Leeds Rhinos are helping to boost the game of Rugby League in the West Indies and Jamaica by bringing top officials from the game in the Caribbean over to Leeds to share with them the secrets of their success.
It may not seem the most obvious link to outsiders; the game traditionally thought of as based in the North of England embracing the land of calypso cricket but when it is considered that four of the Rhinos first team are of West Indian descendant the potential can be seen. It is hoped by fostering these links the Rhinos can help the game develop in Jamaica and help inspire youngsters in the West Indian communities in West Yorkshire to take up the game.
Through the support from Sport England and Yorkshire Culture, the Leeds Rugby Foundation has brought representatives from the West Indies Rugby League Federation (WIRLF) and the Jamaican Rugby League Association (JRLA) to Leeds for a week long fact finding mission.
Leeds Rhinos are a strong supporter and provider to all developments of the game both domestically and internationally. As one of the most successful clubs in the Super League the club currently boasts 15 international players 4 of which, most notably, Chev Walker and Ryan Bailey are of Jamaican descent. They also boast an award winning community development programme which supports the development of the game locally. The Rhinos community development programme is operated out of Leeds Rugby's charity the "Leeds Rugby Foundation".
Both the WIRLF and the JRLA have taken a very proactive role in the development of the rugby league, providing substantial community benefit and creating some significant outcomes for the sport. There are currently 4 teams playing in the Jamaican league. The culmination of all of their work and one of the defining aims of the JRLA is to establish Jamaica as a competitive nation in international rugby league.
Under the theme of International Exchanges and Visits the Leeds Rugby Foundation-Sporting Champions proposal has enabled an exchange visit from representatives of the WIRLF and JRLA and hopes it will provide both inspiration and community benefit to the regions black and minority ethnic communities.
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