Rugby League International Fixtures Exempt from New Match Limits
In a significant development, the upcoming England Test match against France this weekend will not count towards the newly introduced match limits for professional rugby league players, Love Rugby League has learned.
As part of the major law changes implemented for the 2024 season, the Rugby Football League (RFL) confirmed that all professional players would be subject to strict match limits. This effectively caps the number of minutes they can participate in over a 12-month period.
For forwards over the age of 22, the limit is set at 25 full game equivalents, which translates to 2,000 minutes of rugby. Backs over 22 are allowed 30 full game equivalents, or 2,400 minutes. Younger players have lower limits, with forwards and backs 22 or under capped at 20 and 25 full game equivalents, respectively. Players 18 and under have an even stricter limit of 15 full game equivalents for forwards and 20 for backs.
The RFL is closely monitoring these player limits as the season progresses, with clubs managing workloads to ensure they do not lose key players towards the business end of the campaign.
Regarding this weekend’s Test match against France, the RFL has confirmed that the minutes played by England and France’s players will not be counted towards their respective match limit totals. This is largely due to the fact that the mid-season international fixture was not confirmed when the new rules came into effect.
However, the RFL has indicated that this exemption may not apply in future years, as international fixtures are expected to be scheduled well in advance.
Nevertheless, for this summer’s clash, the players can take solace in the knowledge that their involvement will not jeopardize their availability for the crucial stages of the domestic season, as the minutes played will not be tallied towards their annual limit.
Whether the new match limits become a significant factor as the season reaches its climax remains to be seen, but this weekend’s Test match provides a welcome reprieve for the participating clubs and players.
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