Sport England react to Nigel Wood’s key RFL appointment with warning

Sport England have warned they would not hesitate to take action if the Rugby Football League fails to reach the standards set by its Code for Sports Governance following Nigel Wood’s return to the governing body.

A decision to approve Wood as the permanent chair of the RFL was made official by member clubs on Tuesday at a meeting in Wakefield.

That is despite the former CEO of the governing body insisting when he returned to the role on an interim basis in March that it would not be a long-term arrangement. He has also subsequently been appointed as chair of RL Commercial, with his grip on the game’s governance once again strong.

Rugby league is in receipt of significant funding running into millions of pounds each year from Sport England which is one of the game’s main financial income streams. However, that means it must adhered to the Code for Sports Governance set out by the body.

There are various rules within that code – including a demand that any major leadership appointment must follow an ‘open and transparent’ recruitment process.

Sources have told Love Rugby League that if the sport lost its Sport England funding, it would effectively grind to a halt. It is partly why Wood has so far been named as a ‘senior executive director’ in official communications from the governing body.

That is despite both Derek Beaumont and Gary Hetherington confirming earlier this year Wood had in fact returned as the interim chair in a statement.

They said: “As per the resolution we have implemented Nigel Wood OBE as the chair of the strategic review panel and by right he therefore takes the interim position as chair of the RFL.”

And now, a Sport England spokesperson confirmed that they are monitoring the situation.

In a statement issued to Love Rugby League, they said: “All organisations in receipt of significant funding from Sport England must reach the standards of the Code for Sports Governance.

“This includes major leadership appointments following open and transparent recruitment processes. We will take action if any organisation fails to reach those standards.”

However, suggestions that Wood’s ties to Bradford Bulls earlier this year could put the RFL in breach of that governance are, Love Rugby League understands, incorrect.

There is no such legislation within the code that dictates any individual must be free of ties to a club for 12 months before taking on a senior role with a governing body.

But the RFL must be seen to have made any senior, permanent appointments – like Wood’s – as open and transparent as possible.

News of his appointment is expected to be confirmed by the RFL soon.