YORK Wasps could find themselves playing summer rugby league as part of a radical shake-up of the sport.

The plans would see the Northern Ford Premiership divided into National Leagues One and Two, possibly in time for a December kick-off to the last season of professional winter rugby.

RL bosses hope to implement a new five-division structure and an expanded international programme.

The League's eagerly-awaited strategic review, a root-and-branch examination of the sport, will be discussed by clubs over the next fortnight before being put to the decision-making RFL Council on October 3.

Among a total of 113 proposals concerning all aspects of the game are:

- The return to a common playing season, stretching from February to October, with the exception of clubs in the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA), who will continue to play in winter.

- The creation of a four-division, pyramid structure under Super League, incorporating a system for establishing promotion and relegation.

- The implementation of a five-year programme of international and representative fixtures.

- A drive for more competition, with additional prizes and more clubs involved in end-of-season play-offs.

The strategic planning commission, led by former Halifax chief executive Nigel Wood, is also calling for the establishment of a single governing body by 2003 and wants to raise £1million annually to bolster the game at grass-roots level.

Rugby league has been divided since 1973 when amateur clubs broke away from the parent body to form BARLA while the administration of the professional game is currently split between Super League and the Association of Premiership Clubs.

League chairman Sir Rodney Walker, who set up the strategic review, says he was prompted by the recent attacks from rugby union which exposed the game's vulnerability and by the fall-out from last year's World Cup, which proved to be a financial flop.

"We were in danger of sleepwalking into oblivion," said Sir Rodney.

"It became clear to me in the aftermath of the World Cup that things were fundamentally wrong with our game.

"It was obvious to me that the fragmented image we projected to the outside world was undermining our ability to attract both sponsors and explore new broadcast deals.

"More and more clubs were finding it difficult to continue in business, with a series of them going into CVAs.

"It was also clear that we were facing increasing competition for our players - we had already lost Joe Lydon and seen Phil Larder and Ellery Hanley go and more recently people like Andy Goodway and Shaun Edwards have gone to rugby union.

"While that is flattering and a recognition of the skills and ability of the players in rugby league, it is clearly a threat and we can only defend ourselves if we are a strong, united organisation."

Many of the details of the review have yet to be finalised but clubs have already given their approval to a slimmed-down Super League of ten teams, a reduction of two, in 2003.

The NFP will be divided into National Leagues One and Two.

National League Three will comprise BARLA clubs wishing to play in the summer while the leading outfits from the pioneering RFL Conference will form National League Four.

An expanded World Club Championship, featuring the top three teams from both Super League and Australia's National Rugby League, is proposed from October 2002.

There are plans for an annual Tri-Nations Series in July, with Great Britain due to play in Sydney next summer, while a second-tier, pre-season, international tournament involving Russia is scheduled for 2003 onwards.

"International football has been neglected for the last five years and it needs to be put back to the top of the agenda," said Gary Hetherington, Super League's director of rugby.

"The French desperately need help, especially with regards to international football, and we need to embrace Russia."

Proposed five-year calendar:

2001

October/November: Australian tour to Great Britain

2002

January/February: World Club Championship (involving two teams)

June: Origin Series

July: Tri-Nations Series involving Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand

October: World Club Championship (involving six teams)

November: New Zealand tour to Great Britain

2003

January/February: Six Nations (held in England and France)

June: Origin Series

July: Tri-Nations Series

October: World Club Championship

November: Australia tour to GB

2004

January/February: Six Nations tournament

June: Origin Series

July: Great Britain tour to Australia

October: World Club Championship

November: New Zealand tour to GB

2005

January/February: Six Nations

June: Origin Series

July: Tri-Nations Series

October/November: World Cup (in England and France).

Updated: 11:48 Friday, September 07, 2001