WARRINGTON Wolves are to pump £170,000 into expanding junior rugby league in the area after signing a new sponsorship deal.

Former Great Britain under 21 player Paul Darbyshire has retired from playing to head the project over the next three years.

The cash has come through a three year deal with Norweb company ENERGi worth £120,000 and a £50,000 government sport grant. The deal was announced at a Wilderspool press conference last Friday.

Darbyshire has been involved with Wolves for the last 12 years and is already busy spreading the word about rugby league among schools around the borough.

He said: "There are 80 primary schools in Warrington, but only about 10 of them are playing in the schools league at the moment. We are going in there to introduce both the kids and the teachers to the game.

"We go back several times over a six week period and teach them the basic skills and rules of the game.

"The feedback we're getting is very enthusiastic so we seem to be hitting the right buttons."

Children of both sexes play a non-contact version of the game to introduce them to the rules with apprentice players from the club leading sessions.

The scheme also involves promoting the sport among youngsters outside the Warrington area and Darbyshire is already involved in sponsoring a team newly christened the 'Chester Wolves'.

He said: "We're looking at pulling people in from areas like Chester and North Wales who represent a great potential audience for the game. The infrastructure of the game is very weak in these areas at the moment but the enthusiasm is certainly there."

ENERGi service manager David Wood said: "The aim of this collaboration is to foster and develop grass roots participation in rugby league by young people of both sexes and all abilities."

Wolves are hoping to expand the scheme into secondary schools in the future.

Wolves also confirmed their £250,000 sponsorship deal with sports manufacturers New Balance at the press conference, as revealed in last week's GUARDIAN.

Wolfie welcomes

a new generation

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