Wales Rugby League officially cancel 2020 season

Wales Rugby League CEO Gareth Kear has taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 rugby league season in Wales with immediate effect. This decision was taken after consulting all of the community rugby league clubs in an emergency meeting held on Tuesday night, and the WRL board have been informed. Further more, no structured …

WRL move onto Stage 3 of Return to Play

Wales Rugby League have moved onto stage three of their return to play with “touch rugby” in training now being allowed. Following discussions with Sport Wales and the Welsh Government, all are agreed that the ability to breach social distancing guidelines for organised outdoor sports is now possible, but still with certain restrictions. Contact must be kept …

Coach education continues following return to training

Wales Rugby League National Development Manager, Mark Jones got back to the Coach Education side of his role last weekend on his two visits to community clubs. His trips to Cardiff Blue Dragons and Bridgend Blue Bulls were to assess two female and one male who were all on the Rugby League European Federation’s Level …

Wales Rugby League National Development Academy and Coleg y Cymoedd update

COLEG Y CYMOEDD UPDATE – In these extraordinary circumstances with this year’s school leavers qualifications being predicted, Coleg y Cymoedd have many education options alongside training full time at the Wales Rugby League National Development Academy. If you would like to discuss your’s or your child’s education pathway and options, then please contact Mark Jones …

Return to training a success for Welsh community clubs

Most community rugby league clubs in Wales are now back in training, with nearly 700 players registered with the governing body and raring to go. It is predicted that over 1,000 community players will take to the field in 2020 when safe to do so. All clubs have been following guidelines that were instructed by …

Update on Phased Return to Play Strategy

An update from Gareth Kear, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wales Rugby League… Following a webinar meeting on Wales Rugby League’s ‘phased return to play strategy’ with all key stakeholders including all clubs, match officials, coaches, international pathways and volunteers, I am pleased to confirm that from August 1, outdoor structured and sanctioned rugby league …

COVID-19 update

As a result of the statement from the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, Wales Rugby League will soon be releasing a ‘phased Return to play strategy’ for all outdoor forms of Rugby League and also an action plan for all the community clubs to follow. There will be further meetings for WRL with both …

Scott Bessant’s funeral details announced

Scott Bessant’s funeral is taking place at the Gwent Crematorium on Friday 10th July at 2pm. The former Wales Dragonhearts international sadly lost his life last Wednesday after complications from pneumonia. Due to Covid-19 restrictions only immediate family will be able to be present at the funeral service, but his parents Howard and Jackie would …

RIP Scott Bessant

Former Wales Dragonhearts rugby league international Scott Bessant has sadly died in hospital of complications from pneumonia, aged just 37. Pontypool-born, he was a keen rugby player from school, starting in the union code and playing for Pill Harriers before signing for Pontypool in 2006. He started playing rugby league for Newport Titans RLFC a …

Codebreakers – it’s not the end

Wales Rugby League’s head of communications and historian, Ian Golden, reviews Carolyn Hitt’s BBC documentary and explains why he felt a few more minutes screentime would have added to the story. So who watched last night’s BBC2 documentary “Codebreakers”? If you didn’t, you missed a treat, but don’t worry, you can still see it on …