After adding the head coaching of Jamaica against Wales to his duties as Hull Kingston Rovers academy coach, Rhys Lovegrove feels like he has been a part of something special.

This season, Lovegrove, a former forward for the Robins, returned to Hull, a rugby league powerhouse, to continue his coaching career. He has recently been able to focus on assisting a country that is far from the sport’s heartlands. The former head coach of Keighley is aware of the influence the international game can have on the sport, having led Jamaica to a valiant effort away in rain-soaked Wales before falling to them 22-16 in Neath.

After years of involvement with Jamaica, the Australian recently made a contribution. He had messaged coach Jermaine Coleman to express his desire to learn more about coaching, and he was later offered the opportunity to join them, including for the historic World Cup campaign two years prior.

“There is a strong Jamaican community in Leeds,” Lovegrove says of the crowd that remained after our first World Cup match against Ireland in Headingley. After the game, I recall a woman grabbing me and asking when the next one was. In Hull, I said, it was against New Zealand. ‘I’ll be there, I’ll go across,’ she added. “Great,” I replied. ‘Are New Zealand any good?’ she asked as I turned away. Some individuals who may not have been particularly involved in rugby league in the past were undoubtedly connecting with these young men through their shared experiences.

“Coaching at the international level, particularly with Jamaica, is really different. From debutants from Barrow and Bedford to Super League seasoned veterans Ash Golding and Michael Lawrence, we have a great group of young men from all over the leagues.

“The boys never give up and compete, which is one of their traits, and that was evident against Wales. It was wonderful to witness their “next man up” mentality and how they came so close to defeating a team like Wales after we lost a few players to injury and absence—Ash Golding was hurt, and Michael Lawrence was away in Toulouse.”

Lovegrove was up against former Hull FC head coach John Kear, in charge of Wales. “He is a very experienced coach,” Lovegrove says. “He is very calm and cool and collected. I had a great opportunity to have a quick chat with him. I am hope he comes back into the game at club level soon because I think we need him in it. We both agreed that these international matchups are crucial.”

Discussing his perspective regarding coaching Jamaica, the former Hull KR forward says: “It’s all about connection. We have a wide range of abilities from different systems. But the one thing they have in common is being Jamaican. And the shared story of what that is.

“It feels like you’re part of something special especially when you speak to lads from the island during the World Cup and you speak about what they are trying to do back home, and how they are trying to increase the game back home. And the opportunity it gives to some of the lower-league lads and amateur lads over here to represent their country and how proud it makes their parents.

“Romeo Monteith identifies players and we have managed to play multiple fixtures – there was our game and the islands lads playing Canada in Toronto.

“Giving kids an opportunity is the biggest thing that I like. The reason I got into coaching in the first place was to offer people the opportunity to play rugby league and have rugby league as a massive part of their life in the way that I was lucky enough to have. One excellent illustration of that is Jamaica. If it weren’t for the international game, your children would never have the chance to play on that stage.

“Joshua Hudson-Lett, one of our kids, scored a try on his debut. He had never performed in a stadium before, so he will always remember playing in front of 1,500 spectators at Neath. Families were still present despite the rain falling sideways, demonstrating how important it is to them.

As well as those newcomers, there are those who have been at the biggest clubs. Sydney Roosters’ Alex Young, brother of England player Dom Young, is one of them. Lovegrove says: “He’s been back in Australia and enjoying the process and learning curve and it was good to catch up with him and get an inside view into what’s happening over there. Any opportunity to have discussions with people who have been exposed to some of the best players and coaches in the world, I jump at – and I think a lot of the boys enjoyed having those conversations as well.”

Young scored Jamaica’s second try to give them a 10-0 lead before Wales prevailed eventually – with the first try coming from Ben Jones-Bishop. “He is a man who never seems to grow old,” says 37-year-old Lovegrove, discussing 36-year-old Jones-Bishop. “He still plays at a level of quality that he did back when I played against him, when he was at Leeds Rhinos. He is one of the greatest human beings in and around rugby league, a great role model for young men out there, and very proud to play for Jamaica.”

Looking ahead, Lovegrove’s ambitions for the team are clear. “To qualify for the World Cup again is the aim,” he says. “We didn’t make the World Cup last time to be a flash in the pan. It’s about getting games under our belt and building a good squad ready for next year to then qualify for the World Cup.”

Read more at: https://sportupdates.co.uk