RFL Reaffirms Commitment to 12-Team Super League Amid London Broncos Proposal
In a recent media briefing, Rugby Football League (RFL) Chief Executive Tony Sutton reaffirmed the governing body’s commitment to a 12-team Super League. However, the debate around the league’s composition has been reignited following London Broncos’ victory over Hull FC.
Speaking after the game, Broncos head coach Mike Eccles appeared on Sky Sports’ The Verdict, stating that the club is preparing a proposal to present to the RFL in hopes of remaining in Super League.
“We’re getting on with it, the club is putting together a proposal of where we think we should go and hopefully give us a bit of an opportunity to stay in the competition,” Eccles said.
One potential option to keep London in Super League would be to expand the competition to 14 teams. According to Sutton, the league’s future aspirations include growing the competition, provided there are sufficient “A-grade” clubs. Based on the current IMG criteria, a 14-team Super League in 2025 could include the 13 highest-rated clubs, plus London Broncos.
The division would likely be composed of the following teams:
- Leeds Rhinos
- Wigan Warriors
- St Helens
- Catalans Dragons
- Warrington Wolves
- Hull KR
- Hull FC
- Salford Red Devils
- Huddersfield Giants
- Toulouse Olympique
- Wakefield Trinity
- Leigh Leopards
- Castleford Tigers
- London Broncos
London’s current ranking of 24th may be challenged by their proposal, which could address concerns such as the low catchment area score.
The return to a 14-team Super League would eliminate the unpopular loop fixtures, with each team playing the other 13 sides twice, plus one extra fixture at Magic Weekend, for a total of 27 regular-season games. The play-off system would likely remain similar to the current format, with the top six sides qualifying for the postseason.
This potential expansion of Super League would provide an exciting new era for rugby league enthusiasts, while addressing the concerns raised by clubs like London Broncos in their bid to remain in the top flight.
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