Rugby league club hopes to turn professional

Anglian Vipers chairman Rob Humphries says the move is "really exciting"

A rugby league club hopes it will be able to go professional by 2025.

Anglian Vipers, based in Wymondham, Norfolk, have been in talks with the Rugby Football League (RFL) about being part of the professional game in 2025.

"We've got some fairly exciting news: we've been approached by the RFL six or eight weeks ago to jump to League 1... it's the first entry level of the professional game," said club chairman Rob Humphries.

He said the club also hoped to have the first full-time professional women's rugby league team in the country.

Anglian Vipers will face Bedford Tigers at Wymondham on Saturday

"It's really exciting to think young rugby players from the region could potentially have a professional rugby league team on their doorstep," said Humphries.

He said the club had been light on players for the start of the season during the transition period after the end of the rugby union season and the beginning of the rugby league season.

They lost their first two games of the season but will face Bedford Tigers at Wymondham Rugby Club on Saturday.

The RFL will now look through the club's proposal and see what it can bring to the game.

Humphries said: "There's so much rugby talent in the region; in East Anglia there is definitely enough talent in the region to support a team entering that... level of the professional game."