Referee and Super League brother to make rugby league history in honour of terminally ill mum

Liam Rush, the sport’s youngest full-time official, will take charge of Dewsbury Rams’ home pre-season game against a Huddersfield Giants side including his younger brother Kieran. That would not normally be allowed, but the RFL have agreed to bend the rules to give the siblings’ mum Louise a chance to see her two sons on the field at the same time.

Huddersfield requested Liam as referee for the game, with Rams’ support. Louise is terminally ill and a friend suggested to the Giants the possibility of her being able to watch her boys make history.

“It is going to be an emotional day for all of us,” said Liam Rush, who is 23 and joined the full-time squad two years ago. “It has come to all of us out of the blue, because we thought it would never happen, for obvious reasons.

“The idea came from a friend of my dad’s who has known me and Kieran since we were babies. He emailed Huddersfield asking if they could make it happen and after that the credit goes to the clubs – Huddersfield and Dewsbury – and also Rob Hicks at the RFL and Dave Elliott in the match officials’ department. We’re so grateful to them all, because it’s going to mean so much to my mum to see us both out there in the same match; it will be a huge day for the whole family.”

Rush, of the Dewsbury and Batley referees’ society, added: “I’m really proud of what Kieran has achieved already, playing for Jamaica in the World Cup and now with the Giants. I’ve always loved having a sibling of a similar age and both of us love rugby league and have found our way in the sport in different ways.”

Kieran, 21, made his Betfred Super League debut for Giants in 2023, after featuring for Jamaica against New Zealand, Lebanon and Ireland at the previous year’s World Cup. He qualified for Jamaica through his mother’s heritage and the half-back kicked their first World Cup points against Ireland at Headingley, with Liam and the rest of the family watching on.