Rugby League Governing Bodies

The Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU) was formed in 1895 by the 21 breakaway clubs from the traditional Rugby Football Union, still the governing body in England for the 15-man code.

It was not until 1922 that the NRFU assumed its current name, the Rugby Football League (RFL), in an attempt to distinguish it as the body in charge of the league game, with rugby union still taking place on a friendly basis.

Domestically, the RFL is in command of the professional game, although it retains some responsibilities for community development programmes, with the amateur game falling under the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) since 1973.

BARLA was formed by a group of breakaway enthusiasts alarmed by the shrinking of the recreational game and at the time was opposed by the RFL. The two bodies were reconciled shortly afterwards, though, and BARLA now run the winter National Conference league, featuring famous amateur clubs like Wigan St Pats.

In 1948, at the request of the French governing body, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) was born, with France desperate for international support after the sport had been banned by the Nazis and the Vichy regime.

Since that time the RLIF has assumed responsibility for the laws of the game, although domestic competitions may have some variations and it administers all international competition, including the World Cup, the Tri- and Four-Nations events and the World Club Challenge.

Consisting of a four-man committee elected by the current 12 Test-playing members, the RLIF is currently headed by Australian Graham Love and also publishes the international rankings and makes it own yearly awards.