Swarm versus Fiji

Date published: 04/05/2008

To celebrate the unique link between the Rochdale Hornets and the Island of Fiji a special challenge match has been arranged between the Rochdale Hornets Supporters Tag Rugby League Team, The Rochdale Swarm and a team drawn from the Rochdale Fijian Association.

The game takes place at 1.00pm on Bank Holiday Monday the 5 May at Spotland Stadium before the Rochdale Hornets V Hunslet Hawks Co-operative National League 2 fixture.

The Challenge match has certainly caught the imagination of the Hornets Supporters with the both the Fijian and British National Anthems to be song before the game after much searching across the internet by Hornet fanatic Andy Birch for the South Sea Island tune.

The Fijian team are believed to be performing their version of the "Haka" before the kick off in what will be a spectacular sight for everyone attending.

Mark Wynn of the Tag Team says: "Everyone at the Swarm feels incredibly privileged to be playing in such a prestigious fixture especially when you look back at the great Fijian players that have played for Rochdale Hornets such as Ravouvou, Toga, Drui and Ratu and this is our way of showing the Fijians the respect we as supporters have for them."

The Swarm and the Rochdale Fijian Association have both recently benefited from grants from the National Lottery's "Awards for All" scheme. The grant allowed the R.F.A. to launch there own website and also allowed the Swarm to invest in coaching and training infrastructure.