Bentley ARLFC set for National Conference League debut

Bentley ARLFC, pictured in Challenge Cup action earlier this year.

They welcome Hensingham to their temporary base at Wheatley Hills RUFC on Saturday (2.30pm).

The ambitious club are in the midst of an exciting period in their history after recently announcing plans for a permanent new home close to the site of Doncaster’s former Tattersfield ground.

Bentley have secured a grant of £252,856 from the Rugby League World Cup 2021’s CreatedBy Capital Grants Programme towards the £680,000 project.

This weekend they will become the first team from Doncaster to play in the NCL as they start their Division Three campaign against Cumbrian opposition.

“It means a hell of a lot to us,” Pete Wainer, Bentley ARLFC’s president, said of the step up to the NCL in an interview with the Rugby Football League.

“It's something that we have worked towards for a lot of years.

“I think more than anything it's for the lads - the first team and second team players. And it's for the juniors as well.

“We like to try and set an example for the kids coming through and the beauty of it is we hear a lot that they want to play for Bentley.

“We're lucky enough that we've had a couple of young kids sign for Super League clubs, whether that be apprenticeships or scholarships, but they actually want to play for our first team.

“So as a club it's massive. There's been a lot of hard work gone into it.

“It's possibly a season early for us. We'd love to have the new facility set up but you have to grab these opportunities when you can.

“You've got to meet the criteria first and foremost. We've done that so we just can't wait to get going and let the lads have a bash.

“I think we'll hold our own,” he added.

“The travelling is going to be different - getting across to the Cumbrian sides.

“The standard will be a level up and there's going to be a lot of commitment needed from the lads but we've got a good set of lads and I think we'll get that commitment from them.

“We're looking forward to it and let's see what comes on Saturday.”

Admission on Saturday is £3 for adults and free for under 16s.