Salford City Roosters are appealing for new players of all ages, following the launch of their Masters Rugby League team for the upcoming season.
Masters Rugby League is a non-competitive, social form of rugby, with all games ending 0-0 without leagues, cup finals or end-of-season champions.
The project is aimed at men aged 35 and over and women aged 30 or over, looking to remain active and social within a rugby league framework.
Former Salford Red Devils and Salford City Roosters player Stewart Williams, 66, will run the initiative and hopes it can bridge the generational gap between players and get people talking.
He said: “A lot of the lads at the club who are getting into their 30s, I don’t really know them as such; it’d be great to get that link again, through the generations of people.
“Sport is a generational conduit, people chat about how great things were then and how they are now and that’s good for the sport,” he added.
Alongside the sporting benefits, Williams feels that the social aspects of the project, could help to remove stigmas around discussing men’s health.
He said: “A few people I know from the club are a bit isolated now.
“They’re single men, they’re alone; when they get into their 60s they finish work and, all of a sudden, there’s nothing around to support them.
“In sport, you can talk in a different way.
“You’re not just a bloke from the pub, you’ve stood toe-to-toe with each other and have helped each other out in situations like that,” he continued: “That helps people have these difficult conversations.
“It’s about bringing people who may be on the outside at the moment onto the inside, making them feel part of what’s going on and part of that structure that can support you.” he added.
Roosters Launch Masters Team for 2025
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our Masters Rugby League team for 2025, led by club founder and former captain Stewart Williams 🏉
🌐Find out more about Masters and
register your interest here:https://t.co/iawJPE3R4F— SalfordCityRoosters (@SalfordRoosters) January 12, 2025
Masters Rugby League first began in 1992 in Australia and New Zealand, and has since grown in popularity among amateur rugby league clubs in the UK.
Stewart continued to say it’s all about ‘getting together and enjoying yourself’.
He said: “There’s more to the rugby than just rugby. It’s a social thing, it’s people you know all your life.
“If you want to come off for a break, have a break. If you want to come and play 10 minutes, play 10 minutes!
“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s just getting together and enjoying yourself,” he added.
The game is a varied contact sport, with players divided by age to determine what kind of contact the player may partake in. Stewart continued that this helps players play with ‘zero stress’.
He said: “If some big bloke at 18 stone runs at you and you’re 60-odd years old, you only have to tag him.
“You’re safe, you can go along and you can have a trot about without somebody taking your head off.
“In Masters, you’re playing with zero stress, zero worry about anything like that.” he added.
In 2008, the Rugby Football League stated that just 2000 registered club players were aged 30 or over, highlighting the short lifespan of a career in rugby league.
This has led to the formation of many Masters Rugby League teams across the UK, extending the life of a rugby league athlete.
People interested in the Masters team can register their interest here.
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