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Two fierce rugby league rivals have joined forces to form a south Leeds super club.

Hunslet ARLFC is a merger between the Warriors and Parkside clubs and will begin next season with 18 teams, including two girls’ sides, from under-sixes to open age.

Hunslet Club Parkside are reigning champions in the community game’s National Conference Premier Division, but Warriors withdrew from Division Two in August after struggling to raise a team.

The new club’s senior and junior chairman Dav Mawson reckons the merger has “secured amateur rugby league in south Leeds for the foreseeable future”.

Players from Hunslet Warriors and Hunslet Club Parkside open age, girls' and junior sections with the National Conference Premier Division trophy. Picture by Hunslet ARLFC.

He said: “We realised The Warriors and Hunslet Club Parkside were losing players to other clubs due to not having the correct age groups for them to play in.

“No Hunslet player should be forced to play out of their area. It’s my ambition to create

the best amateur rugby club in the country and with the terrific facilities at the Warriors and the unrivalled expertise of the Hunslet Club, I’m confident this will happen.”

Paul Thorpe, the new outfit’s senior and open age secretary, added: “We now have the chance to build the two merged clubs and move forward with top class facilities and coaching expertise.

Tyler Dargan, who played for both clubs last season, in action for Hunslet Warriors.

“[That will ensure] amateur rugby league in South Leeds flourishes and continues to produce players not only to keep amateur rugby at the forefront of our great game, but also to continue the long production line through to the professional game. At the end of the day this merger is all about giving our kids the very best opportunities.”

Andrew Beadnall, chairman of Hunslet ARLFC, appealed for financial support. He said: “Creating a new amateur rugby league club is an expensive operation – producing new playing kits for 18 teams alone – and we hope local businesses in Leeds and the huge number of our former players who started playing at our two clubs will help us find the sponsorship we need to make this the country’s premier amateur club.

“We have many sponsorship packages, from main club sponsor of Hunslet ARLFC to pitchside hoarding and programme advertising, match day sponsors and individual player sponsorship.”

Hunslet amateur rivals merge to form new Leeds super club