Hornets chief executive praises Matt Calland

Hopwood Hornets celebrate dramatic win

Adam Bates, Chief Executive of Rochdale Hornets, has praised Matt Calland after his Hopwood Hall Hornets team won the Colleges National Cup for the second consecutive season.

Hopwood Hall claimed victory against Halifax Elite Rugby Academy with a try in the last second of the game; making them the first ever team to retain the trophy.

Keen to support the sport at youth level and enhance the clubs link with Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale Hornets hosted the final at the Crown Oil Arena stadium in Spotland, Rochdale.

Mr Bates said: “What Matt has done for the sport in the local area is massive, especially at youth level.

"I watched his Hopwood Hornets side in the National Cup Final, and the physical and mental strength they showed was a typical example of how Matt coaches his teams”.

Calland has had a Hopwood Hall Hornets team feature in the National Cup final for four of the last five years.

From 2009-2011 his Halifax RLFC team featured in every Grand Final, winning in 2010. More recently his senior Rochdale Mayfield team won the Conference Challenge Trophy in 2016, with his Mayfield U18s undefeated that same year.

Calland’s work at youth level has also proven to be a conveyor belt of talent in the Rochdale and Oldham areas.

Many of the players he has coached have gone on to become professionals, players such as Joe Greenwood (Gold Coast Titans & England RL), Miles Greenwood (Rochdale Hornets), Kyle Eastmond (St Helens, Wasps), Jordan Turner (Hull FC, St Helens, Canberra Raiders) and Jack Francis (Rochdale Hornets, North Wales Crusaders).