Rugby League in England - Governing Bodies

Governing Bodies

See also: Rugby Football League and British Amateur Rugby League Association

There is no governing body for the sport in England—that role is filled by the Rugby Football League, whose remit covers the United Kingdom as a whole. With the advent of Wales Rugby League, Scotland Rugby League and Rugby League Ireland, the RFL are increasingly becoming an English organisation. The RFL are affiliated with the Rugby League International Federation and the Rugby League European Federation. The Community Board is made up of representatives of the RFL, BARLA, Combined Services, English Schools Rugby League and Student Rugby League.

British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) are responsible for amateur rugby league chiefly in the sport's north of England heartlands. Though many Rugby League Conference teams are affiliated to BARLA, the Conference itself is not a BARLA organisation. The top division under their control is the National Conference League, with regional leagues including the North West Counties and Pennine leagues. BARLA selects an international team consisting of amateur players, the BARLA Lions. This team tours many parts of the rugby league world, and have competed in the Rugby League Emerging Nations Tournament.

Rugby league was recognised as a military sport in 1994. The Combined Services Rugby League (CSRL) is the co-ordinating group for the Army Rugby League, Royal Navy Rugby League and the Royal Air Force Rugby League. Each constituent body organises its own competitions at unit and formation level. Players are fed into representative teams to represent each of the services, and the best players are selected to represent the Combined Services.

During the early months of 2010, Tony Fretwell set up Great Britain Teachers Rugby League for qualified teachers who were interested in playing representative rugby league. Teachers Rugby League are supported by the NASUWT teaching union and the Rugby League Foundation.

The Women's Amateur Rugby League Association (WARLA) is the governing body of female rugby league in the United Kingdom; it currently falls under the Rugby Football League association which oversees its running and management. It was originally established in 1985 and was recognized by the RFL in its first year.

Touch rugby is governed by the ETA who are supported by the Federation of International Touch and are affiliate members of the Rugby Football Union. They are not affiliated to the RFL or BARLA.