Malta prepare for World Cup qualifier with coaching course

Malta Rugby League have taken part in a level 1 coaching course held in Valletta as part of the Rugby League European Federation training and education portal project.

Ten aspiring coaches attended the course, including two local teachers who hope to introduce the sport into their schools. In very hot conditions they were put through their paces by local educator Sam Blyton-Keep, who is also the coach of the national team.

Also in attendance was David Hunter from cluster partner Norway, and RLEF Coach Development Manager Martin Crick.

Crick said: “The enthusiasm and commitment displayed by the coaches in energy-sapping conditions was an inspiration and suggests that rugby league is now establishing solid foundations in Malta.

Blyton-Keep added: “There is a great opportunity now to introduce the sport to the youngsters in the country in particular, which is something that will make us even more sustainable. We are excited about the opportunities going forward.”

This will be reinforced on Saturday when Malta play Ukraine in Valletta in the opening game of European Championship C – South, which doubles as a qualifier for the 2021 World Cup, whilst the following day will see a level 1 match officials course run in the capital under the TEP.

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 of its full members.

It is intended to build the knowledge and skills of the RLEF’s 21 European members, divided into six regional clusters, through high quality training and mentoring, while granting opportunities to share experiences amongst fellow Europeans dedicated to rugby league development.