AMATEUR NEWS
THE National Conference League continues to contemplate legal action against the Rugby Football League, which plans to restructure the amateur men’s game next spring under the auspices of the National Community Rugby League (NCRL) initiative.
Many member clubs of the NCL, together with the competition’s management, have expressed concern over plans that, although leaving the top two tiers of the competition intact (but as National Leagues and operated by the RFL), will result in teams in the bottom two sections reverting to localised fare in Regional Conferences.
NCL chair Mike Denning recently balloted member clubs regarding possibly going to law against the RFL and, on Saturday, confirmed votes were still arriving.
An injunction against enforced membership of the NCRL therefore remains on the agenda and Denning said: “The very future of some long-established clubs with a great history in the game is being put on the line, particularly in Cumbria.
“Some in Barrow, Whitehaven and Workington feel like they are being thrown under the bus as the RFL drives relentlessly onwards with their plans -despite numerous objections to the speed and manner in which they are being forced on community clubs.”