/prod01/channel_2/media/site-assets/images/news/Conor-Meese-web.jpg)
As the England Women Rugby League team prepare to kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign later this week, a Leeds Trinity alumnus is already busy helping to shape the next generation of players hoping to represent their country at future tournaments.
Conor Meese graduated from Leeds Trinity with a degree in Secondary Physical Education and Sports Development in 2016 before earning a Masters in Sports Business Management at the University a year later. He is now the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) Manager at the Rugby Football League (RFL), the national governing body for rugby league in England.
Conor’s role at the RFL includes leading England Rugby League’s Female Pathway Programme for players aged 14–18. He reports to Stuart Barrow, the Head Coach of the England Women first team and RFL Head of Female Pathways, ensuring his work aligns closely with the needs and aspirations of the women’s senior team.
Explaining the background and aims of the Pathway, Conor said: “Stuart set up the Pathway back in 2019, when the women and girls’ game had much less provision and exposure in comparison to today. Fast forward to 2026, and we have an established playing pathway for junior players which allows us to build on the strong foundations set by the players’ community and Women’s Super League clubs, who play a pivotal role in their development.
“Each year, we select 30 players for the DiSE programme who engage in regular training camps in the UK. This allows them to experience how high-performance rugby camps operate and helps develop the correct behaviours needed to succeed. When players first enter our pathway, we have a large focus on core technical skill development, and as they progress, we further expose them to the advanced tactical elements of the game through on-field learning, individual development plans, one-on-one player performance reviews, and education sessions. The camps also provide us with an opportunity to teach players how to be an elite athlete away from the field, so they receive education in a range of areas including psychology, nutrition, finance, and how to handle the media.
“To conclude the two-year programme, we take the players to an overseas camp, where they are tested both on the field in competitive fixtures and off the field throughout the week. This provides them with a memorable experience which hopefully leaves them striving to be part of similar experiences with the national senior team in the future.”
As DiSE Manager, Conor is directly involved across all areas of the programme, including coaching, performance and education. The impact of his work, alongside that of his colleagues, is reflected in the progress of players through the Pathway.
Conor explained: “We have had hundreds of players come through the Pathway and benefit from an increased focus on player development. Fifteen of them have since gone on to represent the England senior team.
“It’s key to note that players progress at different rates and at different stages in their career, and as the player pool becomes more saturated and the quality of the competition increases as the women and girls’ game continues to grow, it may take longer for some players on the Pathway to achieve senior recognition.
“However, if we can continue to prepare players for that stage and, at some point in the future, we have a senior team that features a group of players that we have worked with and monitored over the years, we’d consider that a job well done and evidence of the value of investing time and resources into junior players.”
Leeds Trinity University is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026, offering an opportunity for the institution to acknowledge its past with pride, look forward to the future with ambition, and showcase its strengths, successes, and impact. The career-led education delivered at Leeds Trinity plays a hugely important role in delivering the skilled workforce for the future to drive economic growth. Work placements have been part of degree programmes at the University since 1975, and this real-world experience and professional placements is a big reason why Leeds Trinity has a reputation for producing highly employable graduates.
Reflecting on how his time at Leeds Trinity helped prepare him for his current line of work, Conor said: “Studying at Leeds Trinity gave me a strong understanding of the wider sports industry and helped develop my skills in leadership, management, communication, strategy, and stakeholder engagement. These skills have been invaluable in my current role in rugby league. The course also gave me the confidence to pursue a career in sport and taught me to think strategically, solve problems, and manage different priorities. My time at university undoubtedly provided me with a strong foundation for my professional career.”
To explore Sport and Wellbeing courses at Leeds Trinity, visit the University website.