AMATEUR club Accrington are hoping some of the glitz surrounding an international match arriving in East Lancashire will rub off on them.

Life is generally a battle for the players and officials of the Accrington club -- they are after all out on a limb.

Playing in Division Six of the North West Counties League and without a game that even smacked of local derby status until the formation of Chorley Panthers just this year, they have ploughed a lone furrow that has required dedication from all at the Livingstone Road club.

However, this week has been a little different to others as the international circus surrounding Great Britain's opening Test in their three-match series against New Zealand has rolled into the area.

The big game at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park has focused attention on rugby league in the area and Accrington are hoping to make the most of the knock on effect.

"It is good that the Test has come to the area and for once we can say we are at the forefront," said Accrington club secretary Alan Connor.

"It gives us the chance to publicise ourselves and say there is rugby league in Accrington, because I don't know just how many people know we are here."

The 13-a-side code's heartland exists along the M62 corridor with such areas as Humberside, Leeds-Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Oldham and the triangle of St Helens, Wigan and Warrington. All those areas play the game in schools, boast plenty of junior clubs and have strong competitions at grassroots level.

The situation is rather different for Accrington who exist almost in splendid isolation.

"We are really out on a limb," said Connor. "But we have been going 12 years and we have continued to produce sides despite the fact that we are essentially battling against soccer and cricket, which are the major participation sports.

"But the North West Counties League have helped us a lot in our development, though I must say the reaction of professional clubs when we have asked them for help has been pathetic.

"Our major problem is recruiting new blood. We manage to bring in enough players each year but it is hard to push on from there.

"Primarily we need to get the kids interested in the game at school, but very few schools have staff who can teach the sport and some of our own attempts to get youngsters involved have not brought a good response."

So hopefully the effect of the Test match will help, and Connor is hoping that they can retain a place in the minds of those looking to expand the boundaries of the game geographically.

"Over the past week or two there have been Super League players going into the schools promoting the Test," explained Connor.

"But we know we have got to do it ourselves. We have to work on coaching the youngsters and just carry that on -- the Test match might just give us more of a chance."