Brian Carney has urged the Rugby Football League (RFL) to get serious about its ambitions to strengthen the domestic game in England by implementing a strategic plan. Following England men's and women's teams exits from the Rugby League World Cup, the RFL established an advisory panel consisting of multiple former Great Britain and England players to hold discussions and plot out a roadmap to improve the international game. In February, the RFL also released 144 strategic recommendations detailing key issues within rugby league in England, relating to governance, financing, and improving player pathways.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player But Carney called on the sport's governing body to show it can action the solutions to those problems, instead of discussing them. "Rugby League doesn't need another discussion about what is wrong," Carney said. "Rugby League needs to demonstrate it is capable of doing something about what we already know.
"Before we go to another review, if indeed Sunday's news is a suggestion of another review, I would like to know what have we done to turn those 144 recommendations into a strategic plan?" England's performances at the World Cup have heightened concerns that the gap between them and southern hemisphere sides is becoming wider. "If you want to review England men's and women's performances on their own, knock yourself out. But that is merely a symptom of a greater problem," the former Great Britain winger said.
"We're trying to fix a leaky roof by buying more buckets. We know the problems in rugby league: better pathways, better coaching, stronger academies. "The big question is whether we have the leadership, the resources and the determination to put those recommendations sitting in front of us in place." Ian Nolan, who had previously worked as a senior executive at Manchester United, was appointed RFL chief executive in July, and has been clear about his ambitions to grow the game's profile and bring in more revenue.
"Nolan is not long in the job, so I'm not throwing all of this on his doorstep," Carney said. "He is entitled to challenge what's gone on before him. "But you would imagine his role is to turn those recommendations into a strategic plan.
"A change of leadership doesn't mean the sport gets to reset the clock every time. "We're very good at strategic reviews, but strategic plans are harder to come by." Carney added: "They haven't yet suggested to us that a strategic plan is about to be delivered forthwith. So, we get this statement on Sunday, and I can't help but think: 'Is this window dressing?' "What I had expected to come after these recommendations is a plan.
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