My six-point plan to fix rugby league in England

The Rugby League World Cup may not be over, but for England, it already is. Both their men’s and women’s teams produced historic failures in Australia, leading to much introspection and gnashing of teeth at home. Ideally, it would lead to change too – and here is my six-point plan to save the great game of rugby league in this country. Partner with the NRL It’s been on and off again more times than Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Super League and the Rugby Football League (RFL) are crying out for an outside party to come in and provide both investment and expertise to grow the rugby code. The same administrators and the same club owners have been trying for decades to take the sport forward, with little success. What rugby league needs is new management with greater resources and a willingness to embrace modern media and marketing techniques in order to take the sport into the 21st century. Enter the cashed-up NRL, which has gone from strength to strength and expanded successfully across Australia, Papua New Guinea and into the United States in the past few years. Getting into bed with the NRL has more positives than negatives, and would provide fresh eyes on a competition that constantly recycles the same administrators. Reduce the clubs in Super League The premier club competition in the UK is likely to go to 15 teams in 2027 with the admission of London Broncos, with zero extra funding. There are obvious advantages of having a club representing the capital, but little over a year ago there were just 12 teams in Super League.The top flight does not have the local player depth to accommodate three new clubs in the space of just two years. In the 2026 season we have already seen a reduction in the intensity of matches and a flood of second-rate players from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific arriving in Super League. The England national team needs its best players involved in intense games week in, week out, not in blowouts or regular one-sided contests. Having 15 teams without the native player base to support them is naive. Invest in academies and participation To grow the player base, there must be an increased focus and resources put towards player development in the long term. Each professional club must be forced to run its own academy and reserves set-up to improve its own pathway. Participation in the men’s game is on the decline, and the offering of rugby league in schools across the country is almost non-existent. The RFL must get more Steedens in kids’ hands, invest in touch rugby and set up development centres around the UK. Since the 2013 World Cup the funding for development officers in London, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland has been slashed, and the results speak for themselves. This has to change. Reduce the overseas quota Last year the RFL increased the amount of overseas quota players each Super League club is allowed to have from seven to 10, allied to the expansion from 12 to 14 clubs this season. This means more and more professional places are being taken up by players from Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Port Moresby, limiting the development opportunities of young English talent. As a result, the important spine positions at many Super League clubs, those playing at full-back, in the halves and at hooker – the ones who are usually the match-winners – are often dominated by Antipodeans. This inadvertently harms the national team, as these players aren’t eligible for England selection. Cut the quota and promote more from within. England fans saw their team eliminated before the knock-out stages (Photo: AAP) Take the national teams seriously England’s men’s team went into this year’s World Cup without playing a match for 12 months and held just two field sessions with its new coach before playing Tonga. How is the national team expected to perform against the very best with such limited preparation? England needs a mid-season Test or series to hone its players each year and get them used to more intense competition. In 2017, when England last made the World Cup final, they had a warm-up game in Perth before the tournament and an intense army boot camp designed by coach Wayne Bennett. They also travelled to Sydney in May of that year to face Samoa. Only by getting together more regularly, and by building connections and combinations, can England improve. Whether it is the Exiles, the War of the Roses or an entirely new concept, England needs its own State of Origin series to further develop and hone its talent. This goes the same for the women’s team and the England Academy side as well, who sadly haven’t played the Australian Schoolboys since 2018. More regular competition is a must across all levels. Read more Big read: The blunders that left England with no chance at the Rugby League World Cup Interview: Rugby league chief hits out at BBC’s ‘disappointing’ World Cup bid Increase the salary cap Super League’s finite salary cap of £2.1m has not changed since 2020. The current salary cap in Premiership Rugby is £6.8m, while the NRL’s is $11.95m (around £6.3m), and will grow further over the next two years. Super League needs to open its bank balance to try and attract the best athletes and talent available. Rugby league in the UK is losing its pick of youngsters from virtually every other sport, because of the potential riches available elsewhere. A rising tide lifts all boats, and having more stars and big names in the competition will help Super League grow, attract more eyeballs and make the sport more desirable. Several club owners in Super League have the cash to bring in high-profile talent, and this should be encouraged to boost rugby league’s national profile.