Amateurs reject reunification deal
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Your support makes all the difference.The British Amateur Rugby League Association runs the risk of losing its funding following the decision of its management board that it cannot accept the Rugby League's proposals for reunification.
Sport England, which at present supports BARLA to the tune of £130,000 a year, says it will only fund a single governing body in future, but the organisation's chief executive, Ian Cooper, said: "We have reached an impasse. There are fundamental issues which make it impossible for us to recommend reunification to the full meeting of BARLA next month.''
One of the major sticking points is that under RFL's terms, BARLA staff would in future be employed by them. "That would give us no sovereignty whatever,'' Cooper said.
The executive chairman of the RFL, Richard Lewis, is urging BARLA to think again. "There are a significant number of benefits and I would urge them to accept our proposals,'' he said.
BARLA split from the League in 1973 and has run all amateur rugby league in this country since then.
The Sydney City coach, Ricky Stuart, has pledged to bring a full-strength team to Britain to play St Helens in the World Club Challenge in February. The Roosters had threatened to bring a weakened side if the RFL would not approve a warm-up match, but Stuart now says: "We are committed to doing what Newcastle and Brisbane could not do, by winning in England and becoming world champions.''
Bradford have confirmed they are preparing an offer to Karl Pratt, the Leeds and Great Britain winger declared a free agent by a tribunal on Thursday.
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