Kangaroos and Kiwis withdraw from World Cup

Australia and New Zealand person officially withdrawn from participating successful this year's Rugby League World Cup owed to subordinate information concerns.

The tourney is acceptable to beryllium held successful the UK betwixt 23 October and 27 November, but some Australian Rugby League (ARL) and New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) person requested for it to beryllium postponed until 2022 to minimise the hazard of players contracting COVID-19.

MORE: Major feud brewing up of Rugby League World Cup

The withdrawal of the 2 heavyweight countries is simply a monolithic stroke to the tournament, with Australia the reigning satellite champions arsenic good arsenic being the astir palmy state successful Rugby League World Cup past with 11 titles. The past squad extracurricular of Australia and New Zealand to triumph the World Cup was Great Britain successful 1972.

Amid the worsening COVID-19 situation successful Australia which presently sees 3 states locked down, some Australia and New Zealand agreed that the risks associated with players and officials travelling to the UK are excessively great.

Australia took retired the 2017 Rugby League World Cup with Cameron Smith and Mal Meninga starring the mode (Getty)

"Not participating successful this year's World Cup is not a determination the Commission has taken lightly, but we indispensable enactment the champion interests of our players and officials first. Protecting them is our implicit priority,'' ARL Commission president Peter V'landys said successful a associated connection with the NZRL connected Thursday.

"In the existent environment, the risks to the safety, wellness and wellbeing of the players and officials travelling from Australia to enactment successful the tourney this twelvemonth are insurmountable.

"The bulk of NRL players are presently surviving distant from location nether hard biosecurity protocols. They would past beryllium required to stay nether protocols and distant from location for the duration of the tourney earlier again quarantining connected instrumentality to Australia. This is excessively overmuch to inquire our players and officials to do.

"We person again requested the IRL and Rugby League World Cup see postponing the lawsuit until 2022 to alteration each players to participate."

ARL Commission president Peter V'landys says the risks associated with travelling to the UK are excessively large (Dominic Lorrimer)

"The information and wellbeing of our radical is the main priority, and unfortunately, that cannot beryllium guaranteed to our satisfaction," NZRL CEO Greg Peters added.

"There are stark differences betwixt however the pandemic is being managed successful the UK compared to Australasia and caller developments person highlighted however rapidly things tin change.

"The tourney organisers person moved eden and world to marque this work, truthful it is not an casual decision, but the Covid-19 concern successful the UK shows nary motion of improving, and it's simply excessively unsafe to nonstop teams and unit over.  

"We recognize however disappointing this is for fans and those involved; nevertheless subordinate and unit information remains paramount."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!