The rivalry between Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos is set to be renewed on Sunday January 24, when James Lowes’ men take on the Champions at Headingley Carnegie in Carl Ablett’s testimonial game, kick off 3pm.
The two sides met just once in 2015, in Jamie Peacock’s testimonial game when a crowd of over 10,000 turned out. Now treble-winning forward Carl Ablett is the recipient of the year long testimonial having played for his home town club for over a decade.
Commenting on the game, Ablett, who was the only player to feature in every game of last year’s record breaking treble success, commented: “I would like to thank Marc Green, Robbie Hunter-Paul, James Lowes and the Bulls players for agreeing to come over to Headingley Carnegie for my testimonial. As a Leeds fan growing up, the game against the Bulls was always the highlight of the year, it is unfortunate that the derby has left Super League for now but this will be a great chance to renew old rivalries and friendships.
“We have got a number of new faces in our squad and this will be a great chance for fans to see them in action before the start of the new season which starts just 11 days later,” added Ablett.
“All Bulls supporters understand the emotion between Bradford and Leeds. For over a decade in the Super League the matchup between the sport’s two giants was a spectacle to watch and one of the most eagerly anticipated games in the Super League calendar. I love that over the last two years we still have the enjoyment of travelling to Headingley despite being in the Championship,” said the Bulls CEO and former player, Hunter-Paul.
“Anytime a player shows the dedication to stick with a club for over ten years shows a level of loyalty that is sadly now rarely seen in professional sports. I had the pleasure of playing against Carl when he was a youngster and his talent was evident at an early age. He has been a stalwart for the Rhinos’ and I wish him all the best for his testimonial journey.
