Rugby League's Amsterdam Challenge - Hull KR v York Knights - video Dailymotion

Yorkshire Post

The Yorkshire Post’s James O’Brien chronicles the ‘Amsterdam Challenge’ as Hull KR and York Knights head to the Netherlands to help spread the appeal of Super League ...

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00:00Well, I never thought I'd find myself outside an airport at 4.15 in the morning, waiting

00:17to go watch two English teams, two Yorkshire teams, play in Amsterdam.

00:23Rubber League is full of surprises and they're not always nasty ones, it should be a really

00:28interesting day. I'm not expecting too much from the game itself, it's pre-season friendly

00:33after all, but it's about the bigger picture, it's about the event itself and taking games

00:41on the road to places like Amsterdam can only be a good thing for the game and the game

00:45in England as well, to grow that product and take it into different markets. Yeah, it should

00:52be a good one.

00:53So Jared, you're obviously not playing today, but what's it like being part of this Amsterdam

00:57takeover?

00:58It's fantastic, you know, it's my first time here in Amsterdam. Heard so many good stories

01:06about it, but to be here to try and grow our game, to bring a fixed game over here, it's

01:13fantastic, you know. For the community, the game in itself and both clubs, really excited

01:20to be here.

01:27How pleased are you that your vision has come to life now, not just you but the whole club?

01:38Yeah, absolutely delighted. A lot of staff have been here for over a week now in the

01:42foundation, we've talked rugby to over a thousand school kids, there's a great crowd here today,

01:47it's been a fantastic weekend for the fans, many of them have come over on the ferries

01:51or flown in for the last 24-48 hours. And do you know what, this is for the fans really,

01:56it's just a different way to enjoy being part of the club.

02:05I think it's fantastic, I think OKR in particular and York have done a great job in organising

02:12the event. I know a lot of English have come over, but if we can tap into the local market,

02:18we all know Rugby League is the best sport out there and the best product to watch, so

02:24if we can get a few of the Dutch locals interested and enthused, I think it would be fantastic

02:31because we keep banging the drum and to expand in different areas where we've not got a foothold

02:38is great, so both clubs and the game should be commended.

02:43An enjoyable weekend in Amsterdam comes to an end, a really great event put on by Hulk

02:56AR and York on Saturday. Just really unique, a completely different experience to what

03:03you're used to in England of course, being in the Dutch capital. I think everyone recognises

03:11that Rugby League needs more of these events. I think it's high time that Super League took

03:16games to places like this on the road. Amsterdam, Dublin, going to these untapped markets and

03:26showcase Rugby League in those places and of course for the fans it's an amazing experience,

03:31a chance to experience something different to the norm. It's great going to Wilderham

03:38Road, places like that, but if you can hop on a plane or a ferry and come to a city like

03:43Amsterdam for the weekend and enjoy getting Rugby League and what the city has to offer

03:48then it's a no-brainer in my opinion.

Rugby League's Amsterdam Challenge - Hull KR v York Knights

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