SCORES from under-8s and under-9s rugby league matches will no longer be appearing in the Evening Press following a county clampdown.

The Yorkshire Junior Amateur Rugby League has brought in the new ruling in a bid to stamp out competitiveness in the younger age groups.

The rule, confirmed at their recent annual general meeting, says: "Under-8s and 9s scores will not be published in the press. Failure to comply will result in a £20 fine."

There have been concerns that coaches and parents have been putting winning ahead of taking part. One under-8s game even had to be abandoned recently after parents started fighting on the touchline.

Frank Waite, one of the founders of under-8s rugby and fixture secretary for the Yorkshire Juniors Under-13s, said competitveness in lower age groups had gone too far.

"It is supposed to be friendly, non-competitive rugby. It is not all about winning games," said Waite, who quit his involvement with Smawthorne Panthers .

"But some coaches and parents are putting kids on the field with a one-track mind to win.

"It's unfair for coaches to hammer another team then brag about it. Those kids who have lost will be disheartened.

"It's not right for kids at that age and that is what we are trying to stop."

Waite said there was no problem with a report stating that a youngster had scored, say, four tries, or in reporting which team won.

The new law will affect York clubs Acorn and New Earswick All Blacks who regularly submit Under-8s and 9s reports to the Evening Press.

Acorn press officer Paul Lumby agrees with the theory behind it but would like to see the rule amended.

He said: "I can understand and appreciate why they don't want really big scores in but everybody should use their common sense.

"It seems a bit daft if it's a competitive and close game that you can't put the score in.

"They should say that anything above 40 or 50 points shouldn't be shown as such a big deficit.

"Teams in York have always used common sense and not rubbed anyone's noses in it."

Another new rule means clubs can no longer play under-7s rugby, which Waite said did not exist within the Yorkshire Junior League, and any team recording under-7s rugby would be expelled from it.

He said insurance reasons were behind the new rule and explained: "Under-7s is really an overspill of under-8s. Kids can start playing when they are six-years-old but it isn't really right to put them into the under-8s at that age.

"So clubs have been classing it as under-7s. But if a child got injured playing under-7s rugby then for insurance purposes they couldn't claim."

Waite added that clubs were permitted to class a team as Under-8s 'B' which would get round the insurance problem.