NPR

International Rugby League chair Troy Grant has strongly criticised Australia and New Zealand's decision to pull out of the World Cup in England, with the teams citing Covid safety concerns.

There is anger over their decision about the tournament, due to take place in autumn. The teams said the situation in the UK made it "simply too unsafe to send teams and staff over".

Grant said some Australia and New Zealand players were thinking of switching allegiances so they could still take part.

He is liaising with World Cup organisers to decide the next step, saying he wanted to know their views - and that of the UK government - on continuing the World Cup without the two teams, if that was a viable option.

assfly wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:39 pm Sounds like they're scared of FREEDOM

tc27 wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:41 pm A lot to admire about League as a sport but the attempt to have meaningful world cups...come on....

Grant said some Australia and New Zealand players were thinking of switching allegiances so they could still take part.

England's Rugby Football League (RFL) chairman Simon Johnson called the withdrawals "a selfish, parochial and cowardly decision".

"Rugby League World Cup organisers have bent over backwards to offer every assurance to the Australians and the Kiwis," Johnson told the BBC. "We are very unhappy with this decision and we are not prepared to take it lying down."