Wales RL seeking volunteers for 2018 Commonwealth Championships

Wales Rugby League will again compete in the Commonwealth Championships when the second edition of the tournament is held in Moreton Bay near Brisbane in Queensland, Australia on February 23-24 2018.

Wales won the bronze medal in this nine-a-side Commonwealth Games exhibition tournament in Glasgow in 2014, with the gold taken by Papua New Guinea.

These two nations will be joined in 2018 by hosts and 2014 silver medallists Australia plus England, Scotland, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

WRL CEO Chris Thair said: “We were one of 17 nations to express interest to compete in these games and we’re delighted that, after winning the bronze in 2014, our application has been accepted again.

“But the hard work starts now as we’ve coaches to recruit, a squad to select, plus every nation has to pay for their own route to the Championships.”

Wales Rugby League are offering opportunities for three volunteers to fill important roles and travel with the side, who will be made up of under 23 players outside of Super League first team squads. These players will all be expected to fundraise to assists the costs of competing in the tournament.

The positions available are a head coach, an assistant coach and a commercial manager. The target for the latter will be to raise £10,000 in kit sponsorship but the reward will be an eight day trip to Australia.

These Championships are officially endorsed by the Commonwealth Games Federation, however it is not funded by it. All costs of the tournament are being met by each participating nation and the RLIF, the latter contributing AU$150,000 for 2018. Each nation is expected to cover costs of kit, insurance, flights, pre-tournament training, lunches, additional costs and pay an AU$3,500 participation fee. The tournament organisers will cover six night’s accommodation, breakfast and evening meals and costs of staging the competition.

The Commonwealth Games Federation agreed that Rugby League should feature as an exhibition sport in the Commonwealth Championships for three cycles – 2014, 2018 and 2022. Following those events, Rugby League will be reassessed as a potential medal sport which would be a goal the sport aspires to.

Please see the job advertisement below or go to http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16211 for all the details of the vacancies that need to be applied for by 1st October 2017.

VOLUNTEER STAFF OPPORTUNITIES WITH WALES U23S
Wales Rugby League seek the following volunteer staff positions for Wales U23s Nines team for when they travel to play in Australia in February 2018.
1. Head Coach
2. Assistant Coach
3. Commercial Manager (target is to raise £10k of kit sponsorship)
As staff you would travel with 15 players, Team Manager Idris Evans and Media Manager Ian Golden. This official party of 20 people would participate in the 2018 Rugby League Commonwealth Championships in Brisbane, Australia.
All applicants should send their CV, maximum two pages, and a covering letter plus an email stating which position they wish to apply for, to idris.evans@walesrugbyleague.co.uk by 1st October 2017.
To be considered for the voluntary coaching roles you should have completed your Rugby League Coaching qualification (RFL or RLEF accredited), hold a current RFL DBS or be willing to complete one, hold a current drivers licence with access to a car and be flexible and willing to work evenings and/or weekends when required.

FINANCES

These are voluntary positions and not paid. All main meals, transport and accommodation whilst in Australia is covered by the tournament.
Flights for staff, team insurance, the $3500 participation fee paid by each nation and pretournament training costs will be covered by the team hence the expectation the Team Commercial Manager will raise at least £10,000 through kit sponsorship. Everyone will assist with the acquisition of this.
All selected players will be expected to contribute an additional £1,000 each towards the costs of the tournament. This will be a wonderful once in a lifetime experience for those involved, however, the expectation from the NGB is that this will be a cost neutral programme. There will be no profit from the programme and all funds raised will go back into group.

TOURNAMENT DETAILS
Title: Rugby League Commonwealth Nines Championships
Dates: 23rd and 24th February 2018 (two day event – Friday and Saturday)

Host City: Brisbane, Australia
Two Competitions: Men’s U23s and Women’s
Organising Body: Rugby League International Federation: RLIF
Competing Men’s Nations (8): Australia, Papua New Guinea, England, Scotland, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji
Competing Women’s Nations (6): Australia, Canada, Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji
Reason: Event officially endorsed by Commonwealth Games Organising Committee for which Rugby League has held Category 3 status since 2011.

OUTLINE ITINERARY

Six Nights will be spent in Australia:
Feb 19th Monday – Leave UK airport for Australia Feb 20th Tues – Arrive in Australia Feb 21st Wed – Training Feb 22nd Thurs – Rest Feb 23rd Fri – Day 1 of Tournament Feb 24th Sat – Day 2 of Tournament Feb 25th Sun – Rest Feb 26th Mon – Flight Home Feb 27th Tues – Arrive Back in UK

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Rugby League became part of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) after being granted Category 3 status in November 2011. Sports require category 2 status before becoming part of Commonwealth Games themselves however 2011 represented the first step on the road towards that goal.
The RLIF has since acted upon its pledges to the CGF and further developed the sport in the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. The RLIF also held the 2014 Commonwealth Championships in Glasgow involving U19 teams from four continents two months before the main games. Wales were ranked third after the 2014 event after losing to eventual winners Papua New Guinea in the semi-final and defeating Canada in the bronze medal game.
The Commonwealth Games Federation agreed that Rugby League should feature in the Commonwealth Championships for three cycles – 2014, 2018 and 2022. Following those events Rugby League will be reassessed as a potential medal sport which would be a goal the sport aspires to.
The 2018 Rugby League Commonwealth Championships is officially endorsed by the CGF however it is not funded by it. All costs of the tournament are being met by each participating nation and the RLIF, the latter contributing AU$150,000 for 2018. Each nation is expected to cover costs of kit, insurance, flights, pre-tournament training, lunches, additional costs and pay an AU$3,500 participation fee. The tournament will cover six night’s accommodation, breakfast and evening meals and costs of competition i.e. stadium hire, officials, advertisement etc.