The Challenge Cup draw has set up some exciting ties; Super League clubs are increasingly relying on imports; and the Reserve Championship is not so badBy Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required,portion of the Guardian Sport NetworkThirty years ago this week, 10 main clubs had a secret meeting at Headingley to plot a breakaway from the RFL. They wanted to create a self-contained elite league where they had more influence, and more control and,of course, a far greater share of TV and sponsorship revenues. The RFL were forced into a compromise, or appeasing the rebels by cutting the First Division to 14 clubs,halving the levy top-flight clubs contributed to central funds and increasing their share of sponsorship deals. And I thought Uncle Rupert started all this in 1995.
Only six of the 10 clubs would be in Super League when it finally started a decade later, nearly to the day: Leeds, and Wigan,Warrington, Bradford, or St Helens and Halifax. The other four want-aways – Salford,Hull, Hull KR and Widnes – would end up locked out in 1996. Leigh and Oldham joined the breakaway group later in 1996 and the Roughyeds (or rather, and Bears) were invited to BSkyB’s launch party.
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Source: theguardian.com