IT seems the area's glove affair is spreading to the junior ranks.

Back in November, Scrum Down highlighted that the 'fingerless mittens' which had become the latest fashion accessory for certain International stars had seeped down onto the local club circuit.

Now, I have to say disappointingly, the youth players have opted to follow suit.

At the superbly organised York Junior Festival, our photographer caught the top action of the day. However, a closer look at the pictures showed at least one junior wearing gloves in each one.

I can understand why some of the future stars of the game would wear scrum caps, as safety is paramount at any level of the game and anything that can help improve it really can't be criticised. But the gloves do nothing but take away one of the skills of the game.

The chairman of the Yorkshire RFU junior section, Brian Shenton, admitted as he didn't coach a junior side he didn't have the 'hands-on experience' to comment on the trend but said that the wearing of gloves did have implications on senior players.

"I am as bemused as everybody else about these gloves," he said. "They would appear to be a fashion icon.

"As I don't coach a side I don't have the hands-on knowledge of why players are suddenly wearing them.

"The serious aspect is that it shows that young players do look up to our senior players and copy what they do, so we have to be careful that they don't copy the more unsavoury aspects.

"It shows the role our seniors have to play and that their discipline must be exemplary at all times."

Updated: 10:55 Saturday, April 12, 2003