The RFL
Leeds Rhinos announce partnership with South West
Three times back-to-back Super League Champions – Leeds Rhinos have announced a ground breaking partnership with the South West of England. To celebrate the twinning Leeds will also put a team into the All Golds Cup at the Cheltenham Rugby Festival on April 24th.
The partnerships objectives are to enhance the profile of Rugby League in the region, widen the scope of the already popular Rhinos brand and to unearth top junior talent and to provide a path way to the elite ranks.
Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said: "Leeds will be putting a system in place to work with appointed RFL staff in the region. Furthermore we will be holding trials throughout the area for top youngsters in the 16 – 18 yrs category.
"These trials will offer young players an opportunity that they do not have at the moment and if we can create an environment where they can be nurtured hopefully they can then come and join us at Leeds
"On a recent fact finding mission to Cheltenham in preparation for the All Golds Cup I was very impressed to hear that 34 teams from some of the finest schools in the area are entering this year’s 1908 Cup as part of the Cheltenham Festival. This demonstrates the interest in Rugby League."
Joe Catcheside the RFL’s South West Regional Manager said: "The support that Leeds Rhinos are giving to the development of rugby league in the South West is fantastic. I think it shows two things - first, that league is no longer a novelty in our region.
"After all, both Gloucestershire and Exeter Universities were Quarter finalists in the National Student Championship, and we now have five community clubs in Devon alone in addition to teams in Gloucester, Swindon and Bristol."
But perhaps more importantly, it demonstrates that the professional game has recognised the real potential for cities like Gloucester, Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth, to provide the training ground for the Super League players of the future.
There are 46 schools signed up to our regional coaching programme in this, its first year. That's over 1000 juniors starting out on their rugby league career, which is a tremendous talent pool to work with. The support of Leeds Rhinos gives us both a partner in development, and an aspiration for the future of those most gifted players.
Leeds Rhinos first official engagement in the area will be to play in the Cheltenham Rugby Festival alongside amongst others Sheffield Eagles and Featherstone Rovers on April 24th.
