Warriors and Thorns join forces with Rugby League club Foundations

Wigan Touch Warriors and Yorkshire Thorns will be going head-to-head this weekend representing the respective Foundations of Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos in a special tournament being held at Wigan St Cuthberts RLFC by the RFL.

The pair will also be going up against a team from Warrington Wolves as the RFL seeks to use Touch as part of its community offering.

Both the England Touch Association clubs have recently begun working with the Foundations, the Thorns to develop Touch across the city of Leeds and the Warriors to deliver a Touch programme with Wigan RLFC and Wigan Council to help people with a BMI over 25 to help them lead more positive, healthier lifestyle.

Warriors coach Steve Melling says that the partnership that his club has with the Super League outfit has a lot of potential.

“Ant Atherton, who was the ETA’s High Performance Director at the World Cup and is now at the RFL, made the introduction between ourselves and Wigan Warriors and it’s been great to work with them,” Melling says.

“It’s early in the relationship but it’s been positive so far, with around 20 people each week coming along to the free Touch sessions we’ve been running.

“There’s definitely a lot of potential, both with us and the Warriors Foundation and potentially between other Super League club Foundations and Touch clubs elsewhere in the country. Leeds are already there with Yorkshire Thorns and hopefully more will follow. I’d definitely encourage Touch clubs to get in contact with their local professional club as well because you never know where it might lead.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday’s tournament and playing the Thorns as well as a team from Warrington with a men’s and women’s competition.”