The appointment of former Hull chief executive Shane Richardson into high office in Australia’s National Rugby League can be a catalyst for the new World Club Series to take off, it was claimed on Friday.
Richardson, who was behind the formation of Gateshead Thunder in 1999 and took over the running of Hull when the two Super League clubs merged 12 months later, was among the advocates for the expansion of the annual World Club Challenge between the champions from Super League and the NRL.
He was on a working party alongside Gary Hetherington (Leeds), Ian Lenagan (Wigan) and Simon Moran (Warrington) whose proposals will come to fruition next month in the six-club World Club Series.
Warrington kick off the tournament on Friday, February 20, against St George Illawarra and Wigan host Brisbane Broncos 24 hours later, with champions St Helens taking on NRL premiers South Sydney on Sunday, February 22.
Richardson, who was chief executive of Souths until his recent appointment as number two to Dave Smith at the NRL, will attend the World Club Series and participate in talks over its future.
“The intention was to hold it for a couple of years here and then take it down under but the appointment of Shane Richardson is a game-changer,” said Blake Solly, Super League’s general manager, at a media briefing at the league’s headquarters in Manchester.
“Shane has a specific brief to improve the club competition and he can hopefully excite Australia into hosting it sooner rather than later.”
Super League chiefs are hoping Richardson’s enthusiasm for the international game will rub off onto his countrymen, who according to Moran fail to give the English game the respect it deserves.
“They all think the series will be a walk in the park,” said Moran, the Wolves owner and music promoter.
“They view Super League as the poor relation.”
Lenagan, whose Wigan club played Sydney Roosters in the 2014 World Club Challenge in Australia, said: “The appointment of Shane Richardson is the biggest indicator yet that the NRL want to do things differently.”
The three Super League clubs had to lodge bonds of STG185,000 ($A360,000) to secure their places in the series but promising ticket sales have encouraged them to believe it could prove to be a money-spinner.
“We think we will make money and more importantly raise the profile of the English game,” said Lenagan, who said the Warriors’ participation in the event had helped to attract more sponsors to the club.
The series will operate under international rules, with one referee, chosen from the Super League panel, appointed to all three fixtures.
Brisbane are to base themselves in the capital initially and plan to hold an opposed training session with London Broncos at the famous Harrow School.
