World Cup delay may be a boost for England
AFTER the storm which raged over the World Cup’s postponement three months ago, it is now all systems go for 2022.
Australia and New Zealand’s decision to withdraw from this year’s planned tournament caused much anger and resentment on these shores. And with good reason.
International rugby league became a laughing stock – unable to stage a World Cup because the two biggest nations were unwilling to take part.
And yet the Australia and New Zealand rugby union sides are on tour in the UK and Ireland playing autumn internationals right now. Make sense of that.
Anyway, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth from tournament organisers, the Rugby League World Cup will definitely go ahead next autumn after all countries signed the participation agreement.
Playing the tournament 12 months later than originally planned will give organisers a precious commodity in their attempts to stage the biggest and best World Cup in rugby league history. Time.
It has already been five years in the making and backed by about £25m of government money.
The extra year will allow organisers to work with host venues, towns and cities to sell tickets and ensure things run as smoothly as possible.
Although there has been inevitable disruption to the original schedule Anfield is no longer available, nor is the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool - most of the venues are set to remain in place for next year, including the John Smith’s Stadium.
Much credit must go to World Cup CEO Jon Dutton and his team. They have worked tirelessly to organise a new schedule following the postponement of the tournament three months ago, but there is plenty more hard work ahead.
For Shaun Wane and his England team, the additional preparation time is not to be sniffed at either. It may well come to be seen as a blessing to their World Cup hopes. Since becoming head coach in February 2020, Wane has taken charge of just two games and held maybe a handful of meaningful training sessions.
There was the mid-season international against the Combined Nations All Stars in June and the end-of-season Test match against France in Perpignan last month.
Did England really look like world champions in waiting in either game? The answer is no. Coronavirus and its impact on the world has had a huge impact on Wane’s ability to do his job that being to coach players on the training field and take charge of games.
The eagerly-anticipated three-match Ashes series against Australia, scheduled for the autumn 2020, was scrapped due to Covid. Then the Word Cup was shelved until 2022.
Frustration barely covers it for Wane, a man who lives and breathes for the buzz of rugby league.
Training sessions and face-to-face contact with his players have been minimal during his near two-year reign. Crucially, however, Wane should have plenty of decent preparation time with his men next year as Covid restrictions continue to ease.
Wane is expected to push for training camps with his players on a monthly basis throughout the season and will expect Super League clubs to support him.
Crucially, a mid-season international break means there are no Super League, Championship or League 1 fixtures on the weekend of June 19.
After the farcical situation where Super League games were played on the same night as England faced the All Stars this year, the free weekend will allow a clear, sole focus on international rugby league.
Wane, who must also balance his commitments at Wigan Warriors with his England role, needs regular time on the field with his England squad throughout next year as he tries to mould a side and a spirit capable of overcoming Australia or New Zealand at the World Cup.
That remains a huge ask, but this year’s postponement should at least give England a better chance of taking the trophy.
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