THE RFL has eased the requirements for visas for overseas players coming to the British game, making it easier for players from second-tier competitions in Australia to join clubs.
From now on, players who are aged 24 or under who have played in the NSW or Queensland Cup competitions will be able to obtain visas to play in the UK, as an RFL spokesperson confirmed to League Express.
“The RFL works closely with UK Visas and Immigration around Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) requirements on behalf of clubs and other stakeholders, and we are grateful to Home Office officials for a number of significant agreements over the last three years relating to the International Sportsperson route specific to Rugby League,” said the spokesperson.
“Having previously established the Elite 1 competition in France as a suitable route for players to prove themselves worthy of a visa to play professionally in England, which was deemed beneficial for the development of the France national team, our operations department have also secured amendments to the rules relating to players from the southern hemisphere.
“Players from Junior Kangaroos or Kiwis representative teams have been permitted for the last year, and that permission has now been extended to young players who have earned selection for equivalent junior representative teams with other nations including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
“A further amendment had been secured for players aged 26 or under who had played in the NRL, and now that has been extended to players aged 24 and under who have been playing in the NSW or Queensland Cup competitions.
“We believe this could enhance the quality of our professional competitions, allowing clubs to increase the depth of talent in their squads, while staying within the existing restrictions on the number of non-federation trained players.
“It also provides balance at a time when a growing number of young British players are being targeted by NRL clubs.”
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