New club set up in Bristol

New club Bristol All Golds has been launched in the South West.

Bristol All Golds will be based in the city at the SGS Wise Stoke Gifford stadium, and have their sights firmly set on bringing professional rugby league to Bristol.

Alongside the men’s team, the club have also launched ‘The Golden Ferns’ – a new female side.

The club have linked with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) to provide exciting academy opportunities and a progression pathway to professional rugby. Joe David, CEO of Bristol All Golds and Kevin Hamblin, CEO of SGS College Group, made this agreement official last week with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

David said: “We are delighted to enter into partnership with one of the finest and most successful educational sporting organisations in the land. Discussions have been lengthy and detailed and conducted in a professional and cordial manner throughout. All our sides both male and female will now have access to quite outstanding training, match day and office facilities.

“Bristolians have shown their appetite for rugby league when they attended in large numbers to watch the 2013 World Cup match between the United States of America and the Cook Islands. A superb encounter that was voted one of the games of the tournament.

“A major target is to now see the hosting of the Magic Weekend in the city and male and female international fixtures. Fans will enjoy the many delights of one of the country’s most historic and popular destinations.”

RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer added: “There have always been the rugby league embers of something potentially very special in the Bristol and Gloucester area and I am delighted to see that thanks to the energy and vision of Chairman, Lionel Hurst, Kevin (Hamblin, CEO of SGS College Group) and now Joe, that the Bristol All Golds and The Golden Ferns will now emerge and proudly represent all of the pyramid that lies beneath. Those teams will also mark the historical importance to the sport of the area and we look forward to welcoming them both into the rugby league fold.”