Cornwall RLFC attracting established players says boss Neil Kelly

Cornwall boss Neil Kelly has been head coach at Widnes and Dewsbury

Cornwall RLFC boss Neil Kelly says the club is attracting players from rugby league's traditional heartlands.

Trials on Sunday saw players come from the north of England to try out for the newly-formed League One club.

"I would estimate that about 80% were newbies, players who have got rugby backgrounds but not necessarily in league," Kelly told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"20% surprisingly came down form traditional rugby league areas in the north of England and took part."

Former Leeds prop Anthony Mullally is one of three players to have already signed for the club, who begin their season against North Wales Crusaders in April.

Ex-Widnes boss Kelly will lead the first professional rugby league side ever to be formed in the county.

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"There's been no tradition for a rugby league club in Cornwall, so by that very nature a lot of the players we are looking at are from rugby union, but they want to try their arm at rugby league," Kelly added.

"I'm very encouraged really because we'd had modest recruitment taking place so far, we've got lots of offers out to traditional rugby league players, but I would anticipate that the bulk of our squad, maybe 15 players, are going to come from this area.

"We're going to carry on with the recruitment process, we're going to get the footage of the trial, contact the people that we feel have had a successful trial and hopefully overcome the last bit of the hurdle to get them to sign a contract and start training ready to play," he added.