There may not be any silverware on the line, but the Leeds Rhinos PDRL team will be going all out to win their final game of a rollercoaster 2021 season this weekend.
After finishing in third place in this year’s PDRL League the Rhinos have unfortunately missed out on a chance to feature in the Grand Final, but will still make an appearance at the event after agreeing to take on the Warrington ‘Wire’ squad in a curtain raiser at York St John’s Haxby Road Sports Park on Sunday.
The exhibition fixture (Kick Off 1:30pm) gives the players from both sides one last chance to take to the field together in 2021 and showcase their talents to what is expected to be a bumper crowd at the showpiece Final, which will once again see Warrington Wolves face Wakefield Trinity (Kick Off 3pm).
It’s been an incredibly up-and-down season for player-coach Dan Roberts and his side, who failed to win any of their opening four games against their West Yorkshire rivals (2 draws, 2 defeats) but have bounced back with 5 wins from 6 games (including one walkover victory against Warrington) against the teams from across the Pennines.
But with a whole host of new faces joining the team and a brand new coaching staff in place- following the addition of Neil Barnaby and Kieron Hickman from Castleford- it was always going to take a while to hit their stride.
Having hit some form at the right end of the season, the Rhinos may well have fancied themselves to take the glory if the opportunity had once again presented itself, but will now instead focus on defeating the ‘Wire’ team for the second weekend in a row having picked up a convincing 46-0 win against the same outfit last Sunday at Leeds Rugby Academy, Kirkstall.
There is also the small matter of a PDRL World Cup on the horizon, with the players continuing to do all they can to stake a claim in the England, Wales and Scotland teams set to feature at the tournament. Playing at Finals Day gives them the perfect chance to show the coaches exactly why they should be picked to represent their country at what is a landmark competition for the PDRL game.
Spectators can enjoy all the action at York St John’s Haxby Road Campus on Sunday, with entrance for spectators available for just £2 on the door (Under 16s and concessions free).
Make sure to follow Leeds Rhinos Foundation on Twitter (@RugbyLeeds) for all the latest PDRL news and score updates.
For more information about Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s PDRL team, please contact Team Manager Ben Berry on ben.berry@leedsrhinosfoundation.org.