European Rugby League’s 22nd Annual Council Meeting took place on Saturday, with members from across ERL’s three regions – Europe, Americas and Middle East & Africa - coming together online to review the year. 

The meeting received the 2023 Annual Report, which is now available here on the ERL Website and heard about proposals for 2025 which includes a plan to explore the co-location or re-locating of European Rugby League as an entity to within the European Union to access greater funding opportunities. 

The members returned Dean Andrew as chair and independent director Tatiana Doncaster to office for a second three-year term each. 

“The Annual Council Meeting gives us an opportunity each year to bring our members together to update them on key areas of the company’s governance, to articulate plans for the future and to reflect on achievements from the year” noted Andrew.

“It also allows us to clearly explain the current position for the company in relation to several challenges and ensure that our members understand the steps which are being taken to address them, and I am grateful to all of them for their continued efforts and determination to grow rugby league both in their territories and wider internationally.”

The meeting also elected Jim Reynolds of Rugby League Ireland as a member-elected director, who replaces Turkey’s Gurol Yildiz. “I’m very excited to have been elected to the ERL Board,” noted Reynolds. “It is a huge honour to represent fellow members, and I intend to articulate their interests while bringing my own experience to the table to help continue to move the game forward. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me.” 

The members also ratified the expulsion of Belgium, Denmark, Ethiopia and Latvia following several years of inactivity in line with a decision taken by International Rugby League’s General Assembly earlier this year.

The meeting also paused to remember former Burundi Rugby League president Jean du Christ Rusiga who sadly died earlier this year, and to reflect on all those in rugby league who are currently impacted by conflict in the world.