Rugby League to Complain to Minister about Poaching
Sir Rodney Walker, the chairman of the Rugby Football League, today indicated that he might be prepared to seek a governmental intervention to prevent the loss of the sport’s star players to Rugby Union.
Speaking as chairman of the RFL Sir Rodney said: 'While we are quite prepared to concede that Rugby Union clubs have the right to approach our players once their contracts have expired and vice versa what is fundamentally different from previous years is that the one governing body is now making funds available to acquire players from another governing body’s sport.
'What you have to bear in mind is that the RFU is a governing body now attacking the sport of another governing body and effectively damaging their ability to compete on the international stage. As late as April this year I had meeting with high-level officials of the Rugby Football Union who assured us that they had no intention of damaging our sport and events during the last few days would suggest that we were being misled.
'The RFU are in receipt of considerable government funding and I believe that as chairman of the RFL it is my duty to place matter before the Minister for Sport the Right Honourable Richard Caborn MP. It is regrettable we have to consider such drastic action but we have to defend our position'.
For more details contact:
JOHN HUXLEY
Media and Public Affairs Executive
johnh@rfl.uk.com
Issued by: The Rugby Football League Media & Marketing Dept., Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB
Tel: 0113 237 5014
Fax: 0113 232 3838
Email: info@rfl.uk.com
Speaking as chairman of the RFL Sir Rodney said: 'While we are quite prepared to concede that Rugby Union clubs have the right to approach our players once their contracts have expired and vice versa what is fundamentally different from previous years is that the one governing body is now making funds available to acquire players from another governing body’s sport.
'What you have to bear in mind is that the RFU is a governing body now attacking the sport of another governing body and effectively damaging their ability to compete on the international stage. As late as April this year I had meeting with high-level officials of the Rugby Football Union who assured us that they had no intention of damaging our sport and events during the last few days would suggest that we were being misled.
'The RFU are in receipt of considerable government funding and I believe that as chairman of the RFL it is my duty to place matter before the Minister for Sport the Right Honourable Richard Caborn MP. It is regrettable we have to consider such drastic action but we have to defend our position'.
For more details contact:
JOHN HUXLEY
Media and Public Affairs Executive
johnh@rfl.uk.com
Issued by: The Rugby Football League Media & Marketing Dept., Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB
Tel: 0113 237 5014
Fax: 0113 232 3838
Email: info@rfl.uk.com