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18

Aug 2021

Community
Community

Fire Ants' fight to establish rugby league in Harrogate

Published: 18 Aug 2021, 06:10 BST

by John Plummer

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Harrogate Fire Ants had only had eight players in its first match in June but the club is now bouncing back on and off the pitch as it prepares for the 2022 season.

first-team-photo-1
Harrogate Fire Ants rugby league

A group of rugby league players struggling to establish the sport in the Harrogate district are taking on a fundraising challenge next month to raise money for their club.

Harrogate Fire Ants has had a short but turbulent existence. Founded last year, it first found it difficult to train because of covid and then at the beginning of this year the club had to rebuild from scratch after a change in personnel at the helm.

The team only had eight players for its first match in June but its fortunes picked up after Laura Symmonds, whose husband Tommy O'Sullivan plays for the Fire Ants, took charge and recruited new players.

The season has now ended and preparations for 2022 have begun. Weekly training takes place at Harrogate Railway FC in Starbeck, where the club is based, and there is also a weekly fun rugby-style fitness camp on the Stray for men and women of all abilities. Newcomers are welcome.

Some Fire Ants players are planning to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on September 12 to raise funds for the club.



Read more:



  • Former Harrogate rugby club chairman James Smithies dies

  • Harrogate rugby union club appoints former player as new head coach





Fire Ants player Jonny Binns said:

"it was tough at first and we thought we would have to fold. We were not in a great position. We had no one to run the club and were training on the Stray with very low numbers and struggling to recruit.
"Through Laura's hard work we are now in a great position to build as a club and we are working hard to recruit new players.
"We have a new kit on the way and recently secured the help from a local coach. We have built a strong committee who are all very committed and hard working. We all believe that the Harrogate Fire Ants has a bright future ahead."


You can support the Fire Ants' Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge here.

Money raised from the challenge will also go towards Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.