Great Britain Pioneers kick off July tour of Kazakhstan

By Rich Cowley (Rugby League Planet) 1/7/2010

Kazakhstan's time in the rugby league wilderness is coming to an end. The Great Britain Pioneers are about to embark on their sixth rugby league tour in as many years. This July will see the Pioneers take rugby league back to Kazakhstan. The team will be based near Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. Their schedule will see them play three matches, the first against Kazakhstan and then Kyrgyzstan before Uzbekistan join up to form a combined Asian team which could be named the Asian Stars.

It's been a long time between drinks for Kazakhstan's rugby league enthusiasts. In the early 90's league was played for a short time when Kazakhstan formed part of the USSR. Then all went silent for many years as rugby league was confined to the Kazakhstan history books. The winds of change swept through last year when the Rugby League European Federation Executive & Development Officer Kevin Rudd visited Kazakhstan to talk to the relevant parties about re-starting rugby league.

The signs of progress started in early 2010 when a women's rugby league team from Kazakhstan toured England for the first time. History will be made again in July when the Pioneers play Kazakhstan in their first ever international rugby league match.

The Great Britain Pioneers have done a fantastic job in spreading rugby league throughout Europe. The Pioneers have toured Estonia (2005), Czech Republic (2006), Latvia (2007), Ukraine (2008), Norway (2009) and now add Kazakhstan to the list. It's a great effort by all those involved with the Great Britain Pioneers. The Pioneers concept has really been a shining light for rugby league as it expands into Europe.