Nigel Wood set to become RLIF chairman

RFL chief Nigel Wood is set to become the chairman of the Rugby League International Federation.

Wood has been nominated by the RLEF board to succeed Scott Carter, who recently announced his decision to step down from the role.

CEO of the RFL since 2007, Wood was also the Tournament Director of the recent World Cup, and has been vice-chairman of the RLIF since May 2012.

An RLEF board statement said: “Following a meeting of the Rugby League European Federation Board, the Directors have expressed their thanks to Scott Carter for his work on behalf of the international game.

“Consequently, the RLEF Board has confirmed that it will nominate Nigel Wood, current RLIF Deputy Chairman, to be Carter’s successor.”

RLEF Directors Carlos Zalduendo and Graeme Thompson and England’s Maurice Watkins also sit on the 10-strong RLIF executive committee, which is due to meet on 2 May in Sydney. 

Elsewhere, the European Federation’s organisation of the 2014 European Championship is ongoing. However, the RLEF still awaits RLIF funding confirmation before it can release the fixture schedule. France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are due to participate, with the winner qualifying for the 2016 Four Nations to be staged in the Northern hemisphere.

The Directors have also officially renamed the Middle East North Africa region, which has been administered by the RLEF since the reformations of 2010, as Middle East Africa, to reflect the direction in which the sport is heading and to cultivate opportunities in these important emerging markets.