it."

Jason's sterling efforts were rewarded when he was named BBC Yorkshire Sports Unsung Hero last year for rescuing the club from the depths of despair.

The modest father of two said: "It wasn't just me, there were a lot of people involved and they all know who they are."

Many homes, businesses and schools were wrecked by the floods and people in the village are still counting the cost two years down the line.

But the rugby club reckon they have been among the more fortunate victims.

"In all honesty our club came out of the floods smelling of roses from where we were," said Jason.

"On the back of what happened we have become a very well known club in rugby league circles.

"Now we have fantastic facilities and it's a good environment for kids
to play rugby."


Hotbed of talent in the making

FLOOD-hit Toll Bar can become a hotbed for rugby league talent, according to club stalwart Jason Cross.

During his 13 years at the village's amateur rugby club Jason has seen several youngsters come through the junior ranks before going on to forge professional careers in the game.

Super League star Liam Higgins, who plays for Castleford Tigers, started out at the Prospect Road club, as did current Dons players Craig Lawton, Dean Colton, Scott Jones and Scott Smith.

The Sheffield Eagles trio of Peter Green, Johnny Woodcock and Tom Buckenham, plus Wakefield Wildcats youngster Lee Parnell, are also Toll Bar products.

With their new top-class training facilities Toll Bar are intent on nurturing even more youngsters into the elite level of rugby league.

Jason said: "Looking to the future we want to try and make Toll Bar a hotbed of rugby league.

"We have the Dons training down here now and watching those players gives the kids something to aspire to."

Green, a former Dons stalwart who moved to Sheffield in May, has recently become Toll Bar's elite development officer with the responsibility of attracting schoolchildren to the amateur club.

He also shares his methods with other junior coaches in a bid to improve the coaching the youngsters receive.

Toll Bar boast nine different junior age group teams ranging from Under 8s to under 18s, as well their open age adult team, and it is a clear pathway for players to progress through the ranks.

Over 250 youngsters enjoy playing rugby league at Toll Bar every week.
"My philosophy has always been - whatever standard the kids are at, I want to make their dreams come true," said Jason.

"For example we have started going on tours to France.

"Later in life these young players may think 'I wasn't a brilliant rugby player but I went to France and played rugby out there'.

"I want kids who come to Toll Bar to remember their time at the club."

The Toll Bar Under 16s side that was formed two years ago epitomises the special spirit at Prospect Road.

In their first season they suffered several heavy defeats and did not win a single game.

The following year they only lost once and won the league title!

It only served to underline that Toll Bar may have endured hard times
but it only makes them bounce back all the stronger.