Renowned for supporting budding young sports stars, Yorkshire based building contractor, Strategic Team Group, has switched code to sponsor a more mature team of retired professional, semi professional and amateur rugby league players.  The Great Britain Masters Rugby League squad, who range in age from 35 to 73 years, are set to tour Australia for the first time this month and will all be in possession of GB shirts, featuring the Strategic Team Group logo.

The first GB Rugby League Masters Tour to Australia will include a squad of 24 players from Yorkshire and Lancashire.  The team will play a series of matches over the 19 day tour, culminating in a visit to the National Rugby League Grand Final on the 4th October 2009.

Started in New Zealand in 1992, progressing to Australia and officially launching in the UK in April 2008, Rugby League Masters is enjoying great success and is currently engaging thousands of older players.  Masters Rugby League can only be played by those aged 35 years or over, is strictly a social version of the sport and the rules are specifically modified to cater for the older player. There are no winners, no champions, no cup finals, it is all in the spirit of the game. The most important rule is that everyone has to buy a drink for their opposite number.

Commenting on the sponsorship deal, League For All officer and GB team manager, Peter Longbottom said:
“Rugby League Masters is a great opportunity for past players to dust off their boots, turn the clock back, demonstrate their skills and experience the adrenalin rush, without the risk of injury thanks to the ruling that the more senior the player, the less physical contact they receive.
“The benefits of keeping active and stimulated are endless, so we’re absolutely delighted that Strategic Team Group has seen the importance of supporting sport for players who are young at heart.  We’re all looking forward to playing in Australia and our oldest player, Ray Timpson aged 73 years, who formerly played for Sunderland ARLFC, is particularly keen to experience the camaraderie and the chance to run around in something more meaningful than a training session.”

Charles Tweed, Strategic Team Group’s business development director added:
“As a company we are all passionate about sport and supporting community based programmes, which in particular aim to improve health, fitness and wellbeing.  As an ex-rugby player, albeit rugby union, I’m quite inspired by the whole concept.
“We’d like to wish the team success for the forthcoming tour and hope they continue to encourage more players, who thought it was time to hang the boots up, to get involved in a sport that has so many benefits both mentally and physically.”

Although not participating in the Australia tour, high profile Rugby League Masters players include Great Britain legends Barry McDermott, Chris Burton, Hugh Waddell and Steve Molloy.

For further information on Rugby League Masters visit www.therfl.co.uk or call Peter Longbottom on tel: 07515 754053, email peter.longbottom@rfl.uk.com.