Rugby League Ireland hosted delegates from Wales, Denmark and Germany in the latest activity of the Training and Education Portal project. The participants were led by RLEF match official tutor Danny McNeice in two days of Level 1 Educator training, whilst RLI’s educators delivered a Level 1 Match Official course to local candidates, with seven qualifying.

RLI Match Offical Educator Jason Craughwell commented: “It was very good to meet the new people and catch up with old friends. There was also a sense that everyone had something to contribute that could and would help the others in their delivery of the Match Officials’ course in their respective region.”

Colleague Steve Hogan, who qualified in the preceding EU-backed RLEF development project, added, “The activity workshop was of huge benefit to everyone who attended and we had the added bonus of sharing information and forging relationships.”

As part of the new multi-directional learning system, Wales Rugby League Level 1 Educator Steve Allen will take mentoring responsibility. “Interacting with individuals with such a diverse range of experiences and skill sets but with that shared enthusiasm, is very rewarding,” he noted.

Nationaler Rugby League Deutschland representative Bob Doughton, who was joined by trainee teacher son Max, said: "The time was full of rich insights and practical advice which was of great value.”

All participants impressed McNeice, who will now take overall responsibility for ensuring that post-course activities are completed as part of the TEP’s continuing professional development theme.

The TEP is a three-year, €723.000 investment into capacity building through good governance and technical training, funded by €466.000 from the EU’s Erasmus+ project and the remainder from the RLIF and five Full Member participants that lead five of the six the clusters. It is intended to build the knowledge and skills of the RLEF’s 21 European members through high quality training and mentoring.