Congratulations to Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s school partnership officer, Dane Weatherill who has been selected to play for Hungary in an international 9s tournament this month.
Weatherill, who qualifies through his Hungarian born grandfather, attended a training camp with the Hungary side last Christmas and will fly out to Budapest this week to play two tests against Poland and Belgium. In September he will join up again with the national side to take on the Netherlands in Amsterdam and in October will play in the Balkan Cup against Serbia in Belgrade.
The Partnership Officer, who has worked for the Foundation since 2015 and is responsible for managing and delivering to a number of Leeds Rhinos Foundation's Partner Schools assisting with their PE curriculum for both KS1 and KS2, began playing rugby league with community club Dewsbury Celtic and played for them from Under-8s to Open Age, before moving onto Castleford Tigers Scholarship/Under-18s.
He has also represented Yorkshire in a test series against Cumbria and Lancashire and captained England Colleges/Universities in a series against Scotland. Alongside his duties with Leeds Rhinos Foundation, Weatherill currently plays for Keighley Cougars Reserve 1.
Speaking about his selection Weatherill said: “I am really proud to have been given the opportunity to represent Hungary and I am looking forward to challenging myself on the international stage. I met most of the players on the training camp at the end of last year and they are a good group and hopefully we will be successful against Poland and Belgium.”
Hungary's National Rugby League team was founded in Budapest in May 2011 by members of the Budapest Exiles RFC, keen to try Rugby League and with an open invitation to other teams in Hungary to send players and they made their international debut on 23 July in the 2011 European Bowl tournament.
“We are a young team but interest in Rugby League is growing in Hungary,” added Weatherill. “This will be a great experience for me and hopefully will lead to selection for the Emerging Nations World Cup 2018 in Australia.”