Blast off for the Rockets with 2021 Rugby League World Cup

Cramlington Rockets, making a social impact.

The pandemic forced the Rugby League World Cup 2021 to be postponed for a year but that change of date has helped launch an exciting new era at Cramlington Rockets.

Without the delay, the passionate North East club would not have been in a position to secure the £175,000 of funding from RLWC2021’s CreatedBy programme, in partnership with the Rugby Football League, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), which is being used to revitalise the Eastfield Community Pavilion.

The refurbishment of the facility - transferred to the club by the local authority - is set to provide the Rockets with a top-class home while also serving as a thriving community hub which can help keep kids off the street in the deprived area of Eastfield.

“We would not have got this money if it hadn't been for Covid,” said Cramlington Rockets chair Jeffrey Ball. “We were not in a position to go ahead and make the application last year.

“The biggest silver lining of Covid is it's given us this opportunity to secure the World Cup funding, which allows us to be in the position we are now.

“It will provide a home for Cramlington Rockets and an accessible facility for the community that we're going to develop and hopefully expand in years to come.”

The Rockets have around 200 playing members across eight sides but, boosted by the new infrastructure, are hoping to branch out and begin a female section too, with the women’s and wheelchair World Cups taking place alongside the men’s competition this autumn.

Ball added: “We are hoping to introduce girls next year with the new facilities.”

With the Rugby League World Cup 2021 coming to town, Ball is hoping the region can come to be regarded as one of rugby league’s traditional heartlands with some of the Rockets youngsters in line to be mascots at the opening game between England and Samoa at St James’ Park on October 15.

The Rugby League World Cup promises to be the biggest, best and most inclusive event in the sport’s 127-year history with men’s, women’s and wheelchair teams competing in 61 games across 21 venues throughout England.

Tickets for the tournament are available via rlwc2021.com/tickets