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* The 12 Super League clubs broke away from the RFL midway through 2018
* The move was made to increase revenues but sparked a civil war within the sport
* However, the coronavirus pandemic has left clubs in serious financial trouble
* There is an acceptance that the costly Super League board must be scrapped

Super League is set for a seismic U-turn by reuniting with the Rugby Football League - less than two years since an acrimonious split from the governing body.

The 12 Super League clubs broke away from the RFL midway through 2018 in a bid to increase revenues with the current television deal with Sky up for renewal next year.

The move sparked a civil war within the sport and saw Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington and St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus embark in a bitter war of words over the wisdom of the split.

Now, however, the coronavirus pandemic has left many clubs in serious financial trouble and there is an acceptance among top-flight chairmen that the costly Super League board must be scrapped.

The operation is headed up by former Everton supremo Robert Elstone, understood to be on an annual salary of around £400,000, with several commercial, marketing and media staff working under him.

They are based at plush premises in Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter but there have been concerns over a duplication of roles with the RFL and Super League.

Now the majority of Super League clubs have admitted the split was a mistake and are ready to disband the operation in a desperate bid to slash costs.

Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell said: 'The rules of engagement have changed from two years ago and the duplication in central resources is no longer sustainable or justified.

'I think we need to be seen to be getting our house in order by making some cuts.'

A similar scenario - where Super League clubs split from the RFL before coming back under their control - occurred almost two decades ago.

History will now repeat itself as clubs fight for survival after being given a £16million bail-out from Government this week.

The RFL are facing major losses with this year's Ashes series between England and Australia - with Test matches scheduled for Bolton, Leeds and Tottenham in the autumn - expected to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

The £16million emergency loan will be utilised by the RFL themselves to cover their own financial shortfall and, as the governing body, they will field applications from Super League, Championship and League 1 clubs for a slice of the fund.

Yet RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer warned: 'It's certainly not a gravy train - there are conditions attached to this money and we'll use it wisely to steer ourselves into a better place.'

Meanwhile, former RFL supremo Nigel Wood will step down as chief executive of the International Rugby League at the end of the year.

He has served on the IRL board for the past 18 years and could now increase his involvement at Bradford Bulls after being part of a consortium who took over the club last year.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... split.html

Leeds Rhinos line up in queue for share of RFL ‘lifeline’

Leeds Rhinos will be applying for a slice of rugby league’s £16m government loan.

The emergency funding, announced on Friday, is being provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to keep clubs afloat during coronavirus.

It will be administered by the Rugby Football League (RFL) whose chief executive Ralph Rimmer says cash will go where it is most needed and will not be divided evenly between clubs.

All English-based sides in Betfred Super League, the Championship and League One are eligible to apply and Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington confirmed they will be “in the queue”.

Four of Rhinos’ five competitive games this year have been staged at Emerald Headingley, but Leeds have not played since a 66-12 rout of Toronto Wolfpack on March 5. Rhinos have imposed a pay cut and players and most staff have been placed on furlough

“We will be applying,” Hetherington revealed. “As I said right at the outset, clubs like ours who have got big, diverse businesses and a lot of employees, normally that would give you an advantage in sporting terms.

“But in the situation we are in now, we – in many ways – have got the biggest problem. Our problems probably contrast quite sharply to some other rugby league clubs and sport businesses.

“When the application for funding was made (by the governing body) it took all that into account. The RFL have centrally held information as to how the postponement of games would affect clubs’ financial position and that was the basis of their claim. What they will now do, presumably, is dispense that against application, in the manner it was claimed.”

The three professional divisions include 37 clubs, of which Toronto Wolfpack, Catalans Dragons, Toulouse Olympique, North Wales Crusaders and West Wales Raiders are ineligible to apply. Hetherington said he has “no idea” how much individual clubs will receive.

“All clubs have got a different set of circumstances and all need to survive this pandemic and be in business at the end of it,” he added.

“But also there is the wider game as well.

The money is being managed jointly by the RFL and government departments so it will no doubt be quite a rigorous process, but we will certainly be in the queue.”

Rugby league has been suspended for more than six weeks and the RFL has been in talks with the government throughout that period

Hetherington welcomed the loan as “good news for the game” adding: “It is good to get the recognition from government that rugby league in many ways is a special case, in its commitment to communities and the impact that it has in those communities - and it is not a wealthy sport as well.

“The money is timely as all clubs and the RFL are under pressure because income streams have dried up.”

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... ne-2840935

Should get rid of the rlf duplicates and hire the superleague counter parts.

The RFL has mismanged the game for years, the fact that they awarded Nigel Wood a payout when the rfl lost central funding under him was a joke.

Just when we had an exec with real experience that we need now more than ever, we can't afford him. It's not ideal.

Although this story is from the mail, so probably isn't as decided as they make out.

Mike wrote: ↑Sun May 03, 2020 8:04 pm Just when we had an exec with real experience that we need now more than ever, we can't afford him. It's not ideal.

Although this story is from the mail, so probably isn't as decided as they make out.

Not as confident as you Mike, same story on RL Backchat last Thursday which included the agent, cannot remember his name but Morgan Smithies agent, who was stating quite explicitly that this merger was going to happen.

Caboosegg wrote: ↑Sun May 03, 2020 7:41 pm Should get rid of the rlf duplicates and hire the superleague counter parts.

The RFL has mismanged the game for years, the fact that they awarded Nigel Wood a payout when the rfl lost central funding under him was a joke.

I completely agree with this. Overpaid idiots IMO & don’t get me started on the Fat Controller!!
Stole a living from us got a massive payout & walked straight into RLIF & is now leaving there, possibly with another payout & concentrating on his interests in Bradford Bulls!

josie andrews wrote: ↑Mon May 04, 2020 6:52 am

Caboosegg wrote: ↑Sun May 03, 2020 7:41 pm Should get rid of the rlf duplicates and hire the superleague counter parts.

The RFL has mismanged the game for years, the fact that they awarded Nigel Wood a payout when the rfl lost central funding under him was a joke.

I completely agree with this. Overpaid idiots IMO & don’t get me started on the Fat Controller!!
Stole a living from us got a massive payout & walked straight into RLIF & is now leaving there, possibly with another payout & concentrating on his interests in Bradford Bulls!

Do not worry then Josie, he is about to lose everything he pocketed
If he is investing in the Bulls.

Go back in with the RFL and the idea of RL as a Professional sport is finished.

The SL chairmen need to get a grip. Whatever emerges from the crisis it’s the clubs and the league that goes on TV that will generate the revenue. Not the rest of the so called professional game.

The RFL’s “whole game approach” where the Sky TV money went across the entire three divisions was nuts.

If this crisis leads to radical change it ought to be a move to the Aussie system where the top tier is the fully professional part of the game and that is as far as the money goes.

Hethrington would love it being back to being a big fish in an even smaller pond.

Something had to give. In these parlous times, the sport cannot afford (both literally and figuratively) to have two sets of fat cats making a fine living out of the game, and often pulling in different directions.

moto748 wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2020 4:08 pm Something had to give. In these parlous times, the sport cannot afford (both literally and figuratively) to have two sets of fat cats making a fine living out of the game, and often pulling in different directions.

If the sky deal is for SL games surely it should be SL that looks after that.

The rfl can offer championship games out to the BBC.