The IRL

[Eddie]

Does anyone know what the IRL do, what their recent achievements are etc?

This isn’t me sarcastically saying they don’t do anything, I genuinely don’t know as I never hear much about them. 

On their website they’ve still got the World Cup games as the upcoming fixtures, though their is an article saying it’s been postponed. https://www.intrl.sport

[Man of Kent]

Interview with IRL chair Troy Grant

Chasing Kangaroos podcast just released. He explains it, Eddie.

I’m quite impressed by this guy. He’s what I call a useful person.

[Eddie]

15 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Interview with IRL chair Troy Grant

Chasing Kangaroos podcast just released. He explains it, Eddie.

I’m quite impressed by this guy. He’s what I call a useful person.

Thanks MoK, will give that a listen later

[Man of Kent]

Grant (who’s an unpaid volunteer) says IRL is aiming to publish a new international calendar by the end of the year. It was due out last month but was delayed for obvious reasons.

France is the IRL’s number one priority, to strengthen the European game. Stronger France = stronger England etc.

The 2025 RLWC in France will have four comps - men, women, wheelchair and youth. There’s also planned to be a PDRL comp affiliated to the 2025 RLWC.

Grant is also keen on Pacific nations playing tests in Europe. 

The 9s WC is still planned for 2023. 

 

[Eddie]

10 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Grant (who’s an unpaid volunteer) says IRL is aiming to publish a new international calendar by the end of the year. It was due out last month but was delayed for obvious reasons.

France is the IRL’s number one priority, to strengthen the European game. Stronger France = stronger England etc.

The 2025 RLWC in France will have four comps - men, women, wheelchair and youth. There’s also planned to be a PDRL comp affiliated to the 2025 RLWC.

Grant is also keen on Pacific nations playing tests in Europe. 

The 9s WC is still planned for 2023. 

 

Good stuff, though sad that he’s an unpaid volunteer and not full time. 

[JonM]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

Good stuff, though sad that he’s an unpaid volunteer and not full time. 

One previous chair and chief executive of the IRL was earning a fairly substantial amount of money from the game.

[Damien]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

Good stuff, though sad that he’s an unpaid volunteer and not full time. 

Without World Cups taking place there will be no money to pay anyone or do anything.

I've never actually seen anywhere that Grant is an unpaid volunteer. Has anyone got a link?

[Man of Kent]

47 minutes ago, Damien said:

Without World Cups taking place there will be no money to pay anyone or do anything.

I've never actually seen anywhere that Grant is an unpaid volunteer. Has anyone got a link?

See above, chief. He and the rest of the IRL board are unpaid.

[Eddie]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

See above, chief. He and the rest of the IRL board are unpaid.

I bet sports like handball and hockey have fully paid international boards - shows the distain that the clubs show for international RL. 

[Man of Kent]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I bet sports like handball and hockey have fully paid international boards - shows the distain that the clubs show for international RL. 

Not sure being on the board of the IRL is a full-time job, to be honest. 

I believe the IRL has a team of paid executives, however, some of who are FT.

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

See above, chief. He and the rest of the IRL board are unpaid.

Thanks, I've not listened to it yet but will when I get chance.

[Exiled Wiganer]

2 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Not sure being on the board of the IRL is a full-time job, to be honest. 

I believe the IRL has a team of paid executives, however, some of who are FT.

There is an annual report on the web site, I think. The IRL has a number of roles, but the 2 most obvious ones are 1) internationals and 2) developing the game around the world, by supporting its (60 odd?) members. It is the latter of these which is most obviously directly impacted by the 4 minute “nah” from the Aussies. You could probably track the number of nations playing our game over the years, and take a view of the importance of that side of things. 

[Man of Kent]

1 minute ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

There is an annual report on the web site, I think. The IRL has a number of roles, but the 2 most obvious ones are 1) internationals and 2) developing the game around the world, by supporting its (60 odd?) members. It is the latter of these which is most obviously directly impacted by the 4 minute “nah” from the Aussies. You could probably track the number of nations playing our game over the years, and take a view of the importance of that side of things. 

Sure but there's a difference between a board of directors and executives. Even some of the biggest companies in the world don't have full-time directors.

[gingerjon]

13 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I bet sports like handball and hockey have fully paid international boards - shows the distain that the clubs show for international RL. 

The IRL appears to have seven paid members of staff.

Corner shops have more.

[GeordieSaint]

2 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Grant (who’s an unpaid volunteer) says IRL is aiming to publish a new international calendar by the end of the year. It was due out last month but was delayed for obvious reasons.

France is the IRL’s number one priority, to strengthen the European game. Stronger France = stronger England etc.

The 2025 RLWC in France will have four comps - men, women, wheelchair and youth. There’s also planned to be a PDRL comp affiliated to the 2025 RLWC.

Grant is also keen on Pacific nations playing tests in Europe. 

The 9s WC is still planned for 2023. 

Thanks MoK. Sounds good, as long as the last point isn’t in place of full internationals. 

[Eddie]

49 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Not sure being on the board of the IRL is a full-time job, to be honest. 

I believe the IRL has a team of paid executives, however, some of who are FT.

Ah, fair enough then. 

[17 stone giant]

3 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

France is the IRL’s number one priority, to strengthen the European game. Stronger France = stronger England etc.

It pleases me to hear that, because I completely agree that developing France would be a great benefit to the sport. Not only in terms of giving England someone competitive to play when the Southern Hemisphere teams aren't here, but also for making up a strong Four/Five nations etc.

[Eddie]

3 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

It pleases me to hear that, because I completely agree that developing France would be a great benefit to the sport. Not only in terms of giving England someone competitive to play when the Southern Hemisphere teams aren't here, but also for making up a strong Four/Five nations etc.

Same here, though I’m looking forward to listening to the podcast at lunchtime to hear what the plans for France are (hopefully not just a general develop France). 

[GeordieSaint]

4 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

It pleases me to hear that, because I completely agree that developing France would be a great benefit to the sport. Not only in terms of giving England someone competitive to play when the Southern Hemisphere teams aren't here, but also for making up a strong Four/Five nations etc.

Absolutely. Main priority. There is something good developing in France with Catalan, Toulouse and the potential WC. Good young players coming through in abundance. The sport has to grasp that chance now.

[rlno1]

9 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

It pleases me to hear that, because I completely agree that developing France would be a great benefit to the sport. Not only in terms of giving England someone competitive to play when the Southern Hemisphere teams aren't here, but also for making up a strong Four/Five nations etc.

Also developing minor nations to get them into the olympics via nines and tap into government funding.

[Eddie]

18 minutes ago, rlno1 said:

Also developing minor nations to get them into the olympics via nines and tap into government funding.

RL nines isn’t in the Olympics though? 

[rlno1]

38 minutes ago, Eddie said:

RL nines isn’t in the Olympics though? 

Correct....but it is the plan of the IRL to get it in there.

[jim_57]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

Absolutely. Main priority. There is something good developing in France with Catalan, Toulouse and the potential WC. Good young players coming through in abundance. The sport has to grasp that chance now.

Absolutely. I’ll be very disappointed if England don’t play France at least once this year and twice next year.

[The Frying Scotsman]

3 hours ago, JonM said:

One previous chair and chief executive of the IRL was earning a fairly substantial amount of money from the game.

Well, to be fair, a Chief Exec should be earning a living from a role like that.

@Man of Kent says that Troy Grant is the chair of the IRL, and that COULD be a trustee position, and therefore unpaid. 

However a Chief Exec role - I assume the IRL has this too - should undoubtedly be a professional position, and at a sport the size of Rugby League, would be absolutely necessary IMO. 

[Man of Kent]

4 minutes ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

Well, to be fair, a Chief Exec should be earning a living from a role like that.

@Man of Kent says that Troy Grant is the chair of the IRL, and that COULD be a trustee position, and therefore unpaid. 

However a Chief Exec role - I assume the IRL has this too - should undoubtedly be a professional position, and at a sport the size of Rugby League, would be absolutely necessary IMO. 

The guy who was the de facto head of the IRL - Danny Kazandjian - is now secretary-general, a paid FT position. 

"The only full-time employees are myself and Jeremy Edwards, who is the General Manager for the Southern Hemisphere. We also have six other staff members who have part-time roles, including Niel Wood, who is responsible for our media relations, and Stuart Cummings, who is our Match Officials Manager.

"Then we have Sara Piper, who is responsible for our digital presence. She has worked with the NRL and was Head of Digital for the 2017 World Cup. She is now based in Manchester and is involved in the forthcoming World Cup in England.

"We are also seeking to add a commercial manager to support our strategic imperative, which is monetising the international calendar."

https://www.totalrl.com/danny-kazandjian-planning-an-international-future-part-1/