Super League International Board
Encyclopedia
The Super League International Board was the international governing body
for Super League-aligned rugby league football nations between 1995 and 1998.
The Board was formed to administer Super League globally during the Super League war
, a corporate dispute fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s by the Rupert Murdoch
and News Corporation
-backed Super League (Australia)
and the Kerry Packer
and Optus Vision
-backed Australian Rugby League
organisations over broadcasting rights for, and ultimately control of the top-level professional rugby league football competition in Australasia.
was elected the Board's first chairperson. Lindsay was also the British delegate. John Ribot
, the chief executive of Super League (Australia) and a key figure in the Super League project, became Deputy Chairman.
In response to his election, Lindsay shared the thoughts he and Ribot had on the future of the sport under Super League:
Several new rules had been trialled in Britain and the Board, during its inaugural meeting, decided they should be introduced to other Super League-aligned nations worldwide. The four rule changes related to the play-the-ball, kick-off and scrums.
In 1996 and 1997 the Super League World Nines competition was held. Nines rugby league
is a faster form of the game with only nine players on the field at a time playing in shorter halves. The World Nines competitions were held as an alternative to the Australian Rugby League's World Sevens
. The 1996 World Nines saw a video referee was used for the first time for a game of rugby league.
Under the Super League International Board, competition between national teams was organised. In 1997, Great Britain
hosted the Australian Super League test team, losing the series 2–1. The Australian side also played New Zealand. The Rugby Football League
and New Zealand Rugby League
recognise these matches as having test match
status, while the Australian Rugby League
has declined to include in its records those of its rival.
During 1995, more rugby league governing bodies outside Australia, such as France and Papua New Guinea, signed on with Super League, joining Britain and New Zealand. These agreements had the effect of "usurping" the international board's control of the sport and removing international playing opposition for the Australian Rugby League's representative sides. The director-general of the international board was the Australian Rugby League's chairman, Ken Arthurson
.
In 1998, the Super League International Board was disestablished and replaced by the Rugby League International Federation
(RLIF) as the Super League war ended in Australia and international rugby league reunited. The replacement saw worldwide governance of rugby league handed back to the sport's national governing bodies.
John McDonald
, the chair of the Australian Rugby League, became chair of the RLIF. Sir Rodney Walker
was elected a member of the RLIF, beating Maurice Lindsay and signifying a power shift in the British game. Walker took the position of vice-chair.
One of the Rugby League International Federation's first tasks upon assuming control was to re-codify the Laws of the Game
following the divergence that occurred whilst the game was split.
During their attempts to attract partners, the Super League International Board agreed to give a place in their planned 1998 world cup to the New Zealand Māori rugby league team
at a meeting in Paris in 1997. Despite that world cup not taking place, the Rugby League International Federation repeated the offer for the 2000 World Cup
and the team competed as "Aotearoa Māori".
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for Super League-aligned rugby league football nations between 1995 and 1998.
The Board was formed to administer Super League globally during the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
, a corporate dispute fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s by the Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
and News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
-backed Super League (Australia)
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
and the Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
and Optus Vision
Optus Television
Optus Television is the cable television division of Australian telecommunications company Optus.-History:Its immediate predecessor was Optus Vision, a joint venture between, Optus and Continental Cablevision with small shareholdings by media companies Publishing and Broadcasting Limited and Seven...
-backed Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
organisations over broadcasting rights for, and ultimately control of the top-level professional rugby league football competition in Australasia.
Board
In December 1995, the Board was formed in Sydney, Australia. Maurice Lindsay, the chief executive of the British Rugby Football LeagueRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
was elected the Board's first chairperson. Lindsay was also the British delegate. John Ribot
John Ribot
John Ribot is an Australian sports administrator and former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. Once a Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative winger, Ribot was the 1980 NSWRFL season's top try-scorer...
, the chief executive of Super League (Australia) and a key figure in the Super League project, became Deputy Chairman.
In response to his election, Lindsay shared the thoughts he and Ribot had on the future of the sport under Super League:
Role
The Super League International Board's responsibilities included controlling the laws of the game.Several new rules had been trialled in Britain and the Board, during its inaugural meeting, decided they should be introduced to other Super League-aligned nations worldwide. The four rule changes related to the play-the-ball, kick-off and scrums.
Competitions
In 1996, a ruling in the high court meant that Super League would be able to run a domestic competition in Australia the next year. The ruling meant that the Super League International Board was able operate several international competitions, including the 1997 World Club Championship which consisted of 12 European and 10 Australasian sides. The European clubs struggled in the competition and did not perform well financially.In 1996 and 1997 the Super League World Nines competition was held. Nines rugby league
Rugby league nines
Rugby league nines is a version of rugby league football played with nine players on each side. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some differences in rules and shorter games. Nines is usually played in festivals, as its shorter game play allows for a tournament to be...
is a faster form of the game with only nine players on the field at a time playing in shorter halves. The World Nines competitions were held as an alternative to the Australian Rugby League's World Sevens
Rugby League World Sevens
The Rugby League World Sevens, usually referred to as the World Sevens and sometimes as the World Cup Sevens, were a pre-season rugby league sevens tournament made up over the years primarily of New South Wales Rugby League , Australian Rugby League and mostly recently National Rugby League ...
. The 1996 World Nines saw a video referee was used for the first time for a game of rugby league.
Under the Super League International Board, competition between national teams was organised. In 1997, Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
hosted the Australian Super League test team, losing the series 2–1. The Australian side also played New Zealand. The Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
and New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
recognise these matches as having test match
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
status, while the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
has declined to include in its records those of its rival.
Super League war
The creation of the board was expected to weaken the position of the Australian Rugby League, increasing their isolation.During 1995, more rugby league governing bodies outside Australia, such as France and Papua New Guinea, signed on with Super League, joining Britain and New Zealand. These agreements had the effect of "usurping" the international board's control of the sport and removing international playing opposition for the Australian Rugby League's representative sides. The director-general of the international board was the Australian Rugby League's chairman, Ken Arthurson
Ken Arthurson
Kenneth Richard "Arko" Arthurson AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Affectionately known as "The Godfather of Manly", he played, coached and was later an administrator at the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership...
.
In 1998, the Super League International Board was disestablished and replaced by the Rugby League International Federation
Rugby League International Federation
The Rugby League International Federation is the world governing body of rugby league football. It was formed in 1998 in Sydney, Australia. Its purpose is to, "foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the game of Rugby League throughout the world". Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia,...
(RLIF) as the Super League war ended in Australia and international rugby league reunited. The replacement saw worldwide governance of rugby league handed back to the sport's national governing bodies.
John McDonald
John McDonald (rugby league)
John McDonald is an Australian former rugby league footballer, coach and administrator. A tall three-quarter, he played club football in Queensland for Toowoomba, representing his home state 10 times and also gaining selection for the Australian test team. In 1969 McDonald moved south, playing in...
, the chair of the Australian Rugby League, became chair of the RLIF. Sir Rodney Walker
Rodney Walker (rugby league)
Sir Rodney Walker KBE is a British sports administrator.He was Chairman of Wakefield Trinity RLFC between 1986 and 1993; the Rugby Football League between 1993 and 2002; GB Sports Council between 1994 and 1996; Sport England between 1996 and 1998 and UK Sport between 1997 and 2003.In the Birthday...
was elected a member of the RLIF, beating Maurice Lindsay and signifying a power shift in the British game. Walker took the position of vice-chair.
One of the Rugby League International Federation's first tasks upon assuming control was to re-codify the Laws of the Game
Laws of rugby league
The laws of rugby league, officially the Laws of the Game, are the laws governing the game of rugby league football. The Laws apply to the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of the sport. The Laws are the responsibility of the Rugby League International Federation.Rugby league governing...
following the divergence that occurred whilst the game was split.
During their attempts to attract partners, the Super League International Board agreed to give a place in their planned 1998 world cup to the New Zealand Māori rugby league team
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
at a meeting in Paris in 1997. Despite that world cup not taking place, the Rugby League International Federation repeated the offer for the 2000 World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
and the team competed as "Aotearoa Māori".