LeagueXIII
First Grade
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Taken from totalrl.com
2005 - 2006 National Highlights Positive Steps Forward!
Rugby League is now accepted as one of the 5 major sports alongside cricket, football, rugby union and tennis. This ensures further investment from Government and an opportunity for the sport to be a key influencer within British Sport and inside Government itself.
For the 4th consecutive year the RFL has delivered a net profit whilst at the same time making a record level of investment in and distributions to all sectors of the game.
The historic debt of the RFL following the last word cup in this country has now been eradicated.
Wales Rugby League National Governing Body was established
A change in funding we receive from the Government in the form of the Whole Sport Plan started in 2005
Mid season international fixture now established XXXX Test June.
RFL continues to invest in developing international rugby league by hosting the Federation Shield involving England, France, Tonga and Samoa. Other nations such as Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Lebanon and Russia continue to play World Cup Qualifiers.
2006 engage Super League enjoyed all time record TV viewing figures and record live attendances. SKY sports figures increased by 11% and league generated the highest weekly average attendance for the 28 round regular season (9026) from over 1.5 million spectators. The Grand Final had a record attendance of 72,582.
SKY sports, BBC sport and Sport Plus (France) continue to be broadcast partners to the RFL.
The Challenge Cup Final continues to hold crowds of over 65,000 and is set to return to Wembley in 2007.
In 2005 the RFL successfully staged a major international tournament for the second year in a row; the 2005 Gillette Tri Nations involving Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
The game introduced 2 new professional clubs in Catalans Dragons and Celtic Crusaders as part of a strategy to broaden the playing and supporter base
RFL has rebranded itself after the market research undertaken in 2004. It represents the reality of the RFL today; the governing body of a sport that is growing at all levels in a dynamic and vibrant way.
Rugby League Congress continues to be held for the community game, 3 to date. Feedback has been very positive with a wide range of topics covered through a mixture of presentations and workshops.
National League Grand Final Day was a sell out event
Northern Rail Cup Final (National League Clubs) was a sell out event
Increased gross income of National League Club Lotteries by £930k
National League clubs run £671,800 worth of Sportsmatch Programmes
RFL and Super League continue to invest £500k into National League Clubs
England Team at junior level continues to win at all levels beating Wales (15s), France (16s and 18s) and Australia institute of sport (17s).
The configuration of teams at U21 Academy level has been changed to ensure the transition between 1st team and U21s is less extreme making for an easier transition. This will assist in ensuring the talented youth players get the best preparation and opportunity to break into the 1st team.
Participation in rugby league has increased significantly with over 197,000 people involved in the sport at all levels throughout the UK.
Regional Playing Leagues throughout the country are enjoying increased numbers at all levels, with unprecedented levels at the younger age categories.
Champion Schools Competition continues to be the largest Rugby League Tournament in the world with over 25,000 participants and 1,400 secondary school teams, 80 of which were girls teams.
Welsh Conference expanded to 10 Clubs.
The Midlands region has appointed 6 development officers to develop the grassroots of the game, with at least 6 Midlands clubs starting an array of junior teams.
The Community Club Development Programme has seen over £5million channelled into the development and improvement of facilities at grassroots rugby league clubs.
£1.5 million of Sportsmatch Programmes to develop the grassroots of the game.
RFL will appoint 6 fulltime Match Officials as part of the Super League Strategy
Successfully launched the RESPECT campaign to improve match day environments
North West Highlights
Salford City Reds have been given approval to develop a brand new £35million stadium in a £135million development. It is planned to be open in 2009
A total of 88,636 North West individuals were recorded in taking part in the sport from Sept 05 through to Aug 06. We still are not measuring everything and this figure is set to rise in 2007.
The North West Region has 119 Amateur Clubs, 79 with junior sections, with 13,821 club players in total; 554 RLC Players (Just Open Age) & 13,267 BARLA players. 49 rugby league clubs are accredited with Clubmark
All regional playing leagues from U8s-12s through to Open Age have reported a steady increase in the number of teams and clubs taking part in their competitions.
15 College and 16 University Teams Student Rugby League Competition
159 Secondary Schools play rugby league, with over 590 School Teams playing the sport. That equates to 1 in every 4 Secondary Schools in the North West play Rugby League. 134 Formalised School Club Links were established in 2006 (many more exist however we still await the paperwork to evidence this!)
The North West Region continues to host 13 professional clubs, 4 Super League and 9 National League; as well as major international fixtures, finals and the biggest game of all the Grand Final.
1107 players involved with Professional Clubs, over 675 playing professional, the others are scholarship players.
Four professional clubs delivered to 60,098 individuals. All 13 from January 2007 will begin to measure the KPIs in regards to their community programmes, after the successful 2006 pilot.
The LHF and Northern Rail Sportsmatch programmes run through National League Clubs involved 8443 boys and 7250 girls, 233 were disabled and 614 BEM.
The Co op Sportsmatch programme delivered by amateur clubs into local schools involved 2707 young children
The region has 12 Service Areas to support the development of the game
The region has over 50 FT/PT rugby league community staff and this figure does include all the professional players that deliver in the community as part of their contract and all the volunteers that support the grassroots.
55 Awards were distributed to volunteers from the RFL through North West Service Areas in 2006, the winners in each area progressing through to the RFL National Awards.
Three of the five National Volunteer Awards went to people from the North West - Gill Walmsley (Salford Service Area), Margaret Byrnes (Golborne Parkside), Jackie Dempsey (Chorley Panthers). Rugby League Volunteers continue to be recognised and rewarded by local councils and County Sport Partnerships. Roger Pickering, Weaverham Wolves ARLFC coach, winning coach of the year in Cheshire.
Various rugby league competitions continue to recognise volunteers with rewards being distributed through BARLA national awards, NW Counties Playing Leagues, Cumbria Playing Leagues, Student Rugby League and Rugby League Conference. This is on top of all the end of season presentation nights that all clubs hold and regularly recognise volunteers.
National Sports Foundation
The RFL has secured additional funding from the National Sports Foundation, due to now being classified as one of the Big 5 sports; sitting along side Football, Cricket, Rugby Union and Tennis, who have been the sole beneficiaries in the last few years.
The National Sports Foundation will provide the RFL with the opportunity to expand its varied Community Development Programme in partnership with others in order to facilitate greater participation in better quality environments supported by more and better qualified coaches, administrators and match officials. Projects included as part of the NSF include:
1) Step Change Programme
Project - To provide an infra-structure of paid staff that will support and co-ordinate the development work undertaken by volunteers. This will initially focus on the provision of staff in the existing Service Areas to act as Co-ordinators. The project will also seek to support a growing network of Community Sports Coaches charged with working in their local community to deliver Rugby League to schools and clubs.
2) Development Zones
Project To work in series of selected geographical locations close to existing strong Rugby League activity. The focus will be to use the geographical position and the proximity of strong support networks in order to enhance the provision of participation opportunities to communities previously without provision. They will quickly be integrated into existing provision to become sustainable entities.
3) Women & Girls
Project - To further develop the provision of Rugby League for Women and Girls: Leagues and the Champion Schools Competition
4) Coach Education
Project - To qualify and develop coaches, with particular reference to female coaches
5) C.C.D.P. Facility Development
6) Match Officials
Project - To recruit, retain and develop increased numbers of Match Officials, thus ensuring that there are sufficient suitably qualified officials for all games
7) Champion Schools
8) RLC/NL3 Strategy
