LONDON SKOLARS sprang a surprise on their supporters on Friday afternoon at the pre-match lunch prior to their Capital Challenge match against London Broncos at the Honorable Artillery Company in the City of London.
The pre-match lunch saw the announcement that the current owners are in the final stages of agreeing a takeover of the club by the Australian sports management group ARC.
The deal is still to be finalised and is subject to RFL approval, but a representative from the prospective new owners announced their aspirations to be the number one club in London.
ARC is a sports management company based in Queensland, whose Chief Executive is Steve Scanlan, who has played Rugby League, notably in Ireland some years ago, after which he sponsored Ireland through a previous company he owned.
“Rugby League Ireland has a special place in my life,” he said in 2017.
“The Rugby League community took me in while I was so far away from home playing overseas, they made me feel welcomed and a part of the family. They were a great support to me and I have great memories. That’s why it means a lot to me to be able to give back to them and very grateful to be able to partner with Rugby League Ireland.”
Scanlan was also set to become a major sponsor of the New York club that intended to apply to join the RFL competitions before the project was effectively destroyed by the Covid pandemic.
Another director of ARC is former Australian international David Shillington, who played 215 games in the NRL and 22 representative games for the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin, Australia, and the NRL All-Stars.
He was a member of the Australian side that defeated England 30-8 in the final of the 2011 Four Nations at Elland Road in Leeds.
