KEIGHLEY COUGARS helped give Rugby League-playing Ukrainian teenagers some respite from the ongoing war with Russia.
A group from the Kyiv Rhinos club visited West Yorkshire and took in the Championship clash with Hunslet at Cougar Park, walking out with the home players.
The Under 15 and 16s also enjoyed tuition from assistant coach Danny Burton and trained with local amateur club Keighley Albion.
The visit was due to take place in November and include watching an Ashes Test, but there were border issues which prevented them leaving their homeland.
The Cougars established relations with the Ukrainian Rugby League governing body when they answered a call for playing kit.
Co-owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia offered to supply them for all the international teams from Under Twelve to senior level for free and visited capital city Kyiv to make a personal delivery.
That involved a flight to Poland then a 15-hour bus journey into Ukraine.
“Sadly for these youngsters, bombs going off has become their normal,” said O’Neill.
“For them Rugby League is absolutely everything, and it was great to get them here, see the smiles on their faces and hopefully give them some amazing memories.”