Shocking call IMO.
IRL is integral to the game growing and ATM its struggling in England though doing better in other countries like France, Lebanon Greece etc.
Postponing it until next year will have terrible flow on effects. Will be on the same year as a soccer world cup...will get so much less coverage here (im in london right now). Not only that but all the sponsorship deals were done thinking it would have top billing...every game was going to be on BBC free coverage.
Prioritising NRL over IRL yet again...Seriously should have had a slightly shorter 2022 NRL season if lack of off season was that big a problem...
I agree 100%. The attitude that losing 2 weeks of an NRL preseason (for international players only), is too big a sacrifice for a world cup to go ahead is just disgraceful, and so NRL-centric. It is no wonder that the international game struggles when Australia has such an insular approach.
No country has done more to promote and keep international games going than Australia and New Zealand - usually at our cost.
Don't worry about that though - keep putting the boot in.
Nonsense.
When the brits tried to resurrect the Great Britain team and do a tour the Southern Hemisphere a couple of years ago (pre covid), Australia said 'nah, not interested, don't come here'.
When a test was going ahead in Denver, NRL clubs took a belligerent approach to players participating.
There's always been pressure on players to choose Origin rather than representing other nations.
If the NRL made any money out of the world cup - the Kangaroos would be there for sure, just like the Wallabies are going to the UK later this year. But as the money generated goes to international league, the NRL couldn't care less.
International league is a huge natural advantage rugby league has over AFL, but the powers that be in Australia do very little to promote it.
And no it is not at the NRL's cost, world cups are funded by IRL, usually on a shoe string budget and begging for government or sponsor funding.
