The Rugby Football League (RFL) has endorsed a call by former England international Jon Wilkin for Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to approve a £30 million five-year community funding plan for rugby league in the north of England.
Wilkin, who played 10 times for England and six times for Great Britain, appealed directly to Burnham and Nandy — both rugby league fans — on BBC Radio 5 Live. He pointed to Australia's commitment of A$250 million (£130 million) over 10 years to the Pacific Rugby League Partnership as a model for a similar social impact initiative in northern England.
Ian Nolan, the RFL's new chief executive who took office on 1 October, supported Wilkin's proposal. Nolan, a former Manchester United executive, argued that rugby league clubs are already embedded in deprived communities, making them effective vehicles for social investment. "Rugby clubs are already established in the most deprived towns in the UK. People already go there. Families already rely on them," he said.
The proposed Northern Rugby League Social Impact Partnership would bring together the RFL, professional clubs, community foundations, local authorities and government departments to target disadvantaged northern communities.
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson responded that the government has committed £15.7 million to rugby league through Sport England up to 2029 and is investing £400 million in upgrading grassroots sports facilities. The department said it is aware of the RFL's concerns and will continue working with them.
The funding plea comes amid broader scrutiny of English rugby league after both the men's and women's national teams exited the Rugby League World Cup at the group stage — the first time neither reached the final four. Nolan has launched a "One Game, One England" consultation with rugby league greats to reform the sport from grassroots up.
Former England winger Ryan Hall criticised the reduction of the men's World Cup from 16 to 10 teams, saying it undermined the tournament's festival nature. International Rugby League chair Troy Grant defended the decision to award broadcast rights to Premier Sports rather than the BBC, citing insufficient financial offers from free-to-air broadcasters. Wilkin argued the World Cup should have been on free-to-air television to maximise exposure.
