Leigh Leopards duo make Championship switch for 2025
A general view of the Leigh Sports Village ahead of a Leigh Leopards game in 2024, with fireworks being set off and flags being waved
Young Leigh Leopards duo Kavan Rothwell and Ryan Brown have linked up with Championship outfit Barrow Raiders on a season-long loan for 2025.
Both Rothwell and Brown are products of the Wigan Warriors academy having joined Leigh at the end of 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Neither have made their competitive debut for the Leopards just yet, but both have senior experience under their belt across the Championship and League 1 – and both have already represented Barrow.
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Leigh Leopards duo make Championship switch for 2025
22-year-old Rothwell has 12 Raiders appearances on his CV, made across loan stints in both 2023 and 2024 – scoring his first two senior tries last term in a win against Dewsbury Rams.
Brown’s 11 appearances for the Raiders all came in 2024, starting eight games and coming off the bench on three other occasions for Paul Crarey’s side.
Like Rothwell, he has also donned a shirt for Midlands Hurricanes and for England at youth level on the international front.
After snapping up the forwards, Barrow boss Crarey said: “Kavan and Ryan starred for us at times last year, and it’s great for the club that Adrian Lam and Leigh trust our coaching team to help these two outstanding youngsters progress in their careers.
“Both players are tough-as-teak middles with the potential to go right to the top. We all look forward to them playing a big part in our Championship campaign.”
Having been knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Oldham last weekend, the Cumbrian outfit open up their 2025 Championship campaign with a home game against newly-promoted Hunslet on February 16.
Barrow’s Director of Rugby Andy Gaffney added: “It’s fantastic for the club that a number of Super League coaches and directors of rugby trust our head coach Paul Crarey with the development of some of their most promising youngsters.
“This runs in tandem with bringing our own local youngsters through our systems, and we look forward to both players making a real difference to our fortunes this year.”
During their season-long loans, the pair are eligible to train and play with both clubs. It’s also been confirmed that Leigh will have the option to recall the players at any points after the first two weeks of their loan.
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