GHANA MOVES CLOSER TO TECHNICAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY WITH LANDMARK MATCH OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT CAMP

• The international federation this year launched the most expansive investment into grassroots game development in its history
• The technical education project objective is to ensure that every IRL member nation is able to produce its own coaches and match officials, through accredited local educators
• The IRL's system focuses heavily on continuing technical development between courses, to ensure that acquired knowledge turns into maturing understanding of the game, higher technical standards and an authentically developed sport
• The project is underpinned by state of the art e-learning management systems and coaching resources

Leading African nation Ghana will see a further boost to its capacity through a week-long visit next week by IRL tutor James Jones, who is also the head of Wales Rugby League's match officials. The deployment coincides with the American ROOTS Rugby Family and Nigeria tours to Accra.

Ghana was one of three African nations involved in launching the IRL technical education project in January and has received sustained support throughout the year, including the recent deployment of its technical director to Euro C in Italy.

Jones will oversee final technical educational modules for Rugby League Federation Ghana match officials who have been progressing along the IRL development pathway. The targeted outcomes of the trip are to accredit at least five level 1 and three level 2 match officials, who are at varying stages on the IRL's education continuum, and to sign off three local Level 1 Match Official Educators.

RLFG President Madam Juliana Storey said, "This match officials program is an important investment in our people. Building skilled referees and educators is essential to the future of rugby league in Ghana. These workshops give our team the confidence, tools, and experience they need to grow. Partnering with the IRL helps us develop the human resources that will drive our competitions, support our communities, and strengthen the sport for years to come."

The local officials will be some of the first practitioners added to the IRL's new learning management system and will attend multiple theory and practical sessions with Jones and RLFG match educator candidates Marshall Nortey, Chris Ebo Dagama and Jacqueline Ansah. That knowledge will be applied in up to eight representative games that will take place over a week.

(The following list is subject to change, based on Nigerian Rugby League Association's travel plans:)

23/11

Nigeria vs ROOTS – women
Ghana vs Nigeria - men's Senior International Match

26/11

Nigeria vs ROOTS - Men
Ghana vs Nigeria - women's Senior International Match

30/11

Accra vs Kumasi - boys
Accra vs Kumasi- girls
Ghana vs ROOTS - women
Ghana vs ROOTS - men