Jamie Jones-Buchanan: ‘Ethnicities never been a barrier in rugby league – but we need to tell more tales’ | Rugby League News

Leeds Rhinos’ head of tradition, variety and inclusivity Jamie Jones-Buchanan praises the wealthy historical past of variety inside rugby league and says the game ought to use Black History Month to proceed to promote inclusivity.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan has advised Sky Sports News rugby league has never had a drawback with variety – but the game wants to tell more tales.

Jones-Buchanan was appointed as the primary-ever head of tradition, variety and inclusivity at Leeds Rhinos, after stepping down from the teaching crew this yr.

He was head coach for six weeks in April and can transition to the brand new position subsequent yr.

Jones-Buchanan stated rugby league has taken its historical past of variety with no consideration.

“There’s been some real black pioneers within the sport. Someone pointed out this year that when I became interim coach in April, Crux Lehman was captain at the time, and it might have been the first time we would have had a mixed race captain and mixed race coach,” he stated.

“It’s something that we have taken for granted in rugby league. This year we celebrate 50 years since Roy Francis, the first-ever black coach of any professional English sport to lead a rugby league team to a championship and of course Clive Sullivan in 1972 became the first-ever black captain of any GB or English team as well.

“We have been lucky that ethnicity has never been a barrier, definitely in my expertise. It’s most likely one thing we do not shout sufficient about and have a good time sufficient.”

The 41-yr-outdated revamped 400 appearances for the Rhinos after making his debut in 1999, in addition to enjoying 14 instances for England.