England’s rugby league governing body is moving quickly to avoid a repeat of the World Cup disappointment that saw both men’s and women’s teams eliminated in the group stage. With the men’s exit confirmed after Tonga beat Samoa 20‑18, the RFL announced a new review panel that will include former Great Britain captain Paul Sculthorpe, retiring England women’s skipper Jodie Cunningham, international veteran Adrian Morley and others to be named. The initiative builds on the existing One Game, One England scheme, which aims to create a pathway from grassroots and academy levels to the international stage.
Coach Brian Mc Dermott has long called for stronger domestic structures, while chief executive Ian Nolan acknowledged travel schedules, competition format, injuries and TV‑rights issues—including the tournament’s move behind Premier Sports’ paywall—as factors beyond their control. Nolan stressed that television exposure is vital for inspiring the next generation and that the review will cover media rights, reach versus revenue and audience growth. On the pitch, England’s women compete in an amateur Women’s Super League against professional Australian rivals, but a Diploma in Sporting Excellence (Di SE) programme is developing talent from Years 12‑13, with Stuart Barrow taking 11 Di SE graduates to the tournament.
The average age of the men’s squad was just 21, and the groundwork is beginning to show promise. England’s men finished with a points difference of +86 after winning two of three group games.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing