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Cartoon by Jason Lythgoe-Hay

I am writing in reply to Neil Bonnar's article ("Rugby's not so Tough, Thursday May 1).

I am the head coach at Bolton Mets Rugby League Club. May I begin by saying how helpful Neil has been in the past with various articles to assist Bolton Mets to promote the club and rugby league in Bolton.

This is why I find his article so shocking! His opening lines about arrogant rugby union hating rugby league fans appalls me.

I am sure some rugby league fans hate rugby union, just as some rugby union fans hate rugby league. In the past two to three years Bolton Mets and Bolton Rugby Union have built up a healthy relationship with each other as we have played many of our home games at Avenue Street. This opening line undermines everything we have achieved in the last few years with the two codes of rugby playing alongside each other.

He goes on to say he is "Delighted" to see Dwain Chambers pass through his debut in relative comfort.

The reply in Monday's paper by John Roberts questions whether Neil Bonnar went to the Castleford game in which Chambers played and has he ever attended a Rugby League game? I would be interested to know the answer! I have several friends and family who have been to watch the Mets over the years, many of them big football fans, and the one thing they all agree on is how tough rugby is and that although they enjoy watching the game which has huge physical contact they would not want to play it themselves as it is too tough! To mock Rugby League as a "rough tough man's game" shows he hasn't attended many games, if any!

John Roberts asks if Bolton Mets would like to invite Neil Bonnar to attend a training session or two. I think this is a very good idea! The offer is there for Neil to come down and train with us (Training starts on Thursday, May 22).

However the most disturbing section of Neil Bonnar's article is "the 20 stone Superhumans who were born down't pit in Wigan or Keighley raised on a diet of babies, coal and Tetleys mild" jibe. I am disgusted by these remarks and demand a public apology as soon as possible.

If he were to take the time to come and check out our squad he will see that we have players of all shapes and sizes. What other game could you have a 23 stone man playing as equally important role as a nine stone man standing on the same pitch? Certainly not football!

Our players come from all walks of life, many well educated with one of our players having a doctorate in physics. We are constantly battling to attract young players in this football-obsessed town so this negative publicity does not help our cause.

His final paragraph states Chambers has made a mockery of the talk about him not being able to make it in the game. Well that talk has certainly been proved as Castleford have decided not to extend his run at the club.

Chris Brown Head Coach Bolton Mets Rugby League Club

9:15am Friday 9th May 2008

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The Bolton News welcomes your letters for publication in The Bolton News print and online editions. Contact us by email if you have a comment to make about any of our stories, or an opinion about anything you want to get off your chest to a wider audience.