HUNSLET, who will head into pre-season training under Head Coach Gary Thornton on Wednesday (2 December), have added significantly to their backroom strength – particularly in terms of marketing – with the recruitment of three student interns.
The south Leeds outfit, who were top of Betfred League 1 when the Covid-19 lockdown struck, have established a reputation for attractive Rugby League under Thornton and the ‘Three Marketeers’, as the trio have already been dubbed, will be keen to help spread the word.
All are studying for Masters degrees in Sport Business Management and Strategic Sport Marketing at Leeds Beckett University and one – Marc Bulsa – also brings knowledge of French Rugby League to the cause, having played for Toulouse Olympique and Catalans Dragons before a knee injury cut short his career.
Hugh Whidborne and Rachel Hatley are just as enthusiastic and, having become volunteer members of the off-field team at Hunslet as part of the club’s recent partnership with the Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett, will work on a range of projects for the 2021 campaign spanning marketing, promotion, sponsorship and match-day experience.
Hunslet’s Director of Strategy and Planning, Neil Hampshire, said: “I’m delighted that our partnership with Leeds Beckett is coming to fruition.
“Having Marc, Hugh and Rachel on board will bring us enthusiasm and fresh ideas in an area where we needed to improve. I was very impressed with their presentations and I look forward to working with them. I’m sure everyone will offer them a warm welcome to the Hunslet family.”
Kacy Mackreth, Senior Lecturer in Sport Marketing at Leeds Beckett University – and a non-executive director at Hunslet – added: “It is tremendous that we have been able to activate our partnership so quickly, and recruit three dynamic students.
“This is a fantastic real-life learning opportunity for the students to develop a better understanding of business and marketing.”
Bulsa, who played for Toulouse from 2008 to 2010, and for Catalans in 2011, said: “I was interested in the internship with Hunslet because Rugby League has been a part of my life since I was four years old. The values it taught me throughout the years, and across countries, have shaped who I am today.
“This is an incredible opportunity to put into practice all the exciting and valuable content I am learning at university – I am really looking forward to helping, through marketing planning and the implementation of marketing campaigns, to promote the club, whilst also working as part of a team.”
