The 2025 North vs South Player Development Series came to an exciting conclusion with a thrilling showdown at AMT Headingley Stadium, as the city’s brightest talents battled it out.
The series celebrates historic Leeds rivalry, dating back to the early 1900s when Leeds RLFC and Hunslet RLFC met in iconic clashes that helped shape the city’s proud rugby league heritage.
This year’s programme was a huge success, with more than 200 players from the U14s through to U17s age groups pulling on the colours of their city. Representing the North in traditional Blue and Amber, and the South in Myrtle and Flame, players were guided by over 20 volunteer coaches from Leeds’ community clubs, whose dedication made the series possible.
The action began with a packed day of fixtures at Hunslet RLFC’s South Leeds Stadium, where the South Storm U14s/15s and South Sharks U14s/15s faced off against the North Knights and North Raiders in two fiercely contested games. The following weekend brought the clash of the U16s and U17s combined sides, as they went head-to-head in a contest that underlined the quality and intensity of rugby league at this level.
The second and final round of matches took place on the turf of AMT Headingley Stadium, providing players with the unforgettable opportunity to showcase their skills on one of the sport’s most iconic pitches. Every team gave their all until the final whistle, but it was the South who emerged as overall winners of the 2025 series, claiming city bragging rights in fitting style.
The success of the 2025 series goes beyond the scorelines. The North vs South programme has become a cornerstone of the Foundation’s development pathway, giving young players the opportunity to experience representative rugby while strengthening links between community clubs and the professional game. Importantly, the programme continues to inspire young athletes to pursue their rugby journey, whether in the community game or progressing towards professional ranks.
Graham Davey, North Team manager concurred, saying:
“It’s a chance for players who aren’t involved in the scholarship scheme but are involved in the community game to test themselves at a kind of a slightly more elite level. So, we try and create a professional setup for them, and we try and create an environment that that is akin to the scholarship. With a view to try and find some of the players that maybe haven’t been picked up and give other players a chance to play in that environment and show what they’re about.”
Looking forward, the Foundation is committed to making North vs South a permanent fixture on the city’s rugby league calendar, with plans to expand opportunities into further age groups and strengthen the player pathway even more in 2026 and beyond.
The U16s/17s age group can now look forward to an exciting autumn fixture against the Wakefield Trinity player pathway, offering another valuable step in their development journey.
To cap off a fantastic series, the players will enjoy a special celebration at Leeds Rhinos’ final home match of the Betfred Super League season against Catalans Dragons, where they will take part in a walk around the pitch at Headingley in front of the Rhinos fans. Leeds Rhinos Foundation would like to thank every player, coach, parent and partner who made the 2025 programme such a success and look forward to building on this momentum in years to come.
A special thank you also goes to RAM Films, the official sponsor of the North vs South Series, whose support has helped the programme continue to grow and provide unforgettable opportunities for young players across the city.
Photo Credits: Simon Hall