NRL officials meet Super League clubs as ‘significant progress’ on deal days away
Peter V'landys and the NRL remain in talks with Super League over potential investment
Rhodri Jones admits he is hopeful of ‘significant progress’ in terms of a deal with the NRL in the next week: after it emerged the Australian competition has flown in officials to meet with clubs.
Super League has been in talks with the NRL over a deal that would see the latter party invest a significant sum into European rugby league’s premiere competition. They would likely take authoritative control of the governance of the sport on this side of the world as a result.
A proposal is with the NRL and is now their top priority after they concluded a new record broadcast deal worth $5billion.
And it appears things are rapidly approaching a conclusion.
‘Significant progress’ with NRL expected
Speaking at the launch of Wigan Warriors’ game with Warrington Wolves in Dublin next year, Jones confirmed that he felt things would accelerate over the coming days, rather than weeks.
“We’re very hopeful that we’ll make some significant progress with the NRL over the next seven days,” Jones told Love Rugby League.
“We’ve been engaged with them since May but they’ve now done their TV deal, so I can say it feels like we’re their top priority. It’s still with them to come back to us. We’re hopeful we’ll get something very soon.”
That appears to suggest the NRL have an answer to the proposal they were handed by Super League, and are ready to enter the final stages of a deal to invest – which would serve as a potential game-changing moment for club rugby league all across the world.
And the NRL have now begun to conduct their due-diligence in closer detail.
NRL officials fly to England
Love Rugby League has been told by multiple clubs that they have either been visited by someone from the NRL, or are expecting a visit in the coming days.
It is understood that officials from the Australian governing body are intending to speak with clubs to get a deeper understanding of the landscape of the sport in Europe, and what the NRL would need to do in order to transform the fortunes of the game.
It has been put to Love Rugby League that the NRL will also be ‘assessing’ clubs and the situation, collecting information to return to the powerbrokers in Australia.
But it is yet another clear sign of the NRL’s intent to complete a deal, and a sign that things appear to be moving towards the final stages.