Can you imagine your amateur team being trained by 13 elite players from the world of rugby league? What if Rugby AM filmed that session and broadcast it on TV for all your friends and neighbours to see? And how about Red’s True Barbecue tipping up to feed the club afterwards?
It’s the stuff of dreams you say. Well this summer you can turn this make-believe into a reality, thanks to the new Red’s Rugby AM Festival Experience.
The masters of smoked meat, Red’s, and the fan’s favourite TV show, Rugby AM, along with Leeds Rhinos Foundation have joined forces to bring amateur clubs a prize every team will be talking about during the school holidays.
Need drop goal instruction? Lee Briers has got it covered. How’s your fullback position knowledge? Zak Hardaker’s your man. What about finishing a try and your wing play insight? Ryan Hall’s on board. Along with Kallum Watkins, Danny Brough, Daryl Clark, Adam Cuthbertson, Luke Gale, Alex Walmsley, Keith Senior, James Jones-Buchanan, Chev Walker and Ryan Atkins, rugby’s newest festival will put your club in a league all of its own.
The competition was launched this Sunday at the Leeds Rhinos Foundation Children’s Day, the Red’s Rugby AM Festival Experience is throwing down the gauntlet to clubs across Yorkshire to take part.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan, said: “This prize brings together some of the greatest names in the sport to bring all that knowledge and expertise to one lucky amateur club for a day in September.
“The competition is simple – clubs need to score points in our virtual league and finish at the top to bag the prize! However, instead of tries we’ve swapped them for 10-point tokens, which you can earn at Red’s every time you visit their Headingley restaurant and have a feed during the school holidays.
“Whichever team has the most points by Friday 14 August will get a little taster of what’s to come; an elite training session hosted at the Dick Gibson Ambassador Festival on 23rd August and a chance to raise the Holy Grail league leaders trophy.
“But this isn’t the main prize; just like the real league, we’ve added some playoffs to make it interesting.”
Alex Simmons, co-host of Rugby AM, added: “For every registered team that scores a try at Ambassador Festival, they’ll earn an additional Festival point to go towards their total score – this should change up the virtual league! Teams will then have a final two weeks to earn more points from Red’s Headingley before we call the winner.”
To find out more and register, clubs must visit www.truebarbecue.com/rhinos<http://www.truebarbecue.com/rhinos> and request their festival packs. Each pack also includes a free kid’s meal to enjoy at Red’s Headingley during the school holiday.
Alex Walmsley said: “Growing up I always looked up to stars like Francis Cummins and Andy Farrell and tried to emulate their play by going to the games and watching carefully. The Red’s Rugby AM Festival Experience is an amazing prize, because it brings elite training right to the club’s front door, one-on-one, which makes all the difference. I’m really looking forward to offering up everything I’ve learned to the winning club.”
James Douglas, co-founder at Red’s, said: “We’re a local business born and bred in Leeds, so this is a great opportunity for us to support grassroots rugby and give back to the fans who visit us each and every week.
“We’re excited that the Leeds Rhinos Foundation is our new, official charity partner. Fans can be reassured that every time they eat in our Headingley restaurant to earn Festival points, we’ll be donating back to the charity, so it’s a win win for everyone. This is a great prize for the amateur game – elite training, a showcase on TV and a feed courtesy of Red’s all rolled into one. Good luck to everyone that takes part over the next 6-weeks; the winning club best be hungry in September!”
The competition kicks off Monday 20 July and the final closing date is 12pm Sunday 6 September.