NRLB Confirms New Men’s Coaching & Pathways Leadership Team
- NRLB
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The Nederlandse Rugby League Bond (NRLB) is pleased to announce a new-look coaching and performance structure for the Netherlands Men’s programme, reinforcing its commitment to long-term growth across both the international and domestic game.
Liam Mulhall has been appointed Men’s Head Coach, leading a refreshed coaching team that blends international experience with strong domestic knowledge. Mulhall brings a proven high-performance background and will spend approximately 180 days per year in the Netherlands, ensuring consistent on-the-ground engagement with players, coaches, and clubs.
Joining him as Senior Assistant Coach is Jason Havenaar, who continues his coaching work in Queensland while contributing his experience and support to the Netherlands programme.
James Adams has been appointed Assistant Coach, following his recent role as player-coach of Amsterdam Cobras during the 2025 season. Adams also served as Assistant Coach to outgoing Men’s Head Coach David Hunter, providing continuity and valuable insight into the current playing group and programme structures.
The NRLB are still in the hunt for a Dutc
h-based Assistant Coach to finalise the coaching team, with any expressions of interest to be sent to info@rugbyleague.nl for further discussion.
A major addition to the broader performance framework is the appointment of Tony Smith as Coach Mentor. Widely regarded as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the modern game, Smith’s involvement is a significant coup for Dutch rugby league. His role will span both the international and grassroots game, supporting coaches to improve standards, build capability, and strengthen the game at every level.
Alongside the coaching appointments, Ben Lazenby has been confirmed as Director of Pathways, overseeing player identification, development, and progression to ensure a clear and connected pathway from grassroots to international rugby league.
Craig Shepherd, President of the Nederlandse Rugby League Bond, commented:
“This coaching and leadership group represents a major step forward for rugby league in the Netherlands. We have deliberately built a team that combines international experience, domestic knowledge, and a genuine commitment to developing coaches and players at every level of the game.
I would like to place particular thanks on record for David Hunter, who has given four years of outstanding service to the Netherlands Men’s international programme. Under David’s leadership, the Netherlands reached a world ranking high of ninth - an exceptional achievement, especially given it was built primarily on a high percentage of domestically developed players. This clearly demonstrates the depth of potential within Dutch rugby league and our ability to identify and develop players capable of competing on the world stage.
Securing Tony Smith as Coach Mentor is also a significant coup for the NRLB. His experience across the international and professional game will have a lasting impact, not only on our national teams, but across the grassroots and coaching landscape in the Netherlands.”
Acknowledgements
The NRLB would like to formally thank David Hunter, Paul Dirkzwager, Ben Dommershuijsen, and Hannes Bavius for their service and commitment to the Netherlands Men’s programme. Each has made a meaningful contribution to the development of Dutch rugby league, and the NRLB extends its sincere appreciation as they step away from involvement in the international men’s setup.
These appointments mark an important step forward as the NRLB continues to build a cohesive, high-quality programme designed to support players, coaches, and clubs, and to strengthen the future of rugby league in the Netherlands.