Matt Diskin, who won four Grand Finals and a Harry Sunderland Trophy as a tough and clever hooker for Leeds Rhinos during their golden era in the first decade of the Millennium, will join the Pickups Self-Storage Ciclo Italiano this summer as the sport again comes together to raise money for seriously-injured players and their families.
The 44-year-old, who also played for Bradford Bulls and has coached Batley Bulldogs and Oldham, has taken on a range of cycling challenges with his father David and his former Dewsbury Moor coach Mark Fortis since retiring in 2014.
Now the intrepid trio will join Adrian Morley and a number of other RL Cares supporters who have volunteered for the annual cycling challenge which will this year cover spectacular new territory in Tuscany – shortly after the world’s leading cyclists have completed the famous Giro d’Italia at the end of May.
Matt, Dave and Mark will be raising money for the Rugby League Benevolent Fund, which has been providing long-term support to players who suffer life-changing injuries since it was founded in 2005.
“We’ve done some amazing trips over the last eight years to raise money for a number of different causes, and to be going to Italy to support the Benevolent Fund is exciting for all three of us,” said Matt.
“It’s special to be able to do these things with my dad – there’s not many lads who get this sort of experience. He’ll be 66 soon and he can be a grumpy old bugger, but he’s stubborn and a funny man, in his dry way.
“Mark’s been a close mate of my dad’s for a long while. He had a few years playing with Batley and I’ve become good friends with him too since he was my last junior coach at Dewsbury Moor before I signed for Leeds. He’s good company, and from chatting to Moz it sounds like it’s going to be a great trip to be part of – as well as raising money for an important cause.”
Francis Stephenson, the General Manager of the Rugby League Benevolent Fund, said:
"We are delighted to welcome Matt, Dave and Mark to the team for the 2026 Ciclo Italiano.
"It's our major fund-raising initiative of the year and we are massively grateful to them for joining the other riders who will do such an important job in raising awareness and money for the Benevolent Fund."
The Ciclo Italiano is already guaranteed to raise significant sums for the Benevolent Fund thanks to the support of title sponsors Pickup Self-Storage and valued partnerships with GBR-Price, The Bartlett Group, NL Commercial, BOOST Energy and Sport, and apparel partners Oxen Sports.
But every pound makes a difference to the lives of the players and families supported by the Fund – and Rugby League Cares will again be working with all the cyclists to maximise awareness, support and sponsorship for the ride before the big roll-out from Pisa on Monday June 8.
You can support Matt, Dave, Mark and the Benevolent Fund by sponsoring them here Matthew Diskin is fundraising for Rugby League Cares
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