Jamie Langley on Rivals Round

For more than a decade, Jamie Langley was a linchpin of Bradford Bulls, a fans’ favourite always appreciated for his unstinting work rate, toil and graft.

Defensively, he was a rock. And the tough-tackling loose forward could play a bit, too.

Langley racked up more than 250 games for Bradford, enjoying a Grand Final win and two World Club Challenge glories before departing at the end of 2013, the year prior to their unimaginable relegation from Super League.

At their height, the Bulls played some remarkable games against fierce foes Leeds Rhinos, with the bitter rivals often battling it out for the sport’s major silverware.

Langley played alongside legends like Lesley Vainikolo, Robbie Paul, Jimmy Lowes, Leon Pryce plus Jamie Peacock and against the Golden Generation of Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow et all. They were halcyon times. Epic encounters.

With Bradford now finally back in the elite this year, the West Yorkshire neighbours go toe-to-toe again on Good Friday for their first Super League clash in 14 years.

Langley will be there but now, and at the age of 42,  as assistant coach of Rhinos. It’s all very strange.

He recalled: “Looking back, they were just terrific games.

“The rivalry was intense, every match between us was huge, so much went on.

“Obviously, they knocked us off in 2004 in the Grand Final but we returned the favour a year later.

“Those were big games. I think in 2003, though, we played Leeds five times.

“We played them in the Challenge Cup final and a play-off qualifying semi-final to get to Old Trafford.

“I remember they came to Odsal once that year and they turned up already strapped up and kitted out on the bus!

“They were just trying to find different methodologies and ways of turning up to beat us because I think we had their number around that time: we won all five games against them that season.

“Powelly [Daryl Powell] was Leeds coach. Obviously we had Jimmy Lowes and those sort of lads - big Les, Shonny [Hape], Joe Vagana, JP and Paul Deacon.

“We went on to win the Grand Final  [against Wigan].

“But there were some unbelievable games with Leeds; the atmospheres were unmatched in my opinion. 

“At that time, I do think it was the biggest derby around. There were games down at Odsal where we had 24,000-25,000, absolutely packed to the rafters 

“Maybe one day we’ll get back to that. But, mainly, it’s just great to see Bradford back in Super League again. And they're going well."

Ex-England international Langley, who has helped Leeds up to joint-second at the start of this season, will relish going back to Odsal, even if he maintains he won’t let nostalgia get the better of him.

Does he believe those Bradford fans who used to herald him will now get into him when he arrives in Blue and Amber colours?

Langley insisted: “I don't know. I've not even thought about it to be honest. 

“You don't tend to think about it that way. Regardless of what colours I'm wearing, I'm there to do a job as a coach and do the best job I can for the boys. 

“I have been back to Odsal a couple of times since, whether it be when I was coaching the academy down in London or just going to watch a couple of games. 

“I don't think too much of it. There'll be loads of familiar faces there obviously. “It'll be great to catch up with them and say hello. 

“But, ultimately, we're there to do a job and it'll be all business come kick-off time.”
Bradford have shown promise on their long-awaited return, winning half of their six games so far to show potential for making the play-offs.

And, as Langley says, they are proving the doubters wrong on more than one front.

“I've been a big advocate for expanding the Super League for quite a while now,” he said.

“I think 14 teams is the minimum but, if we can get to 15 and potentially 16 down the track, that would be great.

“I know the arguments were that the talent pool wasn't big enough or vast enough, and some of those clubs coming up might not be competitive.

“But, up to this point, Bradford, York and Toulouse have proved everyone wrong, and they've maintained the majority of the squads from the Championship.

“It's great to see all those clubs stepping up, and I think it further strengthens the argument that we can expand the comp’ in this competition and still be competitive.”

Langley, of course, cites the 2005 title decider win over Leeds as his greatest memory of facing Rhinos.

But there are so many others to draw upon.

“I played in Sam Burgess’ debut at Headingley,” he recalls about the tyro forward in 2006 who went onto become a rugby league superstar in both hemispheres.

“Matty James was supposed to play and then fell ill. It might have been the day of the game.

“Sam got the nod and got called in. Obviously, Sam and I were quite close then. “We were good mates. That was a great occasion to see him make his debut there. “The other game that stands out was the one where Les [Vainikolo] scored in his final match before leaving for Gloucester.

“There was an unbelievable try down the touchline there, where I think he was backpedalling at one point.

“It was always hard going to face any of the Leeds teams at Headingley. They were incredible. 

“There were so many games where we thought we had their number - and then they just flipped the script on the head in the last five or ten minutes. 

“The quality they had… the games just went down to the wire. 

“We had so many great fixtures against them back in the day.

“And now the fixture is back. It’s exciting.”

By Dave Craven

Are you ready for Rivals Round? Round 7 of the Betfred Super League gets underway with a blockbuster triple-header on Good Friday (live across Sky Sports and SuperLeague+).

All games will be broadcasted live, and fixture information can be found here.