Sports clubs have been quicker than other businesses to recognise the benefits to be gained from partnerships with universities. writes Huw Richards.

Huddersfield University's two-year venture with Huddersfield Giants rugby league club reached a high last weekend when the club played St Helens in the Challenge Cup final.

Colin Blair, head of estates at the university, who set up the sponsorship deal, said: "It was great to be in the final, but that's just a bonus. The deal has brought more benefits than we could have dreamt of, and the most important part of that has been the day-to-day contact between the club and university."

The team lost to St Helens 12-42, but they were sporting shirts branded with the university's name.

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Mr Blair added: "Players come in for media studies training and physiotherapy the day after matches. Students get to work with real, live professional sportsmen."

Players are also benefiting from the joint venture. Two team members are now studying for business studies degrees at the university, and Giants superstar Robbie Paul is expected to join them next year to do an art course.

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This positive view was echoed by Yorkshire's other academic sponsor of rugby league, Leeds Metropolitan University. Its venture with Leeds Rhinos reached a new level this week with the opening of the Carnegie Stand at the Rhinos' historic Carnegie Headingley stadium. The deal is branded under the name of the university's Carnegie sports faculty.

Stephen Willis, head of finance at Leeds Met, said: "We have 71 projects with Leeds rugby. Students have worked with the club on information technology strategy, marketing and psychology.

"A promotional film for the Leeds Rhinos charitable foundation was produced by a Bahraini woman student who has just graduated with a first-class honours in film studies."

The two universities have bucked the trend of falling numbers of applications - interest in Carnegie courses is up 20 per cent.

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Both believe the rugby league links have contributed to raising awareness of the universities among men living along the M62 corridor, the league's heartland.

Mr Blair said: "Simply having people walking around wearing shirts with 'Huddersfield University' on the front means people who might otherwise never know we existed learn about us."