World Cup in jeopardy following sensational development

Is it the end of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup?

That’s what the Australian Daily Telegraph has alleged, with NRL clubs reportedly calling for the tournament to be postponed and played in 2022 instead.

Stars will return late to pre-season training in the new year, so club bosses have reportedly sat down with the NRL and tournament organisers in a bid to get their point across.

Players who qualify for the World Cup final on November 26 will not return to their club side until February – and may not feature in a trial match – given the leave period and quarantine requirements. Not only is that concerning clubs, but also the continuing uncertainty of the Covid-19 problems.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys confirmed that NRL sides have voiced their opinions.

“We are dealing with the World Cup organisers and they are aware of the difficulty we have in relation to the clubs and players,” V’landys said.

“We are working through those at the moment. I totally respect the clubs and players’ feelings and we are expressing those to the organisers.

“Naturally we would like to support the international game, but we are making the organisers aware of the feelings of the clubs and players.

“There are three concerns – the players, the clubs and logistics around the quarantine requirements.

“They are some difficult obstacles to overcome but we certainly have made them aware of the clubs, players and our own views concerning quarantine.”

With a damaging 2020 season and the increasingly worrying developments in the UK, the World Cup was said to be the lifeline for many of the northern hemisphere clubs.