Dave Hadfield

Dave Hadfield was a schoolboy convert to rugby league, the game which, one way or another, has dominated his life ever since. After working for newspapers in Shropshire and Blackpool (where he covered the fortunes of Blackpool Borough) he travelled the world, working mainly in Hong Kong and Sydney. He became The Independent's rugby league man in 1990 and has written five books on the game and broadcast extensively for Sky and the BBC. Dave played his last game at the age of 53 and would have set up a try if anyone could have been bothered supporting his break. When not writing about the sport, he now limits himself to a bit of tick and pass with his local club, the Bolton Mets. Family includes supporters - of varying degrees of dedication - of Salford, Wigan, Sheffield Eagles and St George Illawarra.

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword
Giant strides: Leroy Cudjoe scored two tries to put Huddersfield through

Huddersfield Giants 24 Leeds Rhinos 8 match report: Leroy Cudjoe halts Rhinos' annual charge to Wembley

Leroy Cudjoe intercepted Leeds on their usual route to Wembley with two tries that took Huddersfield into the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.

The Warrington coach will alter a winning team to bring back Lee Briers

Wolves slay Giants with Briers still up their sleeves

Huddersfield Giants 12 Warrington Wolves 34

Round-up: Castleford rise to welcome Powell as their new coach

Castleford, who are poised to confirm Featherstone's Daryl Powell as their new coach today, are off the foot of the Super League table, thanks to a 32-24 win over Hull KR.

Wakefield Trinity 30 Catalan Dragons 12 match report: Richard Agar's club hand out a lesson to his French hopefuls

Danny Kirmond and Peter Fox claimed two tries apiece as Richard Agar's club side completely outflanked his international hopefuls.

Bradford 22 Leeds 42 match report: Leeds' early push leaves Bradford too far behind

Leeds started like the champions they are, hitting Bradford with an early whirlwind from which they never recovered.

Warrington Wolves' Joel Monaghan goes over for a try past Bradford Bulls Michael Platt during the Super League match at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington

Round-Up: Kallum Watkins brace keeps Leeds in touch

Super League champions Leeds kept in touch with the top of the table after an easy 44-10 win at Hull KR. Kallum Watkins scored two of their tries and Ian Kirke his first in Super League for two years while Kevin Sinfield took his total of goals for the club beyond the 1,500 mark.

Wrecked nerves: Brian Noble realises how tough his job at Salford really is

Salford City Reds 34 Castleford Tigers 30 match report: Brian Noble shaken before Chase gifts Reds victory

Brian Noble began life as Salford's new coach with a win to lift them off the foot of Super League, but, as a coach who prides himself on his teams' defence, he saw how much he has to do.

The full-back went over for Wakefield’s third try from a Paul Sykes’ pass

Widnes 26 Wakefield 28 match report: Wakefield
show steel to edge out Widnes

Wakefield climbed above Widnes in the Super League table as they became only the second visiting team to win at the Stobart Stadium this season.

Seventh heaven for Workington in Cumbria

Whitehaven 12 Workington Town 16
 

Day In a Page

'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong': The true effect of the badger cull

The true effect of the badger cull

'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong'
Theatre review: Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmaan

First night: The Cripple of Inishmaan

Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's comedy
Girls Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

After 103 years, organisation changes oath to welcome 'all girls, of all faiths, and none'
Steve Tongue: Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago

Steve Tongue

Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago
Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Bradley Wiggins' exit

Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Wiggins' exit

Sky's lead rider says he is in fantastic form for the Tour and happy pecking order debate is over
Hannah England: I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess

Hannah England: Keeping Track

I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess
Beards, brawn and body art

Beards, brawn and body art

Meet London’s new batch of male models
Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

British love of shows such as The Bridge, Borgen and The Killing shows no sign of fading
Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?

The Great Green Wall of Africa,

Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?
Laughter Inc: the cheering growth of the chuckle industry

Laughter Inc

The cheering growth of the chuckle industry
The bad science scandal: how fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research

The bad science scandal

How fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research
To the manor born: The female aristocrats battling to inherit the title

Female aristocrats battle to inherit the title

A passionate protest is gathering pace among the women of Britain's aristocracy, who believe that men should no longer automatically inherit the family pile and title.
Love struck: Photographs of JFK's visit to Berlin 50 years ago reveal a nation instantly smitten

In pictures: JFK's visit to Berlin in 1963

Photographer Ulrich Mack accompanied Kennedy on the entire trip. The results are an astonishing record of a watershed moment.
Eat shoots and leaves: Mark Hix gets creative with fresh peas, mangetouts and sugar snaps

Mark Hix gets creative with English peas

English peas and their offsprings, such as mangetouts and sugar snaps, are great tossed into a salad, says our chef.
Ceviche with a smile: Chef Martin Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends

Chef Martin Morales: Ceviche with a smile

Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends