In my opinion that Philodox, Phil Gould is behind this and covid is just an excuse with the union teams from Oz and NZ coming here in October, and the Kiwi Crickets team just finishing a tour test series here

In my opinion that Philodox, Phil Gould is behind this and covid is just an excuse with the union teams from Oz and NZ coming here in October, and the Kiwi Crickets team just finishing a tour test series here

we are in a pandemic, the RFL/WC2021 needed to cancel it 7 weeks ago but sure, blame the NRL.

The ARLC used covid as excuse
You can't the fact that the Kiwi Cricket team have just been here and the union national sides from NZ and OZ are coming over here this autumn.

I am sure the organisers will be pursuing diplomacy in their conversations with the NRL....sorry, ARL/NZRL, but simply put, just show them this.........

UNION rlhttps://www.autumn-internationals.co.uk/2021/rl
BRITISH ISLES FOOTBALL
rlhttps://www.skysports.com/football/teams/england/fixturesrl
rlhttps://www.skysports.com/football/teams/scotland/fixturesrl
rlhttps://www.skysports.com/football/teams/republic-of-ireland/fixturesrl
rlhttps://www.skysports.com/football/teams/wales/fixturesrl
WORLD CRICKET
rlhttps://www.icc-cricket.com/mens-schedule/listrl

......If Isolation and simply chasing the same dollars as the AFL is the height of their ambition, then cut them loose, because this is making the game look tin pot in terms of being an "international" sport.

I can't see the cup going ahead unless the NRL will release players.....

I received this email after today’s meeting regarding World Cup.

The Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) Board held their scheduled meeting earlier today. While the Board reiterated the determination to deliver the biggest and best ever Rugby League World Cup in history, they are also realistic about the significant challenges that threaten that ambition.

In light of the decision by the ARLC and NZRL to withdraw from the event this year, the Board have asked that the RLWC2021 team continue to hold further urgent discussions with all stakeholders, particularly the players, aimed at correcting misinformation as well as measuring the sentiment on proceeding with the tournament this year.

The RLWC2021 Board recognise the need to bring clarity and certainty to the situation. They have also underlined the relentless collaborative work that has been ongoing since the beginning of the pandemic to establish the most safe and secure environment for all involved - in line with other world class major events that have taken place successfully in the UK in 2021.

We want to thank you for your continued support and patience and we will communicate any further developments as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your support,

RLWC2021 Team

An almost 99% surrvival rate cannot realisticly be called a "pandemic". And that's before the so called vaccine.

Come on, lets have a World Cup.

Are you that despeate to "prove" a point ?

I'm sure that you have done thorough research on this and yet you cherry pick 2 particular years.
How about looking at the deaths in the UK over the last 5 years.

This graphic puts things into context, without some dubious "cherry picking":

2020 608,002 59,829 1,016.20 1,043.50
2019 530,841 59,440 893.1 925
2018 541,589 59,116 916.1 965.4
2017 533,253 58,745 907.7 965.3

So, with fairly constant population, just short of 60 million, there were 60-70,000 additional deaths last year.

(figures from the ONS, mind you, in your world, they will be in on the conspiracy)

First line or last line, these numbers put the spike in deaths last year into context.
I thought that would be helpful ?

Granted, there is a spike 2019 to 2020 but what is the cause of these extra deaths.? Shifting thousands of vulnerable patients out of hospital wards into care homes? We know that happened don't we? Never known a care home to be a substitute for a fully staffed NHS hospital.

How many people have died at home due to lack of care? People that would otherwise have been in hospital receiving treatment.
Very few people have seen a doctor face to face during this dog and pony show. How much has been missed, how many mis-diagnosis's have occurred due to relying on a telephone conversation?

Here is part of an interview with a state registered nurse.
Q. Were there any other patients in your hospital from April (2020) through August?
Answer hugely vital service preventing death and worsening brain injuries. The stroke ward was virtually empty.

Back onto WC2021 please.

About time....

So latest reports suggest we will get the latest go/no go decision pretty soon?

If all parties wanted a world cup we would have one, fully secure bubbles are possible (see other sports with more money, that the domestic game doesn't have), and there are enough players who would go into them.
But I don't think the negotiations are likely to succeed because of bad faith arguments, for example I have heard it said that the bubbles are not secure enough as they would be in hotels open to other non world cup visitors, and that it is unfair to ask players to be away from their families who couldn't come with them, which is contradictory.
And nobody has addressed that international players could just start next season late to get a full end of season break, which happens ALL THE TIME due to injuries, suspensions and other factors.

I can't see it going ahead. If there were enough players from Aus and NZ who want to go I think we we would have heard them by now. That's the only way I see Aus and NZ reversing the decision and just haven't heard enough players come out and say they disagree.

No Aus and NZ will be a nightmare where no replacement can fix.

The broadcast deal will be renegotiated, refunds will have to be dealt with, trying to sell tickets will be a lot more difficult and just seems going ahead with it will see more negatives than positives.