RFL chair Simon Johnson hailed a “highly significant” day for the sport as the Rugby League Council strongly voted in favour of IMG’s club grading plan.
At a special general meeting in Huddersfield, representatives from all three professional competitions and the community game, gave firm backing to the first recommendation from IMG, the sport’s long-term strategic partner, as part of the Reimagining Rugby League strategy. In the build-up to the vote, there had been some vociferous opposition to the grading idea from a handful of clubs including the Championship’s Keighley Cougars and Featherstone Rovers. But, when it came down to business, under the weighting system for Council votes which ensures an equal weight for Super League clubs on the one hand, and Championship / League One on the other, there was an 86 percent -14 percent result, comfortably passing the 51 percent required.
