Rugby Football League convenes panel to help fix national team after historically bad World Cup

The Rugby Football League has established an expert panel of former elite players to map out a future for the national game. The initiative follows England's worst-ever Rugby League World Cup campaign, where both the men's and women's national teams suffered group-stage exits. New RFL CEO Ian Nolan confirmed that the panel's recommendations will help guide long-term structural changes.

The initial panel includes former Great Britain captain Paul Sculthorpe, Adrian Morley, York Knights assistant coach Gareth Ellis, and international star Jodie Cunningham. The panel's remit will span the entire sport, analyzing grassroots pathways, the international player pool, and media rights, with a finalized strategy expected by the end of the year.