I wouldn't pay too much heed to that article as if it is them backing the ARLC. Obviously they agree with the decision as it was their idea to do it. With some of the stuff coming out of the NRL, ARLC and NZRL in the last few days if one of them told me I was on fire I'd seek a second opinion. The NRL are overtly pressuring players to do what the NRL want and turn down their nations if selected. I think Jon Dutton is preparing us for the possibility of the Aussie hierarchy's misinformation and implied threats to players outdoing the IRL's efforts to secure the players' participation in the RLWC.

This is nothing at all to do with Covid, it is the NRL attempting to throw their weight around and to gain control of international RL.

Summer 2022. After the commonwealth games. That should be the date. We should not be considering in any way going up against, or going close to the FIFA World Cup. What should have been, and still could be, a promising tournament would be a mere footnote in the media.

But I’ll bet my bottom dollar if we did that the NRL would have a hissy fit. Funny that.

The game here doesn’t have the balls to call for a UK summer World Cup next year unfortunately but in the words of Kevin Keegan “I’d love it, love it” if they did. It’ll be the safest time most likely with schools out and the Aussie players should be able to spend more time outdoors in the decent weather (maybe), which will be fabulous for their mental health and general well being and that’s what this is all about yeah?!

Honest truth-I’ve given up on the World Cup or any internationals involving the Aussies and probably Kiwis over here for five plus years. They won’t come in 2022, not a chance IMO. The only way it’s a possibility is to get them tied in to a water tight contract they can’t get out of, whereby they’re liable for millions if they pull out again.

They’re as likely come over in Summer as they are to sign that mate but joking aside I completely agree. RL’s decline has an awful lot to do with their (NRL) half heartedness towards the international game - I mean what is it 4/5 tests each since 2017? And some Aussie on Fox has the cheek to say they care about international RL? They’re so hypocritical and ironic that they’re beyond a joke.

The really sad part of it all is that after that World Cup here in 2013, I thought we were as close to cracking internationals as a sport as I can remember in my 30+ years watching the Sport. I’d come off back to back weeks of being at Wembley with 67,000 on to witness an incredible game between NZ and England, followed by being in a crowd of 74,000 at Old Trafford for Australia vs NZ and I thought ‘this is it’. It felt like the game had woken up to the fact that internationals must be the pinnacle to help your sport grow and since then it’s been absolutely pi*sed down the drain. The momentum of that tournament was killed because we didn’t have another home test for a couple of years.

The crowd for that semi at Wembley felt (and sounded) mainly Southern based and that felt pretty incredible. To grow a game new fans need to feel attached to a team to feel invested and 99% of the country couldn’t give a flying one about Wigan, Warrington, St Helens etc. They will watch an England team, they will feel invested in it and they will turn up when it’s marketed right.

It’s an incredible shame IMO what has gone on since 2013 and the NRL top brass take the vast majority of the blame.

Officially announced.

Furious about this, I really am. In their statement RLWC2021 have essentially confirmed the NRL were refusing point blank to release any players. Correct me if I’m wrong but that goes completely against international representation rules doesn’t it? So we’ve folded to the NRL who have no interest whatsoever in international RL and not even a sanction in sight? Utterly deplorable the whole way it’s been done.

And what guarantees are in place ensuring they don’t pull the same trick next year? The utter contempt of which they hold Intl RL is ridiculous. 4 tests in 5 years it’ll be by the time the RLWC comes around, including one year they refused to play GB as they wanted a “break”.

I genuinely cannot stand the NRL or what it stands for.