Huddersfield will say goodbye to a young sports star this week.
A funeral for Huddersfield Giants Academy player Ronan Costello will take place on Friday.
The club have confirmed Ronan’s funeral service will be held at St Patrick’s Church, in New North Road, Huddersfield, on Friday, June 24, at 11am.
The church service will be followed by a private family burial.
A wake will be held at Brighouse Sports Club, in Russell Way, Brighouse, after the service in celebration of Ronan’s life.
The 17-year-old played for Brighouse Rangers before singning for the Giants last year.
He had also spent eight years playing junior rugby with Lindley Swifts.
The teenager died last Tuesday in hospital three days after being injured while playing for the Academy side against Salford Red Devils at the DRAM Centre in Dalton.
He was airlifted to hospital by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance but lost his fight for life.
Friends of Ronan have organised a fundraising appeal in his memory and it has already raised more than £1,000.
His parents, Martin and Nichola. have welcomed the support but have asked that all the money donated in support of Ronan be given to the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund which supplies defibrillators to all rugby league clubs.
Minute's applause for Ronan Costello
Danny was a Keighley Cougars player who died after a game.
There will be a collection at Ronan’s funeral for the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Headway charities.
Meanwhile thousands of rugby fans paid their own tribute to Ronan at games played over the course of the weekend, with a minute’s applause.
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There were moving scenes at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium when both the home team and the Giants took to the field in complete silence after the Giants Academy players and Brighouse Rangers players filed on to the field to non-stop applause.
There was also a minute’s applause for Ronan in the 17th minute of the game to mark his age.
Throughout the match, which the Giants won 31-30, there were chants of “Ronan Costello” and, at the end, one of “Ronan Costello, this win is for you”.
