Leeds expected ‘simple rubber-stamping’ of RFL plans

The Rugby Football League were forced into an embarrassing climbdown when a majority of Super League clubs demanded a re-think over their plans to re-structure the domestic game.

Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said he was “surprised and disappointed” at the decision by the RFL to call off today’s extraordinary general meeting while Ian Swire, chairman of back-to-back Championship Grand Final winners Sheffield Eagles, questioned the timing of the move, which comes less than three weeks before the opening matches of the World Cup.

The RFL declined to add any comment to their statement, issued late on Monday night, which said that a majority of Super League clubs wanted “further consultation” over the policy review which has been the subject of meetings and discussions for most of the year.

The headline proposal is a reduction in the number of top-flight clubs, along with the method of re-introducing automatic promotion and relegation, but the central issue appears to be control of the game and, more pertinently, its purse strings.

The rebellion has been led by Wigan owner Ian Lenagan, who invited all 14 Super League clubs to a meeting in Huddersfield on Monday to draw up a response to the policy review.

Lenagan did not respond to calls yesterday, but he is understood to be unhappy that no vote was actually taken on the proposal to go down to 12 clubs and feels the governing body have not done enough to market the game and bring in additional income.

He also wants Super League clubs to be given a greater say in the future direction of the sport, with representation on the currently independent board of directors.

Hetherington did not attend the “rebels’” meeting but confirmed Rhinos would have backed the RFL recommendations.

“Although there hasn’t been a vote, clubs have expressed their preference so I would have expected the meeting to be a simple rubber-stamping of what has gone beforehand,” Hetherington said.

Swire, who also anticipated a rubber-stamping, said his club were ready to back the RFL plan after initially favouring a league of four teams of 10.

“Back on July 17 at the last meeting of Championship clubs we voted for four 10s because we thought that was the sensible way to go, but we were outvoted 15-1 so we agreed to go along with the majority,” Swire said.

“We thought it was a fait accompli and then we found out on Monday night the Super League clubs wanted a re-think. Why did they wait until now, just before the World Cup, to let their feelings be known? If there were rumblings of discontent they could have quashed it all in July if they didn’t like it.”

The move by Lenagan and his colleagues is seen as a vote of no-confidence in the RFL and their chief executive Nigel Wood.

An RFL spokesman said the organisation are now focusing all their attention on the World Cup, with the launch less than a fortnight away.

The policy review will not be officially re-considered until after the end of the World Cup, which leaves just two months of an off season to put plans in place.

Swire, whose side would have gone up to Super League in each of the last two seasons but for the licensing system, is still hoping for the return of promotion and relegation from next year.