He may no longer be fronting Super League coverage for Channel 4, but TV funnyman Adam Hills is still playing his part in promoting the game to a wider audience.

“I LOVE rugby league, me.”

Five words uttered over and over again by TV host and comedian Adam Hills, be it on his regular late-night Friday night show ‘The Last Leg’ or when he was fronting Channel 4’s coverage of Super League in 2022 and 2023. Those five words even adorned the back of Hills’ clipboard during the live games on the free-to-air channel.

Add to those words the fact that the Australian played a prominent role in establishing Physical Disability Rugby League into the game and that he never hides his love for Warrington Wolves and home-town club South Sydney Rabbitohs, and it’s clear Hills is not paying lip service to his unofficial catchphrase.

That might be why he was judged as the right man for the job when the time came for Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle to hand over the chains and bring to an end his two-year presidency of the RFL.

Back when Hills first signed up to present the Channel 4 coverage of Super League he admitted to doubts as to whether or not he was the right fit for the role, telling Rugby League World at the time: “When I was originally asked to host I said I didn’t think I was the right person for the job. I told them they wanted a proper sports presenter and a rugby league presenter. I didn’t know if it would do the sport any favours by putting a comedian there.”

Less than three years later there were similar doubts when he was offered another influential role in the game, but once again Hills has overcome them and thrown himself headlong into the job – stepping out of his usual comfort zone of comedy and into the serious task of promoting rugby league and making it the very best it can be.

“I was asked by (RFL CEO) Tony Sutton if I’d be the President and I immediately got goosebumps,” Hills told Rugby League World.

“I was initially worried that having an Aussie as President might look a bit weird, but I spoke to a few rugby league mates who said they thought I was the right person for the job.

“I guess with my profile, and my unbridled enthusiasm for the game, I eventually figured that maybe I can bring some attention to the sport on a grand scale. I sometimes think that British rugby league fans can feel a little shy about their sport, whereas a loud, blunt, smiley Aussie shouting from the rooftops might make a change of pace.

“My dad was the person who got me into rugby league when I was a kid – when I was three days old he brought a red and green toy South Sydney Rabbit into the hospital. He passed away in 2012, and I wish he could have been around to see me be presented with the chains because that was a special moment for me.

“I was gutted when Channel 4 lost the rights to Super League but I’m dead proud of what we did. 

“Our producer, Joe Gardiner, was a rugby league fanatic and completely changed the way the game was presented in the UK. He made it fun, fresh and friendly, and his passion for the sport really shone through.

“We were never rivals with the other channels, we all saw ourselves as being on the same team, with the same goal – to promote rugby league. Brian (Carney), Jenna (Brooks), Helen (Skelton), Tanya (Arnold), we’re all friends and teammates, and we’ll always work together for the good of the sport.

“I’m so lucky that just as our Channel 4 coverage came to an end, I was offered the chance to shout about rugby league at an even higher level. I’m treating the role of President in much the same way I treated my hosting duties, by bringing a lot of enthusiasm, loads of energy, and generally just telling everyone what a great sport we have.

“I remember messaging Russell Crowe once after I’d played a particularly bruising game of PDRL. He replied that I should take care of my body and that there would always be a role for me off the field when I was ready to stop playing. Those words ring in my ears every day as President of the RFL.”

Although the role of President is an honorary title only and gives Hills no decision-making powers within the game, he is fully committed to using his position in the public eye to ensure all forms of the game grow and develop for as long as he can.

Hills, who was born without a right foot, launched ‘The Last Leg’ in 2012 when it originally ran alongside that summer’s Paralympic Games. The mix of comedy, guests and highlights from the Games shone a spotlight on para-sports in a way that had never been done before.

The show has now become a regular addition to the Friday night viewing schedule offering an alternative and humorous view of the week’s events across news and sport.

One thing the show has achieved is raising awareness of para-sports and inclusivity as well as giving some of the leading para-athletes a higher public profile.

Hills has already had a similar effect in rugby league, helping Warrington launch the first PDRL side, which in turn helped launch the PDRL Super League. Also, his appearance for Australia in the PDRL World Cup in 2022 garnered much media attention.

Now he is hoping his public profile can have a similar effect across the whole game of rugby league, and that is why he has immersed himself into the role since officially taking the chains back in February.

“I really hope I can raise the profile of rugby league as President and one of the things I can do as someone with a public profile is to mention the game on a big stage,” continued Hills, who was among the guests of honour at the Wembley Finals day in June.

“I remember doing an interview with the BBC’s Tanya Arnold years ago, and she said: “Do you think you could do for rugby league what you’ve done for the Paralympics?” At the time I thought, “Wow, is rugby league lower on the rung than disability sport?”

“So by the time my Presidency is over, I hope we can see bigger attendances at games and more viewers on TV.

“I also want to do everything I can to make sure all parts of the sport are supported, from the women’s game to the wheelchair teams, as well as the physical disability and learning disability teams.

“It seems to me that everyone who sees rugby league, loves it, and my job is to try to create more converts.

“I’ve loved my role as RFL president so far. I’ve visited as many clubs as I can, and I have been welcomed with open arms. My first game was at Swinton and since then I’ve taken in matches at Batley, Leigh, Warrington, Leeds, London and Keighley – as well as Wembley – and I still have a long list of other clubs to visit.

“I’ve been massively impressed by how progressive some of the clubs are in their own ways. For example, Swinton are placing a huge emphasis on their women’s team this year in an attempt to draw more people to the game. Meanwhile, Batley launched their first wheelchair team, while the Leigh Leopards continue to reinvent the game day experience for their fans. The same goes for the Keighley Cougars, who combine a love of rugby league with a positive message of LGBTQ+ Pride to provide a welcoming and accepting atmosphere for all fans.

“I’m also keen to see how the London Broncos expand the game in the nation’s capital. I’ve heard such great things about teams like the Brixton Bulls, and the incredible work of their coach/manager/legend Philippa Robson, and I really hope we can channel that community spirit into a major London team.

“I see myself as a cheerleader for this game, which is why I want to be at as many matches as possible, letting the fans and the clubs know how much the RFL is behind them, and how much we appreciate them.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until the cows come home, the communities behind rugby league in the UK are what make it great. Rugby league’s greatest assets are the people around it, and I want people to know that.”

Hills is clearly loving his current role within the game, but he could find himself with split loyalties later this year when the Ashes makes a long-awaited comeback to the rugby league calendar.

Not since 2003 have an England or Great Britain side faced Australia in a three-match series for one of the most sought-after prizes in any sport.

In fact, the two sides have not played each other at all since the 2017 World Cup Final, when Australia ran out 6-0 winners.

With the test matches at Everton and Headingley already sold out, and Wembley looking on course to be a bumper crowd, excitement amongst supporters is palpable.

That is no different for Hills, who is keen to use his public profile to ensure the series reaches as many people as possible.

But what hat will the 54-year-old be wearing in November once these games come around – that of the RFL president, or that of a true Kangaroo with green and gold blood running through his veins?

That is a question the usual chatty host remains coy over.

“I initially suggested that I should hand my chains over to Vice President Steve Wild when Australia play England, but I think my duty to the RFL comes first,” added Hills.

“The Ashes gives us the perfect opportunity to promote rugby league on a grander scale and I’d pay good money to see Latrell Mitchell stand beside (‘The Last Leg’ co-host) Josh Widdicombe on the show.

“We all love an England v Australia rivalry, and with the first game being in London, it means we can shine a spotlight on it, which is something I want to help to do.

“I really want to invite some celebrity mates to the game as well and show them what rugby league is all about.

“But whatever happens in the Ashes, I’ll be happy. I know a lot of the England players, as well as Shaun Wane, so I’d be “chuffed” to see them win. But I’ve also met some of the Aussies and I’d be “stoked” for them as well.

“I guess one good thing about having a prosthetic leg is that it allows me to have a foot in both camps… quite literally.”

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 510 (July 2025)