Rugby Football League 878253 224217251 2008-07-07T21:11:21Z JoelUK 133216 /* History */ {| class="infobox" style="width: 16em; text-align: center;" |- ! style="font-size: 16px text-align: left;" |Rugby Football League |- | style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;" | [[Image:RFLlogo.jpg|200px]] |- | style="font-size: 12px; text-align: left" | '''Founded:''' 1895 |- | style="font-size: 12px; text-align: left" | '''RLIF Affiliation:''' 1948 |- | style="font-size: 12px; text-align: left" | '''Headquarters:''' [[Leeds|Leeds, Yorkshire]] |- | style="font-size: 12px; text-align: left" | '''Chairman:''' [[Richard Lewis (tennis and rugby league)|Richard Lewis]] (2002-) |- | style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | '''Nations''' |- | style="font-size: 12px;text-align: center" |{{ENG}}<br> |- | style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | '''Competitions''' |- | style="font-size: 12px;text-align: center" |[[Super League (Europe)|Super League]]<br>[[Rugby League Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]]<br>[[Rugby League National Leagues|National Leagues]]<br>[[National League Cup|Northern Rail Cup]]<br>[[Rugby League Conference]] |- | style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | '''Official Site''' |- | style="font-size: 12px;text-align: center" |[http://www.therfl.co.uk www.therfl.co.uk] |- |} 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 [[Rugby League Challenge Cup|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). The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the [[Rugby League Championship|main league competition]] run by the organisation. This has since been supplanted by [[Super League (Europe)|Super League]] and the [[Rugby League National Leagues]]. 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== {{seealso|History of rugby league}} 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|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 Bulldogs|Batley FC]] 1880, [[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford FC]] 1863, [[Brighouse Rovers FC]] 1878, [[Broughton Rangers|Broughton Rangers FC]] 1877, [[Halifax RLFC|Halifax FC]] 1873, [[Huddersfield Giants|Huddersfield FC]] 1864, [[Hull FC]] 1865, [[Hunslet Hawks|Hunslet FC]] 1883, [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds FC]] 1864, [[Leigh Centurions|Leigh FC]] 1877, [[Liversedge FC]] 1877, [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Manningham FC]] 1876, [[Oldham Roughyeds|Oldham FC]] 1876, [[Rochdale Hornets|Rochdale Hornets FC]] 1871, [[Runcorn]] 1895, [[Stockport]] 1895, [[St Helens RFC|St Helens FC]] 1873, [[Tyldesley FC]] 1879, [[Wakefield Trinity Wildcats|Wakefield Trinity FC]] 1873, [[Warrington Wolves|Warrington FC]] 1875, [[Widnes Vikings|Widnes FC]] 1873, [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan FC]] 1879. The [[British Amateur Rugby League Association]] (BARLA) was created in 1973 in Huddersfield by a group of enthusiasts concerned about the dramatic disappearance of many amateur leagues and clubs. Fewer than 150 amateur teams remained with a mere thirty youth rugby league teams. The 'breakaway' from the RFL was acrimonious and was strongly contested with a vote 29-1 against recognising BARLA. Thanks to Tom Mitchell, this changed to an unanimous vote of approval for BARLA within twelve months. [[Maurice Lindsay (Rugby League)|Maurice Lindsay]] became the chief Executive of the RFL in 1992, proposing the [[Super League (Europe)|Super League]] which eventually replaced The Big League as the sport's main competition from 1996 onwards. Maurice eventually returned to Wigan in 1999 for his second stint at the club after [[Sir Rodney Walker]], then chairman of the RFL sacked him after a campaign to unseat him failed.<ref name=" League's cease-fire is over as superpowers prepare for War">{{cite news | title = League's cease-fire is over as superpowers prepare for War | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980129/ai_n9651689 | publisher = Dave Hadfield, The Independent | date = [[1998-01-29]] | accessdate = 2007-08-30}}</ref> The RFL accumulated losses of £1.9million at the end of 2001, shortly before a major restructuring of the governing body and the appointment of [[Richard Lewis (tennis and rugby league)|Richard Lewis]] as executive chairman in May 2002. [http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/08/07/03/RUGBYL_RFL.html] Within a year of joining the RFL, he oversaw reunification with BARLA after nearly 30 years of division.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/jun/01/rugbyleague.sport "Multi-tasking Lewis a southerner happy to work at northern union"], ''The Guardian'', 1 June 2007</ref> 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 (Europe)|Super League]] clubs did not back a plan to save London Broncos (now [[Harlequins Rugby League]]), although he denies this.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2005/mar/08/rugbyleague.andywilson "Lewis denies quit claim over Broncos vote"], ''The Guardian'', 8 March 2005</ref> Under Lewis, plans for a Super League franchising system were introduced. 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.<ref>[http://www.therfl.co.uk/about/page.php?id=158&areaid=42 "About the RFL"], ''The Rugby Football League'', 13 May 2008</ref> ==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 (tennis and rugby league)|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|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|Morrisons Plc]]. * '''Ian Edwards''', a former Media Director at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at [[Wimbledon, London|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 [[France|French]] club [[Carcassonne]] and [[rugby union]] caps for [[Wales|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, Merseyside|St Helens]] and also a former member of the [[St Helens RFC|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.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6632931.stm][http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6636911.stm] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==See also== * [[Rugby League International Federation]] * [[Rugby league in England]] ==External links== * [http://www.therfl.co.uk/ Rugby Football League official website] * [http://www.engagesuperleague.co.uk/ engage Super League] {{Rugby Football League seasons}}<br /> {{British Rugby League links}} {{Rugby League in Europe}} {{International Rugby League}} [[Category:Sports governing bodies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Rugby league governing bodies]] [[Category:Rugby league in the United Kingdom]] [[fr:Rugby Football League]] [[it:Rugby Football League]]