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Following the All Party Parliamentary Rugby League Committee Annual Dinner at the House of Lords earlier this week the Committee also named the recipient of their annual merit award.

The dinner was attended by over one hundred and fifty people including MP's, the House of Lords,individuals involved within BARLA, the media and broadcasting.

During this prestigious event BARLA Chair Spen Allison was awarded the Committee's Annual Merit Award for his contribution to Amateur Rugby League

Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Rugby League Committee Neil Turner MP on the award to Spen Allison said,

"We are delighted to present Spen Allison with this annual merit award. It is well deserved and the All Party Committee wish to recognize his contribution over the years. We congratulate him and wish him all the best."

BARLA Chair Spen Allison has been involved in the amateur game since he was a teenager when he was one of the founders of Southlands ARL in 1955 and has been involved in the York and District Amateur Rugby League since 1958, BARLA from 1973 and was recognised by York & District Sports Federation last month.

BARLA Chair Spen Allison said,

"I am absolutely over the moon to be the recipient of the All Party Parliamentary Rugby League Committee Merit Award at the annual dinner at the House of Lords earlier this week.

"I didn't know anything about this until I was named, after it was described what the winner had achieved within the game. It suddenly sunk in who they were talking about when my name was announced and dawned on me. I am not normally lost for words but on this occasion I was shocked and dumbstruck.

"Although I was named as the winner of the award I take this on behalf of BARLA, the largest amateur rugby league organisation in the world. This is a tremendous accolade for the amateur game and the thousands of volunteers that administer the game week in week out."

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Rhinos Head Coach Brian McClennan said he was pleased with his sides 26-24 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs but admitted he had one eye on next week's engage Super League season opener against Hull KR.

The Rhinos led 26-0 at half time before a raft of changes by McClennan in order to rest his first choice players for next Saturday nights game at Headingley Carnegie.

His side had to defend for the vast majority of the second half but when they had their first choice players on in the first half, the game was a different story. Leeds scored five unanswered tries before the interval. Matt Diskin opened the scoring before Brent Webb capitalized on a South Sydney error and raced 80 metres to score. Rob Burrow scored the Rhinos third try before Keith Senior powered his way over with less than ten minutes remaining in the half. Scott Donald completed the first half rout with a try in the final second of the half, with Kevin Sinfield adding three goals.

The second half was a different story those as the Australian side, part owned by Russell Crowe, came firing back. However, the result was never really in doubt with Souths getting close with the final try of the game coming with the last play of the game.

Speaking after the game McClennan said, "My initial reaction is one of relief that we got the win but more importantly that we didn't pick up any injuries in the process. The guys will have ice baths now after the game and we will get them re-hydrated ahead of flying home tomorrow.

"We've had a positive half in the first half and we proved that we are a hard team to defend against. In the second half we were mindful of next week and Hull KR.

"We are proud to be part of a great day for the game of Rugby League. To have 12,000 Americans turn out to watch a game, especially with the poor weather, is a massive boost for our game.

"Our training camp in Jacksonville has been fantastic. We have probably got three weeks work into one week and given the wet weather back in Leeds, the timing for the training camp has been perfect for us," added McClennan.

Following the Australia Day Challenge against the Rabbitohs the Rhinos were invited into the Souths dressing room to be presented with a gift from Russell Crowe.

Each member of the squad was presented with an American-college style jacket which had been specially designed for the Rhinos with an amber L on the right chest and the Rabbitohs heritage logo the reverse. The Souths team had a similar jacket but with a S on the chest.

Crowe had earlier in the day been presented with his own specially commissioned Rabbitohs chopper motorcycle by the team from American Chopper and had welcomed a host of celebrities to Hodges Stadium including basketball legend Dennis Rodman and Australian golfing great Greg Norman.

Speaking in the Souths dressing room, Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said, "I would like to say a big thank you to Souths, Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe for pulling together today's game. The relationship between ourselves and Souths has been given a great lift off today. One of the many qualities the two clubs share is a passion for Rugby League and to have 12,000 Americans here today, in the rain, points to great future for our game."