Clare Balding believes the women's game is the way to spread Rugby League

[The Future is League]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/12147969/clare-balding-believes-the-womens-game-can-really-spread-rugby-leagues-gospel/

[17 stone giant]

I think it's important and is a good thing to develop the sport in every way possible - kids, women, wheelchair, seniors, etc. The more opportunities that exist, the more people can get involved.

[Tommygilf]

Women's sport is potentially a huge area of growth for the game.

Also, fantastic to have Clare Balding as president

[Eddie]

Growing the women’s game is obviously really important, but as president of the RFL I hope that isn’t her only focus. 

[Tommygilf]

35 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Growing the women’s game is obviously really important, but as president of the RFL I hope that isn’t her only focus. 

I don't think it will be her only focus, but if it receives some extra attention and kudos raised by her involvement its good all round.

[Damien]

I agree. RL in the form of the women's game doesn't seem to have the same barriers and historical animosity to overcome.

[DavidM]

I agree about spreading the game across the board , but I’d still say your spearhead is SL and especially the international game  in terms of promoting the game and spectacle and there’s lots to do still there  . The international arena and calendar has been sadly neglected 

[nadera78]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Women's sport is potentially a huge area of growth for the game.

Also, fantastic to have Clare Balding as president

Absolutely. For a small amount of time and money it could produce a large return in terms of players. Also, as Balding herself has pointed out, there is the potential to attract the type of media and sponsors that would not normally be interested in mens RL.

[Yakstorm]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

I agree. RL in the form of the women's game doesn't seem to have the same barriers and historical animosity to overcome.

The lower cost to make an impact plus the fact professional women's sport (in all codes) is less entrenched does make it a lot more of a level playing field.

It would be financially possible for RL currently to make our Women's Super League one of the top Women's sporting competitions in the UK and even steal some of the best sporting talent from other codes, something we are not in a position to do in the Men's without significant investment.

[wiganermike]

3 hours ago, DavidM said:

I agree about spreading the game across the board , but I’d still say your spearhead is SL and especially the international game  in terms of promoting the game and spectacle and there’s lots to do still there  . The international arena and calendar has been sadly neglected 

The President's position is a part time one of very limited hours and one which it appears is and has been being used to attract people that have an interest in and/or an ability due to their connections in their day job to a particular area of the sport or issue connected to it to have a positive effect on it. We have seen Brian Barwick with media connections particularly TV (though his impact seems negligible at best from the outside looking in). We then had Andy Burnham, a long serving MP and now Greater Manchester Mayor at a time when we were seeking goverment support for our upcoming World Cup which we got. We then had Tony Adams who has an established mental health and welfare charity centred on sportsmen and women as the welfare and mental well-being of our sporting heroes was coming to the fore. We now see him succeeded by Clare Balding a woman with an established connection to and love for the sport who formerly was involved with presentation of the sport on the national broadcaster who also has various connections within the sporting world and media organisations. Women's sport is becoming ever more popular and recognised and so at such a time Clare Balding (dare I say it but I would imagine that as a woman from a sporting family she will have an interest in women's sport) is a good person to have involved as we seek to boost participation and recognition for our sport not only in the men's game. She has also stated a desire to promote Wheelchair RL which also has an upcoming WC concurrently with the men's and women's tournaments. Clare Balding has also been involved in the broadcasting of the Paralympics so she has a connection to and interest in disability sport. Her connections may also be helpful to the expanding of PDRL and LDRL too.

We have other people already in post who should already be promoting the areas you mention. Having a President focusing on a particular aspect of the broader sport should not detract from that.

[DavidM]

42 minutes ago, wiganermike said:

The President's position is a part time one of very limited hours and one which it appears is and has been being used to attract people that have an interest in and/or an ability due to their connections in their day job to a particular area of the sport or issue connected to it to have a positive effect on it. We have seen Brian Barwick with media connections particularly TV (though his impact seems negligible at best from the outside looking in). We then had Andy Burnham, a long serving MP and now Greater Manchester Mayor at a time when we were seeking goverment support for our upcoming World Cup which we got. We then had Tony Adams who has an established mental health and welfare charity centred on sportsmen and women as the welfare and mental well-being of our sporting heroes was coming to the fore. We now see him succeeded by Clare Balding a woman with an established connection to and love for the sport who formerly was involved with presentation of the sport on the national broadcaster who also has various connections within the sporting world and media organisations. Women's sport is becoming ever more popular and recognised and so at such a time Clare Balding (dare I say it but I would imagine that as a woman from a sporting family she will have an interest in women's sport) is a good person to have involved as we seek to boost participation and recognition for our sport not only in the men's game. She has also stated a desire to promote Wheelchair RL which also has an upcoming WC concurrently with the men's and women's tournaments. Clare Balding has also been involved in the broadcasting of the Paralympics so she has a connection to and interest in disability sport. Her connections may also be helpful to the expanding of PDRL and LDRL too.

We have other people already in post who should already be promoting the areas you mention. Having a President focusing on a particular aspect of the broader sport should not detract from that.

Indeed 

[Copa]

Early movers can make great progress in women’s sport. Strike while the iron’s hot.

It’s like gold has finally been discovered but social and cultural issues prevents the golf rush from starting.

If you move early you can establish yourself as a premier sport for women.

[John Rhino]

The i gave 2/3 of a page to Clare and Rugby yesterday. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be online (the negative 1/3 about Toronto is ) and it was very very positive. 

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

Just came in and switched the television on to find Clare Balding on The One Show talking about rugby League in general and the women's game in particular

[Man of Kent]

She was great. Basically said ‘rugby league is great, go and watch the World Cup’.

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

2 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

She was great. Basically said ‘rugby league is great, go and watch the World Cup’.

Didn't see it all, basically switched it one and thought that's women's rugby league then I realised who it was and what she was talking about