Leigh’s Love Islander Keanan Brand will spend the next couple of weeks in the Championship on loan as he continues his road to recovery.
The 24-year-old centre has joined Barrow on a short-term loan deal as he prepares to play his first game since undergoing a double hernia operation in the off-season following his World Cup campaign with Ireland.
Brand appeared on hit reality TV show Love Island earlier this year whilst he was undergoing his rehabilitation from his surgery
Barrow players and fans might get an inside track on the tv favourite Love Island from the club’s latest loanee.
The Raiders have taken Leigh Leopard’s centre Keanan Brand on loan for two weeks as he continues his recovery from injury.
Brand, 24, appeared on the reality show earlier this year while he was undergoijng his rehanilitation from surgery.
He had undergone a double hernia operation in the off-season following his World Cup campaign with Ireland.
TALKING TO THE Love Rugby League website the Leigh coach Adrian Lam said: “He’s going to Barrow for a fortnight so we will just monitor that as we go along.
“I think when he left to go on Love Island he wasn’t quite fit. We had conversations about him having the opportunity to go and do that, which we were very supportive of as a club and our owner Derek Beaumont was right behind it along with myself.
“I’m glad that he got that experience but the deal was for him to come back, get his head down and work really hard in a six week period to get his conditioning back up to where it needs to be.
“We feel that’s where he’s at. He has been training really well so I’m excited to watch him play and I think he’ll go good for Barrow.”
Brand made 36 appearances for Leigh over the last two seasons, scoring 14 tries in total. He also helped them to promotion to the Betfred Super League last season.
He previously played at Warrington Wolves and Widnes, with whom he began his career and made his Super League debut in 2018.
Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey said: “We have taken Keanan Brand from Leigh Leopards on a month’s loan to help ease the injuries to our backline.
“Keanan was a regular player in last season’s championship-winning Leigh team. He is a dynamic strike centre and proven try-scorer at this level and will ease the pressure on our own backline as we look to develop players throughout the season.
“We look forward to having him with us, and I would personally like to thank Chris Chester, the Leigh club and Andy Gaffney for getting the deal over the line.”
Chairman Steve Neale said: “The club is delighted to strengthen the backline with a Super League quality signing.
“This will add a little more attacking threat to the team and hopefully help us put a consistent run of results together and pull away from the relegation zone.
“Having followed Keanan closely, we are confident he will do a great job for the club.”
