NRL

The owner of Leigh Leopards, Derek Beaumont, has delivered a scathing public rebuke of Peter V’landys as the NRL refuses to budge on its demands that the London Broncos be promoted as part of any partnership deal between the NRL and cash-strapped English Super League.

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With a deal reportedly close to being finalised, there continues to be a standoff surrounding the inclusion of the London Broncos, co-owned by Darren Lockyer.

“The sticking point at the moment with the other clubs is London Broncos. We believe they should be in, so that’s the only disagreement we’ve got among us, really,” V’landys told The Daily Telegraph last week.

“All our business models and our analysis requires London Broncos to be part of it. We take a bigger risk if they’re not in the Super League.”

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The NRL has reportedly set a deadline of this Thursday — the opening of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup — for Super League to agree to the proposed deal which includes adding the Broncos as a 15th team, something Beaumont slammed as being effectively a ransom demand.

“Giving a deadline on something you want that the other side cannot commit to is a gun to the head approach akin to a ransom,” the Leigh Leopards owner posted in a lengthy rebuke on X.

“It is not right to just put London in Super League… I will not vote to add London without due process and most certainly not because someone insists upon it without substance and hadn’t previously done so.”

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‘Unequivocal trust… unfortunately that is not possible’ says Super League club boss

Beaumont also openly called into question Super League’s ability to trust the ARLC and in partciular Peter V’landys.

“Let’s pause here and remember that this person as chairman of who would control Super League under the deal has in a short space of time significantly changed the goal posts from what he said to what then became the offer,” he said.

“If I am to vote to give control of our game it must be with unequivocal trust and unfortunately that is not possible.”

He ended with a stark warning to his Super League colleagues,.

“Unfortunately many will vote in favour because they see the sugar shot of a short term increase in funding,” he lamented.

“In reality is the most expensive loan with the worst conditions attached that the sport could ever obtain!”

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