Speakers' corner

We meet parliamentary group promoting rugby league

Last updated: 13th July 2011   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Speakers' corner
I think it's great for myself to get the opportunity. I am privileged to come and speak to this group of MP's.

Steve McNamara
Quotes of the week

Steve McNamara is used to giving team talks to high-profile Super League stars, but last week he gave a very different type of address when he spoke to MP's at Westminster.

The England coach was invited to meet the all-party parliamentary rugby league group, which has been in existence for more than 20 years and is made up of around 60 politicians from various parties who have an interest in the sport.

McNamara gave the politicians the lowdown on his preparations for the 2013 World Cup and spoke about his work in carrying the nation's international rugby league hopes.

And he insists he was proud to have the chance to speak to the committee.

"They just want to talk rugby league at the end of the day," McNamara told Boots 'n' All.

"I love doing that as well, so I think it's great for myself to get the opportunity. I am privileged to come and speak to this group of MP's.

"Hopefully they'll get a fair bit out of what I'm talking to them about and I'll certainly get something from them.

"Certainly it's part and parcel of the remit and it's one I'm privileged to do."

Important

The parliamentary group has worked alongside the rugby league authorities to ensure the sport is recognised and promoted in the right way.

They recently pressured the government on the issue of funding for the 2013 World Cup and have campaigned on issues such as tackling homophobia in sport and addressing the issue of visas for overseas players.

And Boots 'n' All pundit Barrie McDermott paid tribute to the work that the group does in pushing the interests of the sport.

"I've been lucky enough to speak at that dinner and it's an incredibly humbling experience to sit with people who are so important - far more influential than we care to realise," he said.

"They perhaps put our stars and our Super League players on pedestals and back them to the hilt.

"Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat MP, Leeds NW) is a person I have a hell of a lot of respect for with the time and effort he puts in. But you see him in his Rhinos shirt on a Friday night sat with everybody else.

"Each MP and each politician that we bring in, we need to convert them to our way of thinking.

"We bring people in. We're an inclusion sport. It's not just about Super League or Championship, it's about bringing in as many people as we can, no matter what sex, what persuasion or what religion they are.

"We bring people in and try to get them to cherish our game like we do."

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