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England Universities Rugby League: Team Captain Jordan Bull on leadership, personal development and aspirations of Australia
Scholarship student and recent graduate, Jordan Bull, took his England Universities squad to victory in the President’s Cup and Student Four Nations title wins this year. Jordan’s opportunity for scholarship was facilitated by Leeds Beckett Rugby Coaches, Chris Fletcher and Jamie Jones-Bucanan, to aid with his finances while balancing semi-professional rugby with his studies.
Today, Jordan has a degree in MSc Strength and Conditioning, his sights set on a career in industry, and future pursuits of playing professional rugby internationally.
Jordan is well-versed in managing a busy schedule, juggling studying and competing with working part-time in a gym and training three days a week. To ensure efficient time-management at university, he used rotas and diaries to stay on top of his studies, which was abetted by staff support and understanding.
“My academic supervisor, Josh Darrell-Jones, has helped me plan my time out; he recognises my commitments to rugby and difficulties of balancing everything,” Jordan explains. “He’s helped me throughout my dissertation process, and taken some of the pressure off by offering alternative hand-in dates, which the university has fully supported.”
Playing rugby has presented chances to develop personally, as well as professionally. Jordan remarks on the positive attributes he’s gained from getting involved with the competitive sport: “All of my coaches from Leeds Beckett, England Universities, and my semi-pro team Hunslet, have helped me immensely in different ways this year,” Jordan says. “I feel as though I have become a better person and player from my experiences in rugby, developing skills sets and leadership qualities from captaining the England Squad."
Jordan’s coaches included Leeds Beckett alumnus and Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones Bucanan, as well as Darren Higgins from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation. The partnership was formed in late 2022 to provide student players a path to the professional game.
This upcoming season will see the Leeds Rhinos Scholarship Head Coach, Mark Butterill, leading the men’s Rugby League coaching, with assistance from Jamie Jones Bucanan who will be focusing on other aspects of the partnership with the university. Mark’s arrival enables Leeds Beckett to establish a seamless link between the university programme and the Rhinos academy and reserves, creating a structured pathway for talented university players to transition into the professional Rhinos programme.
In terms of career goals and future sporting ambitions, Jordan plans on pursuing a Strength and Conditioning career within the sporting industry. Meanwhile, with a run of title wins in his repertoire, the successful Captain aspires to play professional rugby league across the globe one day. “Australia is the peak of Rugby League due to it being their main sport,” Jordan explains. “It has a great appeal of the sun and loads of beaches to travel to.” Watch this space.
Learn more about the England Universities Rugby League.
Visit Leeds Beckett Athletic Union Rugby and Sport and Active Lifestyles for more information.
Interested in the courses mentioned? Find more on the MSc Strength and Conditioning course.
