Government loan is big boost but the game is nowhere near out of woods yet – Peter Smith

RUGBY LEAGUE had an ace up its sleeve in the scramble to secure government funding during the coronavirus crisis.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer.
 Picture: Bruce Rollinson.IN THE SPOTLIGHT: RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer.
 Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

Six months ago, when the General Election campaign was at its height, ‘Workington Man’ became a political issue.

Identified by a right-wing think tank as holding the key to a Conservative victory, he was defined as aged 45 or older, a northerner and brexit supporter, without a university degree, ex-Labour voter and rugby league fan.

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As it turned out, the Tories took Workington from Labour for only the second time since 1918. Before last December Whitehaven were the only professional rugby league club with a Conservative MP.

Wakefield Trinity chief executive Michael Carter.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.Wakefield Trinity chief executive Michael Carter.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Wakefield Trinity chief executive Michael Carter. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Since then, Wakefield Trinity, Dewsbury Rams, Keighley Cougars, Warrington Wolves, Leigh Centurions, Barrow Raiders and North Wales Crusaders have all turned blue, along with Workington.

The next general election is a long way off, but rugby league makes up an important part of the new blue wall, so when the RFL knocked on the government’s door at the start of the current crisis, they had some leverage.

The Rugby Football League is a much maligned organisation, sometimes justifiably, but on this occasion chief executive Ralph Rimmer has played a blinder.

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The government may not have seen what was coming when Covid-19 reached this country, but the RFL did and have been in contact with Westminster since the crisis began.

WORKINGTON MAN: Fans at Workington Town's Derwent Park ground. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.comWORKINGTON MAN: Fans at Workington Town's Derwent Park ground. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
WORKINGTON MAN: Fans at Workington Town's Derwent Park ground. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Having followed government guidance throughout, they were in a strong position to state their case for emergency support.

That paid off last week when a £16m emergency loan was announced, to be administered by the RFL.

The purpose of the loan was, according to Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, to “secure the survival of rugby league”.

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It may well do that, in the short term at least and the cash injection is very welcome, but the sport is nowhere near out of the woods.

Terms of the loan – any interest rate, when repayment is due and so on – have not been confirmed and the fact it is a loan, rather than a grant, is a concern.

Loans have to be paid back and £16m is an awful lot of money for a cash-strapped sport.

Trinity chief executive Michael Carter has expressed concerns.

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Though he has praised the RFL’s work with government to secure the finance, he fears the loan could simply “kick problems further down the road”.

As Carter says, it may well be that the loan is repayable over a long time period at a low interest rate, which would be manageable for most clubs, but even if so, it is not going to solve all rugby league’s problems.

Clubs have already imposed pay cuts and taken advantage of the national job retention scheme to put players and staff on furlough, but problems will arise if and when that ends or is reduced.

Clearly players will have to come off furlough once training and then matches resume, but the sport will almost certainly restart behind closed doors, so money will still be going out but not coming in.

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What happens in football may well dictate rugby league’s way forward, but live action is still some way off.

Lockdown restrictions will obviously have to be lifted before even training can begin.

As mass gatherings are unlikely to be permitted in the near future, sport will need some sort of exemption from social distancing measures – and the views of players also have to be taken into consideration.

Some footballers have expressed concerns about going back to work and no doubt it will be the same in the oval ball game, which is a full-on, collision sport.

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The broadcast deal – coming up for renewal and paid up until next month – and involvement of overseas clubs, where different regulations may apply, are added complications.

And what would happen once a player tests positive for the virus? Make no mistake, a huge amount of work is yet to be done before a ball can be kicked in anger and the sport can begin to get back on an even keel, despite the government’s aid.

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