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Thirty-one year old Jamie Womersley, who has had an ileostomy stoma since he was 18 due to having crohns disease, has played his first rugby league game in 14 years.

Jamie, who lives in Mirfield, first discovered the team in May 2022, when Team Colostomy UK played the British Asian Rugby Association as a curtain raiser to the Batley Bulldogs V London Broncos game at the Batley Bulldogs Stadium.

Fundraising and campaigns manager for Colostomy UK, Giovanni Cinque said: “Jamie approached us and said that he had a stoma and would potentially be interested in playing for us.

“He explained that he hasn’t played rugby since he had his stoma, fourteen years ago.

Thirty-one year old Jamie Womersley from Mirfield.

“Jamie made his debut for us on September 3, in a game against Chorley Panthers

“Before the game he was very concerned about playing contact rugby with his stoma, but one of our players, Tom Kaye, spoke to him and he went ahead with playing contact rugby with the use of a stoma guard.”

Jamie, who is a junior coach for the Batley Boys under sevens rugby team, explained how he never talked about his stoma with the group and never thought he could, due to being embarrassed.

However the game against Chorley Panthers changed everything and he soon realised that having a stoma is ‘a lot more common than we think’.

Jamie said: “It felt great to get back into rugby after so long.

“I would definitely advise people with a stoma to play more sports.

“It’s great that charities like Colostomy UK are raising the profile of people with a stoma by playing contact sports like rugby and proving that even though you have a stoma you can still have a life.

“I'm really grateful to Colostomy UK, I didn't think I'd ever be able to be in a playing environment at rugby again but they made it possible.

“Everyone associated with Colostomy UK goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome.

“I'd like to especially thank Giovanni at Colostomy UK, he's guided me through everything.”

Team Colostomy UK Rugby League was formed in 2018 to prove that a stoma is no barrier to playing even the toughest of contact sports.

Mirfield man plays rugby league for the first time in 14 years thanks to Team Colostomy UK

For more information, visit https://www.colostomyuk.org/active-ostomates/team-colostomy-rugby-league/