Hull KR and Hull FC fans join forces with 'curtain raiser' charity rugby games

A Hull-based charity rugby league set up just four months ago raised an impressive £3,000 at its first game and is attracting star players.

Justin Knaggs, Chief Executive Officer of Hull Knights RL, said it had snowballed from a few casual games into something huge. He said: "It just started with eight of us at Costello just to lose a bit of weight in summer. The next week we did it again but with about 15 of us. Every week there was just more and more. After the first month, I had enough to set up the team."

Justin realised he had started something special and decided it was the perfect time to raise money for causes close to his heart, as well as those of his teammates. At their last game at Hull RUFC Chanterlands Avenue on Sunday, they raised around £3,000 to be split between six charities, including Paul for Brain Recovery, a Hull-based charity set up by Paul Spence that helps people with brain injuries.

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Justin said: "My wife lives with a brain tumour so she attends Paul for Brain in Hull. She goes there three times a week. She does social mornings with coffee and a yoga session every Thursday.

"She's been supported by them the last two years. It's all been free and Paul Is a wonderful guy so I thought I'm going to set up some kind of charity team."

He added: "Two weeks ago we managed to give Paul Spence a separate cheque of £1,200 we raised and that was just me and the lads chipping in £25 each. That was the first cheque he had and he was only expecting £300. He was blown away by people's generosity."

As a Hull FC fan, Justin was keen to play in black and white but as the group got bigger and bigger they welcomed Hull KR supporters and Justin made two teams, with one playing in red and white to "keep everyone happy".

But the group grew even more and, thanks to Justin's contacts, he was also able to set up a "Legends" team with ex professional players. Justin said: "It's going to be massive coming into 2025.

"I've actually got six teams, the black and white team, the red and white team, The Legends, The Great Britain Knights, and the Exile Knights - a team of Australians and New Zealanders who have played in the Super League. That's going to be in February. All of our games are going to be curtain raisers from now."

The other charities supported are Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death), Chasing Rainbows (a Hull-based charity for pregnancy loss), Epilepsy Action, Steve Prescott Foundation, and the MND Association.

Justin added: "I was fortunate to play a game with Rob Burrows in 2018 so that charity was close to my heart." Leeds Rhinos player Rob sadly passed away from MND earlier this year.