Introducing Wests Warriors: a guide to Leeds Rhinos' Challenge Cup opponents

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
For most Leeds Rhinos fans, this weekend’s opponents Wests Warriors are an unknown quantity.

Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup third round tie at AMT Headingley is the first time the clubs have met, so who are Wests Warriors? Here’s a quick guide to the London-based club, whose squad includes a couple of familiar names.

Club history

Warriors play at Wasps FC - the amateur club which split from its better-known rugby union namesake - in Acton, west London. The club were formed in 2014, mainly to cater for Australians and New Zealanders living in the capital.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Wests Warriors players, staff and fans after their Challenge Cup defeat at Widnes Vikings two years ago. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.Wests Warriors players, staff and fans after their Challenge Cup defeat at Widnes Vikings two years ago. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.
Wests Warriors players, staff and fans after their Challenge Cup defeat at Widnes Vikings two years ago. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.
Read More
Concept's flawed but fans should help Wests Warriors make most of big Challenge ...

Current coach Kimbo Parkinson, a Kiwi, was one of four founders, alongside Shun Tamura, Matt Ashe and Leo Waenga. Their first team play in the Southern Conference and they also have a side in the London Men’s League. Wests finished second in the Conference table last year - winning 10 of their 12 games - and were beaten by arch-rivals Hammersmith Hills Hoists in the Grand Final.

Honours

Warriors won the London And South East Merit League and the London Challenge Cup in their debut year. They were London Men’s Premier and Harry Jepson Cup winners in 2016 and 2019 and won successive Southern Conference titles, in 2021 and 2022.

Challenge Cup history

This is Wests’ fourth season in the Challenge Cup and the third time they have appeared in round three. Warriors’ only other meeting with a professional side came in 2023 when they were beaten 80-4 at Widnes Vikings. Wests won 66-4 at Southern Conference rivals Eastern Rhinos in this season’s first round and were 28-18 home victors against Army two weeks ago.

Notable players

There are a couple of familiar names in Wests’ squad. Second-rower Will Poching had a spell in Rhinos’ scholarship in the 2010s. He is the son of Willie Poching who played for Rhinos in two Challenge Cup finals, was a Grand Final winner in 2004 and a World Club champion exactly 20 years ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Veteran hooker Neil Thorman made around 250 appearances in the professional game for Gateshead Thunder, York City Knights, London Broncos and Whitehaven. His brother Chris Thorman is coach of League One club Newcastle Thunder.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Leeds news you can trust since 1890
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice