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The Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) is guided under three principles: empowerment, dynamism, and culture. These three key focus areas are pointing rugby league to historical high levels of growth.
It was recently reported over 7000 Welsh now play the sport. France has also experienced a resurgence, with growth now close to 40,000, the bulk juniors.
The likes of Scotland, Serbia, Wales, Lebanon and Russia now produce representative teams at all levels, the latter once again reporting solid growth under a stable leadership.
It should be mentioned, the RLEF administers national governing bodies in North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and North America, in addition to its European responsibilities.
In terms of empowerment, the RLEF has enhanced the growth of rugby league among its members, in all facets, through a policy of empowerment.
Among initiatives include a “Technical Strategy” course. The inaugural course held in London attracted 48 delegates from 19 countries.
This was followed up by 28 match officials from 16 countries attending a two-day training course for international match officials in May, 2011. Both courses will ultimately provide each member with independent, well-trained and managed technical departments spanning the areas of both officiating and coaching.
Added, a World Cup accelerator program was instigated by the RLEF which finds experienced coaches from the UK shadow the coaching staff of member nations attempting to qualify for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
This program offers nations like Serbia, Russia and Italy valuable coaching advice through regular visits.
In terms of dynamism, the RLEF recently adopted a new constitution to become a limited liability company and to apply for associate membership of the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF).
The RLEF board comprises two directors, the RFL’s Richard Lewis, and the Federation Francaise de Rugby Treize’s Nicolas Larrat. In 2010, two more directors from the RLEF’s Full and affiliate members joined the board and broadened the sport’s representation, coming from member nations Scotland and Serbia.
In 2011, the RLEF appointed two new independent directors. One of these directors is Christen Farmer, an American citizen based in Serbia. Farmer is an expert in strategic and corporate communications, PR, government and media relations, lobbying, business training and management.
Paris-based Gilles Estay was also appointed as advisor to the board on media and commercial issues having worked in senior roles at Canal, Eurosport and PatheSport.
Under the directors is the general manager Danny Kazandjian, a number of full-time development managers (Germany, Italy, Malta, Jamaica, Czech Republic), regional directors (Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Middle East/North Africa), an international consultant, webmaster and media officer.
The robust RLEF administration has the task of not only infusing the RLEF with dynamism but cultivating rugby league culture among member nations. A strategy will map the RLEF’s revised competition structure until 2017. Sponsors such as Virgin Atlantic and Alitalia, among a growing list of sponsors, are involved with nations or naming rights of tournaments.
The RLEF in 2011 now encompass official tournaments the Alitalia European Cup (Wales, France, Scotland, Ireland), European Shield (Germany, Malta, Norway), European Bowl (Czech Republic, Hungary), YIT Nordic Cup (Denmark, Sweden, Norway), Atlantic Cup (Canada, USA, Jamaica), Senior MENA Championship (Lebanon, Morocco) and Junior MENA Tournaments (Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine XIII). Italy, Russia, Lebanon, Serbia and Italy are involved in 2013 World Cup qualifiers later in the year and are not involved in official cluster tournaments in 2011.
Culture is also being nurtured by the growth in television coverage of rugby league.
Norwegian Rugby League has secured a weekly 30-minute highlights package of their YIT-sponsored domestic premiership on public access channel FRIKANALEN and its potential 400,000 audience.
French internationals are now televised by a range of terrestrial television coverage and UK Sky Sports continue to cover the home nations. All countries under RLEF auspices also report growing print and radio coverage of the game.
Overall, the RLEF has been a breath of fresh air for rugby league providing the sport guidance and direction for the first time in its patchy developmental existence. With the RLEF, the sport has a real chance to offer the citizens of its member nations a dynamic sporting alternative.
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