The Rugby Football League (RFL) is the governing body for rugby league in the United Kingdom. Based in Leeds it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, the Rugby League National Leagues and Super League (Europe). The amateur/junior game is administered in association with the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).
With the advent of Wales Rugby League, Scotland Rugby League and Rugby League Ireland, the RFL is increasingly becoming an English organisation.
The RFL is part of the Community Board which also has representatives from BARLA, Combined Services, English Schools Rugby League and Student Rugby League.
History
On 27 August 1895, as a result of an emergency meeting in Manchester, prominent Lancashire clubs Broughton Rangers, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Tyldesley, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan, declared that they would support their Yorkshire colleagues in their proposal to form a Northern Union.
Two days later on 29 August 1895 representatives of twenty one clubs met in the George Hotel, Huddersfield to form the "Northern Rugby Football Union" (usually termed Northern Union or NU). Twenty clubs agreed to resign from the Rugby Union however, one club, Dewsbury, felt unable to comply with the decision. Cheshire club, Stockport, had telegraphed the meeting requesting admission to the new organisation and were duly accepted with a second Cheshire club, Runcorn, admitted at the next meeting.
The twenty-two clubs and their year of foundation were: Batley FC 1880, Bradford FC 1863, Brighouse Rovers FC 1878, Broughton Rangers FC 1877, Halifax FC 1873, Huddersfield FC 1864, Hull FC 1865, Hunslet FC 1883, Leeds FC 1864, Leigh FC 1877, Liversedge FC 1877, Manningham FC 1876, Oldham FC 1876, Rochdale Hornets FC 1871, Runcorn 1895, Stockport 1895, St Helens FC 1873, Tyldesley FC 1879, Wakefield Trinity FC 1873, Warrington FC 1875, Widnes FC 1873, Wigan FC 1879.
Within a year of joining the RFL, Lewis oversaw reunification with the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) after nearly 30 years of division.[1]
Lewis, it was claimed by then Widnes Vikings chairman Tony Chambers, showed his strong expansionist credentials in 2005 when he allegedly threatened to resign if Super League clubs did not back a plan to save London Broncos (now Harlequins Rugby League), although he denies this.[2]
Under Lewis, plans for a Super League franchising system were introduced.
Through his position at the RFL, Lewis has become Chair of the Rugby League European Federation and Deputy Chair of the Rugby League International Federation.[3]
Following Nigel Wood's appointment as RFL Chief Executive in October 2007, Lewis's role increasingly focusses on developing rugby league in the UK and internationally.[4]
Headquarters
The RFL were originally based at 180 Chapeltown Road, Leeds but later moved to Red Hall, Leeds.
The Board
The RFL board consists of five members:
- Richard Lewis, the Executive Chairman for the Rugby Football League. A former tennis player, coach and Director of Tennis.
- Maurice Watkins, a sports lawyer from James Chapman & Co in Manchester. He is a director at Manchester United football club, a member of the FA Premier League Legal Working, a member of FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber and a Regional Director for Coutts Bank. He also holds the position of President of the British Association for Sport and Law.
- Bob Stott, an experienced Director in industry currently on the board of Morrisons Plc.
- Ian Edwards, a former Media Director at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon. He was a sports correspondent for ITN and was Head of Sport at BBC Manchester from 1987 to 1989. He also has rugby league experience at French club Carcassonne and rugby union caps for Welsh club Cardiff RFC.
- Nigel Wood, finance director of the Rugby Football League. A former accountant for the BBC and chief executive of Halifax RLFC.
Officials
The head of refereeing in the RFL is former referee Stuart Cummings. The RFL decided that from the 2007 there would be 6 full time referees, previously referees had only been part time. The RFL still employs part time officials to supplement the 6 full time referees in the Super League and to be touch/in-goal judges in the Super League. The National Leagues are still refereed by part-time referees. There are currently 6 full time referees in the RFL:
- Ashley Klein
- Ben Thaler
- Ian Smith
- Phil Bentham
- Steve Ganson
- Richard Silverwood
Criticism and Controversy
Refereeing Appointments
There was some criticism of the RFL for allowing Steve Ganson, born in St Helens and also a former member of the St Helens RFLC fan club, to be an official in matches involving St Helens RLFC. Ganson was the video referee in the first match of the season between Huddersfield Giants and St Helens in which he disallowed a Huddersfield try. Ganson was also allowed to be the video referee in the local derby between Wigan Warriors and St Helens at the JJB Stadium. It was also suggested that Steve Ganson should not be allowed to referee games involving the Wigan Warriors who have a strong local rivalry with the St Helens club.
Ganson Gate
Ganson Gate is a term used by some rugby league fans to describe the refereeing mistakes during a Leeds Rhinos verses Bradford Bulls match at the Millennium Magic weekend. The referee Steve Ganson and video referee Ashley Klein made a series of mistakes which allowed Leeds to win the game in the last minute. Both referees apologised for their errors and were not allowed to referee in the Challenge Cup matches the weekend after.[1][2]
England