NRL partners with CoachMate to power the next generation of rugby league in schools
CoachMate is proud to welcome the National Rugby League to the CoachMate family, with NRL Schools set to launch on the platform in early 2027.
Rugby league already has an incredible footprint across Australia and the Pacific, with 1.12 million participants, growth of 7.5% last year, and more than 829,000 children engaging with rugby league through NRL school programs.
Now, CoachMate and the NRL are working together to build on that reach and create an even more connected experience for schools, teachers, students and families.
Connecting school, home and community
For many children, school is where their first experience of a sport begins.
That first experience matters.
From 2027, CoachMate will help the NRL create a connected digital journey around its school programs - supporting teachers to confidently deliver rugby league at school, giving children opportunities to continue engaging with the game at home, and creating clearer pathways towards local clubs and ongoing participation.
The experience will be built around the NRL’s own programs, pathways, coaching philosophy and brand, giving teachers access to the tools and resources they need to create a great rugby league experience for their students.
For children, the journey won’t have to stop when the school session finishes.
CoachMate’s at-home experience will create opportunities for kids to keep playing, practising and engaging with rugby league beyond the schoolyard - helping connect the experience at school with their family and the wider game.
Ultimately, the ambition is simple: turn a great first experience at school into a longer relationship with rugby league.
Building participation beyond the schoolyard
The partnership reflects a shared belief between the NRL and CoachMate that digital technology can do more than simply provide teachers with resources.
Used well, it can connect the different parts of a child’s sporting journey.
School → Home → Local Club → Ongoing Participation
For the NRL, that creates an opportunity to support teachers at national scale while building stronger connections between children, families and community rugby league.
For CoachMate, it represents exactly what the platform was built to do - help sporting organisations take their own programs, content and expertise and put them into the hands of the people delivering sport every day.
“Schools are the front door to a lifetime in the game. Partnering with CoachMate gives us a platform that can deliver a consistent, high-quality introduction to rugby league at national scale, and turn that first school experience into long-term participation and fandom.”
Dylan Hides, General Manager – Participation Strategy & Growth
A huge 2027 ahead
The CoachMate and NRL teams will now work together towards the launch of NRL Schools on CoachMate in early 2027.
It’s an exciting opportunity to build on the enormous work already happening across rugby league and help even more children have a positive first experience with the game.
Because grassroots sport starts in the schoolyard - and kids deserve a great first experience.
A huge thank you to Dylan Hides, Nicola Skinner and the wider NRL team for the trust they’ve placed in CoachMate and for the opportunity to be part of what comes next.
Bring on NRL x CoachMate Schools in 2027. 🏉
