During this period, five England Trial matches were held in the two towns with the North (of England) playing the South (of England) on the Friarage Field on 3 occasions, and Durham County playing the Rest of England twice. Once on the Friarage and the other occasion on Victoria Ground.

Players taking part in the North v South games, were awarded a “cap” for their appearances, though superceded by the more familiar Probable’s v Possibles, Colours v Whites or England v Rest, etc.,  the North v South games were briefly revived in the Thirties.

A number of images have survived in the Robert Wood Collection from two of the North v South games held on the Friarage Field,in addition, there is also an item from the 1897 North v South Trial which records a little known piece of local Rugby History.

A mystery image, possibly taken at the Friarage Field however which part of the season the team played, or who they played against is presently known despite extensive searches in newspaper files.

Many of the players  listed went on to be familiar in the game over the years, quite a number are from the Wanderers and Excelsior Clubs who were prominent in junior club circles. Two of the Excelsior players, Havelock and Hogarth both went on to play for England.

The Hartlepool Barbarians XVs are featured in “Mail” reports from 1892 through to the middle of the 1900s initially the club played other “junior” clubs. However, the start of the 20^th Century the club players would be drawn from a combination of Rovers, or West or Old Boys 1^st XVs to start the season for one of the big three. Later the club developed a short lived one match Christmas game in South Wales with Aberavon being met in 1903, Llanelli in 1904 and Neath in 1905.

HHT&N 988

A Hartlepool XV team for a fixture against a Military XV, played at the Friarage Field, on March 2nd, 1918.
In the background is the temporary lighthouse this was built following the demolition of the Heugh Lighthouse following the Bombardment.  The temporary Light was eventually demolished in 1926.

Only 6d (including tax) for admittance, 3d for Soldiers and Boys.

Only a brief line on the result of the game has been found so far, at the break the District XV were ahead 3 - 0! Later in he month the Military XV played YMCA with the Mail advert advertising the game and describing both sides as "hot stuff"!

This poster is from 1939 and advertises the film lecture tour visit to Sacred Heart School Hall by Viv Jenkins, Vice Captain of the 1938 Lions who holds several remarkable playing records. Whilst playing at Full back for Wales in the early 30s he scored the first ever Welsh try from that position, later with the 1938 Lions he appeared in only one Test owing to injury, he marked his sole Test appearance by kicking a penalty from 80 yards out!

A Classics Master, he later took up journalism and was for many years Chief Rugby Writer with the “Times”.

A programme from the 1969 England Trial held at the New Friarage in January of 1969

The Hartlepools have always produced young players who have made to the National XV at every Age Grade level.  April, 6^th 1974 at St. Helen’s Swansea, saw Paul Stacey and John Chappell from West in the England Squad against Wales Youth. A narrow Welsh victory ensued late by 12 – 13. 

The successful 1981 Colts had another outstanding aspect to the campaign when five members of the team were included in the North of England Squad, which could be a record for members of the Regional Squad.

Two of the five went even further, Richard Neesham and Kevin McClelland played for England Colts.

The squad for the Colts tour (players under 19 on the 1^st January of the current season and employed) which saw them play across Canada in August and September of 1985.  There was a local interest with Jonathon Wrigley (Hartlepool Rovers) in the squad along with Alan Bell from Horden as Physio. Other area players are Ian Parnaby and Fred Short then from Westoe who both played for West Hartlepool later in their careers. Also, in the back row is Yorkshireman John Bentley who made it all the way to the top of the game with England and the Lions and well as the Rugby League.

The games took the players right across the country with games in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and two games in Vancouver, the Final being against Canada Juniors.

A major change to Rugby in the 1980s was the move to playing major touring sides on a much-shortened series of game and in large Soccer stadia. Old Trafford and Anfield were among the first to be used. These North Division matches replaced the system of County, Inter County or Regional sides playing the likes of the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies. The divisional matches themselves were replaced with the sweeping changes following the “open” game in 1995.

We in Hartlepool had the chance to see a North game hereabouts when the North played the American Eagles on Brierton Lane in 1898,

Any game between England and the Welsh is always an attraction and Hartlepool rugby fans had nations the rare chance to see two such games a little over 72 hours apart when England Schools 18 Group played on the New Friarage on 31^st March, followed on the following Tuesday with a game between the Student XVs of both nations on Brierton Lane..

In 1905 a combined Hartlepool Rovers & West Hartlepool played the New Zealand touring side, The First All Blacks,  and to celebrate the Centenary of the event a BBOB and District XV played a Durham County Presidents XV in November 2005.