Mo Farah's schoolmate has Rugby World Cup in his sights

A Feltham sportsman who went to school with Mo Farah will spend the next few weeks trying to win the Rugby League World Cup with New Zealand.

Andy Flint, who was in future Olympic star Farah's class at Feltham Community College, did not even pick up an oval shaped ball until going to university in Cheshire.

However, after joining the rugby league team there he soon made up for lost time after discovering his life's passion, joining amateur side West London Sharks on returning to London before landing a job a community youth coach with Super League side London Broncos.

From this, he moved on to youth development and then strength and conditioning with the Broncos before moving to New Zealand last year to take up the post of national development officer with the

national side.

Flint returned to the UK last month as his new employees start their World Cup campaign with a game against Samoa on Sunday. They then face France the following Friday and Papua New Guinea the Friday after as they bid to make it out of Group B.

Elaine Wisden, partner of Flint's dad Ken, said: “I'm sure you can imagine the pride his family have in Andy reaching this level of success. His Dad and his sister met him at Heathrow to say a brief hello before the New Zealand team travelled north to Doncaster. They will, of course, be following the team closely, and attending games when they can.”