Rugby League: Broncos boss welcomes wind of change

Rugby League chiefs in Britain have unveiled plans for a slimmed-down Super League at the top of a pyramid of summer rugby.

Club representatives yesterday gave the thumbs up to a new league structure as part of a radical overhaul of the game.

The main proposal is for the introduction of four national divisions - two professional and two amateur - under the umbrella of Super League, all playing from March to October.

Yesterday’s meeting of the decision-making Council also pledged to support an expanded international programme and to explore the introduction of new competitions.

The five-division format will be in operation from 2003 but the League’s strategic planning committee, whose interim report was given a warm welcome in Salford yesterday, have been asked to come up with ways to pave the way for its introduction.

The planned shake-up was greeted with enthusiasm by London Broncos’ outspoken chief executive Lionel Hurst, who had claimed the sport was ‘‘torn asunder by political intrigue, self-interest, and a lack of vision and bigotry’’.

Hurst, a pioneer of the ground-breaking Rugby League Conference, was also delighted to hear of Super League’s decision to back his proposal for a board of directors free of club ties.

He said: ‘‘I think it’s great, I’m absolutely thrilled. If this is setting the tone for the rest of the strategic report, then I think the game is set for a bright future.

‘‘If you combine that with independent governance of the game, then you are looking at a tremendous state of affairs that will propel this sport into the world entity it should be.

‘‘It doesn’t cut across traditions for some amateurs will wish to play in the winter. Nobody is being forced to play in summer.

‘‘The key is to have a major national pyramid starting in the spring and finishing in the autumn so that people can aspire to great heights and I’m sure that will bring in a lot more new sponsors and private investors.

‘‘Some of these clubs in the midlands and the south will starting pushing on.’’

Although details of the re-structuring have yet to be revealed, it is thought Super League will be cut from 12 clubs to 10 by 2003 but promotion and relegation will be retained.

Northern Ford Premiership champions Widnes moved a step closer to gaining a place in Super League for 2002 yesterday when the Council empowered the RFL board of directors to rubber stamp their promotion next Tuesday as long as the club satisfy the requirements of the independent franchise panel.