YORK Acorn ARLC boss Leigh Paul-Rientoul is looking back to go forward following the introduction of an over-35s masters team at the club.

The Blue and Golds have followed neighbours Heworth and York Lokomotive in forming a masters team and the new side will take on the Lokos in their maiden outing on Knavesmire tomorrow (1.30pm).

Paul-Rientoul has organised the game in conjunction with Lokos' Simon Moat after corralling some of Acorn's old boys into a side.

And as well as being an opportunity to let the old guard stretch their legs, Paul-Rientoul admits he is also thinking about the benefits it can bring to the club.

The game is non-competitive with no goalposts and all games officially end in a 0-0 draw regardless of tries scored, while organising a fixture is simply a matter of phoning prospective opponents to set a time and place. Safety and camaraderie among the players is paramount.

Paul-Rientoul said: “It’s a social event that keeps the old players ticking over, and it’s good because you can choose when you play – it could be every week, it could be once every few months.

“There’s another thing written in the rules that says every player has a can of lager in the changing room afterwards," he quipped.

The former BARLA Great Britain international added: "I’ve been trying for a few months to get together ex-players who now have nothing to do with the club.

“I always think big-picture – it generates a team coming through the system and, with more people, it puts more money behind our bar and encourages them to bring their children along.

“The players are even potentially new coaches. Overall, it’s just really good for the club.

“They don’t really want to train because of jobs and such and, because it isn’t that competitive, it’s too much. They just want to turn up and play.

“But hopefully if there’s enough interest, we could put some sessions together.

“The players reminisce all the time saying, ‘Oh, I wish I was 10 years younger’, so it’s a way to get them onto the field and see if they’ve still got it.

“It’s good for the supporters too to see Joe Bloggs who was a great player back in the day.”

Masters rugby league, which features modified rules, is for players of any age over 35. Each age group wears differently coloured shorts to denote the style of tackling allowed on them.

Players aged 35 to 40 wear white and can be tackled under full-contact rules, as are players aged 40 to 50 in black, but only two opponents are allowed in those tackles.

Players aged 50 to 60, wearing red, cannot be tackled to ground, while those over 60, in gold, can only be touch-tackled.