RFL boss Ralph Rimmer pays tribute to contributions of Tony Adams and Carl Hall

RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer has paid tribute to the work of Tony Adams and Carl Hall in their year as president and vice president of the sport’s governing body.

Adams has left his role as president of the RFL to be succeeded by Clare Balding, while the Rugby League Council members will be asked to approve a motion extending Hall’s tenure as vice president for six months until he is succeeded by Mike Smith of Hull KR.

Rimmer said: “Tony and Carl have been a great team, and I know they’ve really enjoyed working together.

“They have very different backgrounds – one from North London, the other from the North Island of New Zealand – and of course they played different sports.

“But they are united by that experience of having played professional sport – and they’ve both brought that experience to their year working for the RFL.

“It was the impact Tony had already had on our current rugby league players through his Sporting Chance charity that made him such a great fit for the president’s role.

“As a sport, we’ve benefited hugely from the way he’s able to enthuse about rugby league to a new audience. But that only works if it’s authentic.

“Tony knows from the RFL’s history with Sporting Chance that we are aware of the importance of player welfare.

“The vice president is a different role, but equally valued, as we recognise long service to the sport. I go back a long way with Carl Hall to from our days together at Doncaster, so I was thrilled that he received this recognition last year, after making such a lasting contribution to British Rugby League after first coming here as a Junior Kiwi.

“Carl represents the sport with passion and integrity has been a great RLWC2021 champion – especially promoting the legacy programme for the community game.”

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