Nice World Cup, shame about England

Forty eight hours before Australia and New Zealand meet in the World Cup final, the media gathered for a tournament appraisal at the Holiday Inn in Brisbane, where the Aussie team are billeted and close to where scrum half Johnathan Thurston was spotted last night enjoying a schooner and some rather attractive company at one of the British press's favourite retreats. They're confident these Kangaroos.

In contrast to a damaging loss in the 2000 World Cup at home, the tournament in Australia has a generated a not inconsiderable profit in excess of £2 million. There will be a tournament in 2013 but whether in Britain or Australia remains to be seen at this stage. Government support is likely to play a key part in a successful bid by the RFL. The point is that the viability of the World Cup - likely to be extended from 10 teams to 12 in five years' time - has been re-established. Beyond 2013, it will adopt a four-year cycle. All good news.

Tournament director Colin Love curiously compared the current tournament, even though it is rugby league's 13th version, to the 1987 rugby union World Cup in the southern hemisphere - the other code's first such event. "The Rugby World Cup has developed over 21 years into a major sporting event. There's no reason we can't head in the same direction and achieve the same in a short space of time," Love said. "I want the rugby league World Cup to be a major international sporting occasion, which it will become."

The following is some of the statistical evidence produced in support of the tournament's success: 6,800 people on official travel packages (most from Britain); 120,000 items of World Cup gear sold; 243,349 fans so far at an average of over 14,300 per game; 9 million TV viewers in Australia; a peak of 1.5 million for BBC highlights of England's semi-final; Sky peaked at 420,000 for the same match and has had a total audience of over 2 million so far; and the RLWC08 official website has had more than 1.2 million visits.

I've neglected to mention some significant homegrown success in the festival of World Cups running alongside the main event. Hats off to the England team, who defeated Australia in the Wheelchair World Cup final, and to the Great Britain Defence Forces who beat their Australian counterparts. Great stuff.

INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR: 2009 - Four Nations Series in the northern hemisphere featuring the addition of France; 2010 - Four Nations Series in the southern hemisphere to include the winner of the 2009 South Pacific Cup; 2011 - Four Nations Series in the northern hemisphere, including the winner of the 2010 European Championship; 2012 - no major series but World Cup qualifiers to be held; 2013 - World Cup in either UK or Australia.

Comments

[Roger Smith]

A great success and especially enjoyable were some of the secondary games, involving the south sea islands where the players enthusiasm was a joy to watch.

[Chris]

Sorry, but with only three countries playing the sport how can you have a 'world 'cup? Bring back Eddie Waring - at least he was a laugh.

[harry Sunderland]

Nice t'world cup what planets tha bin on, it wor most one sided bag o sh..te ever, them RL cocks want shootin

[mike hunt]

what a load of tosh what point is there having a world cup at all till its at least competetive

[K Senior]

Tell you what fella you could talk a glass eye to sleep!

[K Senior]

ZZZZZzzzzzzzz......