Leeds renew dual registration partnership with Championship club

Leeds have announced they have renewed their dual-registration partnership with Championship side Featherstone ahead of the 2022 season.

The pair have had a partnership for many years. This has seen players such as Ashton Golding, Alex Sutcliffe and Callum McLelland given the chance to play for Featherstone. All three featured in their defeat in the Million Pound Game against Toronto.

Featherstone will have access to Leeds’ top 20 squad, as well as Jack Broadbent, Sam Walters and Levi Edwards. Equally, some Featherstone players will also play for Leeds’ reserve side, which will be making a comeback in 2022.

Speaking to the club website, Rhinos Head Coach Richard Agar said: “It was only a few years ago when Ash Handley and Harry Newman were playing for Featherstone and the experience they gained certainly helped their development.

“Clearly, Featherstone will be vying for promotion this year so we are extremely pleased for our players to develop in such a strong, professional environment.”

Featherstone Head Coach Brian McDermott added:  “I was around at the outset of the partnership between both Clubs so I understand how both Clubs can benefit strongly from this partnership.

“The Championship will be a long, hard season so we know that this relationship will give us the strength in depth we will need to enable us to meet those challenges.”

Leeds and Featherstone prepare for friendly

Both sides will be facing each other in just over a week’s time. The pair will face off at the Millennium Stadium on 16th January.

This will be the Rhinos’ second pre-season match, having already beaten Wakefield on Boxing Day. They will then face further friendlies against Bradford, Hull FC and Hunslet. Their Super League campaign then gets underway against Warrington.

As for Featherstone, it will be their first outing of 2021. They then face another friendly against Wakefield before their season gets underway against York at the end of January.

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