Rugby League Gets Big Government Handout Many rugby league sides will have breathed a massive sigh of relief as the news broke overnight that the government had set aside a sum of £16 million to safeguard the sport through the Coronavirus pandemic.   RFL chairman Ralph Rimmer had been petitioning the government for support since the shutdown in mid-March, and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that the government had made the move to ‘protect the entire sport’. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Rugby League Gets Big Government Handout Many rugby league sides will have breathed a massive sigh of relief as the news broke overnight that the government had set aside a sum of £16 million to safeguard the sport through the Coronavirus pandemic.   RFL chairman Ralph Rimmer had been petitioning the government for support since the shutdown in mid-March, and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that the government had made the move to ‘protect the entire sport’. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

And with the RFL in charge of how it should be spent, there is nothing to worry about at all. Honest.

Pah whatever gives you that impression?

It isn't a hand out though, it's a loan.

How the eck will they pay it back?

Through the clubs, each club will get X amount and will pay back Y amount which will be more than X. RFL pays back £16m (with interest) and keeps the interest on the loan they’ve made from the clubs thereby making themselves, and the sport, better off financially. It’s a smart move.

It’s a move they had to take but the government aren’t exactly being charitable here. They will know this makes great business sense. The money is a loan and they will be more than happy to provide it and safeguard that Rugby League World Cup next year. It may not be a football or even Union World Cup but there will still be tens of thousands of thirsty/hungry rugby fans, looking for places to stay in cities around the country next year and it’ll be welcomed with open arms by those cities and their businesses.

Ultimately this works for everyone and even though there are far more pressing issues than sport, we can still breath a little sigh of relief.

The loan is interest free and for me personally should go to the lesser supported teams who struggle to get by.I think the clubs that have rich owners should be at the back of the queue when it comes to the money being distributed,maybe a way to fairly distribute the money would be for clubs to submit any paperwork that proves their need for the money

I think there are only 4 or 5 "sugar daddies" in SL so I think a lot f clubs will struggle to pay back all that money

I see Rimmer has confirmed that Catalans,Toronto and Toulouse Olympique are not entitled to any of the £16 million that the government has made available.If you are going to invite foreign teams to compete in your competition,then surely you have to make the rescue money available to all teams irrelevant of where they come from

Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t Toronto wealthy enough to survive given they’re backed by a multi billionaire?

The Catalans and Toulouse exceptions make no sense to me whatsoever, surely we want these clubs to survive. Talk about one step forward and two back

Perhaps, its because any financial help towards the game in France and indeed Canada has to come from their governments!

I'm sure it's one of conditions the government put on the loan. Can you imagine the uproar from the Brexit people if they found out their taxes went to the 'frogs' or any other foreign person.

So now we’re playing Brexit politics with the [ipotential[/i future of some RL clubs? How very narrow minded but yet I’m not surprised that we [imight be[/i cutting our nose off to spite our face because a [iforeigner[/i is involved.

As posted by Ruddy Duck and Charlie Sheen the loan money is available to English clubs only as it comes from the UK government via the Department for Media, Culture and Sport and has conditions regarding its use placed upon it by the DMCS. The overseas clubs can apply for such money from their respective governments.

The loan was given due to the positive impacts of the sport and its clubs' activities within the English communities in which RL clubs are present and active in the community. Toronto, Catalans and Toulouse are active in their communities but they aren't in England (or any other part of the UK). The DMCS which has provided the loan covers sporting activity and clubs in England only, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish sports are administered by their respective devolved governments. This means that North Wales Crusaders and West Wales Raiders cannot access this money either (though Ralph Rimmer spoke of 'having a conversation' about that issue so it seems there will be some effort to help them too). Any money for the Welsh clubs will likely have to come in some way from the Welsh Assembly.

Toronto and the French clubs can get money from the Canadian and French governments respectively. English clubs can not and should not get access to money from the Canadian and French governments. It is only right that this money from the (effectively) English government does not go to them. The only thing that is of concern to me is whether the two Welsh clubs can get similar help or not from UK government (via the Welsh Assembly) and whether or not the £16 million will be enough to get all clubs through.

Toronto's owner might be wealthy but so are the owners of Wigan,Warrington and Leeds but they are entitled to help so that statement doesn't really stack up

Three posters (myself included) have explained why Toronto and the French clubs cannot access this money. It is money from the English DMCS and is for use by English clubs only, that is a condition of the loan being given.

Unless the RFL use other funds to fund those clubs. I find it hard to believe they’d watch and do nothing as they foundered, but that’s a big if in itself. Toronto are well off, I believe Catalans are owned by a supermarket mogul and I’m pretty sure Toulouse have a pretty penny too. Happy to be corrected.

Correct but nowhere near the level of Toronto. Personally I don’t think the clubs mentioned will need funding from the RFL. You could probably add Saints and Hull FC to that list too.

The contribution by wiganermike explains why the clubs outside our country cannot be included and it has nothing to do with Brexit politics or being narrow minded about foreigners.

Like wiganermike said. Its for English clubs from a government department that focuses on England only, its not the RFLs decision not to give the french, welsh or Canadian teams any of the money, its a condition of the loan. The DMCS who focus on England only, arnt going to allow one penny to be spent on non English clubs. Really is common sense......

You’ll have to excuse that post, I was just in from a long night shift, a barking dog, crying child and moody wife to deal with before going to bed. I can see now that it just was wrong! Apologies