A special public film showing sponsored by Rugby League Cares of the classic film This Sporting Life (1963) will take place at  Hyde Park cinema in Leeds tomorrow (Tuesday September 4) at 7.45.

The film will be introduced by sports historian Professor Tony Collins and sports journalist Anthony Clavane.

Based on the seminal novel written by former Leeds professional rugby league player, David Storey, who also wrote the screen play, the film tells the dramatic tale of a fictional Wakefield miner who became a Rugby League player. Both Leeds and Wakefield provided many of the scenes for the film with local people as extras

Chris Rostron, Head of Partnerships and Community Projects said: “Rugby League Cares is delighted to be supporting the screening of This Sporting Life as part of the Fields in Vision programme.
“It really is great to be involved in this initiative which is positively raising the profile of Rugby League’s heritage and culture.”

Gary Hetherington, Chief Executive of Leeds Rugby welcomes the opportunity for Rugby League fans and the general public to see the prize winning film, which starred Rachel Roberts and Richard Harris, whose performance won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.  

Gary Hetherington comments:  “After 50 years the story of This Sporting Life still has a resonance and significance for many people in the game and for sports fans generally. I am really looking forward to seeing the film at the cinema, as having only seen television clips it will be both an entertaining evening and one that will complete my Rugby League education.”

The special showing of This Sporting Life is sponsored by Rugby League Cares and is part of the arts programme of Fields of Vision, a conference on the arts in sport convened by Leeds Rugby Arts of the Leeds Rugby Foundation, in association with the Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure at Leeds Metropolitan University.

The Fields of Vision conference will take place at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on November 30th with a complementary programme of arts events at various times during the autumn supported by Arts Council England and the National Lottery.

The Leeds Rugby Foundation is the educational and community charity of Leeds Rugby and Leeds Rugby Arts its arts programme. Previous arts events have included the commissioning of the composer Carl Davis to create an orchestral tribute to Leeds Rhinos RL team, which was recorded by the orchestra of Opera North.

The music was subsequently used for a creative contemporary dance piece, Dancing with Rhinos produced and choreographed by Phoenix Dance Theatre. Leeds Rugby Arts also initiated a year’s artist in residency at Headingley Carnegie Stadium and Leeds Rugby.

Rugby League Cares is a new charity that brings together the existing Rugby League family of charities:

•    Rugby League Foundation
•    RFL Benevolent Fund
•    RFL Heritage Trust
•    Club Foundations

The central idea of Rugby League Cares is to provide assistance to Rugby League’s broad community by attracting more support from sponsors, partners and the public in general.  

Rugby League Cares supporting Rugby League’s broad community - Past, Present & Future:

•    Past: Celebrating and protecting Rugby League’s heritage and traditions.
•    Present: Helping to take care of members of the Rugby League family, especially in times of hardship and distress.
•    Future: Securing the future by funding, and supporting projects at the grassroots of the game.