Both Australia and New Zealand have pulled out:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57925720

Both Australia and New Zealand have pulled out:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57925720

I'm caught in two minds.

Part of me wants the comp to go ahead just to spite them but the other part of me knows it's a farce if it does.

As a rugby league fan, it's constantly disheartening to see those who run the game never being able to see the bigger picture.

The way Covid Infection is increasing here is alarming. Don't blame Aussies and NZ at all. I think they are seeing the bigger picture OK. I wouldn't assume other Countries will want to come either.

The NRL clubs will probably ban their Pacific Island players such as Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea from playing also.

I’d be very surprised now if NRL based Tonga/Samoa/Fiji/PNG even Eng, Wal & Sco players in the NRL (whether heritage or those that have moved out there) will be coming over. NRL clubs will now put pressure on them to stay at home.

I don’t see the point in having a World Cup without the worlds best players. Whatever the rights and wrongs are of Aus & NZ not coming over, for the sake of the integrity of the competition, it needs to be pushed to 2022.

Beat me to it!

It's only alarming if you believe our media's constant fear mongering, though I can appreciate that coming from countries like Australia & New Zealand, where vaccination programmes are far behind ours, might be worried of coming here.

I'm fairly certain we'll still be seeing Australia play rugby in the UK in November. Just won't be rugby league.

This decision is just about protecting the NRL, not players.

There isn't much point without them. I don't see how it can go ahwad without looking farcical!

Perhaps allow some superleague based invitational teams in? Australian all stars and Pacific all stars? Rest of UK, England, France. Just have an entirely different tournament and event as a one off?

It's coming home.

All made up ...eh??? .
I am watching the stats for deaths, number in hospitals and those on ventilators ... or do you think they are made up?
Our rates of infection are way above almost all countries.
I don't blame anyone for not wishing to travel to and stay here.

Not surprised as Australia only has 11.5% fully vaccinated, and NZ 12.8%.

I know our cases have gone up but at least we are seeing protection from vaccines.

I wonder if the All Lives Matter campaign will start demanding we go back in to lockdown.

This stinks of "I'm all right, Jack" from the NRL teams

Pressure will have been put upon the 2 relevant governing bodies by the NRL

Have Australia and New Zealand sent teams to covid rife Japan to compete in the Olympics?