Biosecurity report reveals players “almost certain” to get Covid at Rugby League World Cup
Biosecurity experts have warned the NRL that unvaccinated players attending the Rugby League World Cup in England were “almost certain” to contract Covid.
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The NRL has received advice from biosecurity experts that unvaccinated players are “almost certain” to contract Covid if they attend the Rugby League World Cup in Great Britain in November.
Details of the report, commissioned by the independent commission, have been released on the same day that Britain reported 31,117 positive cases and 84 deaths in 24 hours.
The 38-page biosecurity report states: “The NRL reconsiders participation (does not participate) in the RLWC in 2021 on grounds of biosecurity risk to NRL players, officials and other personnel for both potential unvaccinated (high risk) and vaccinated (some risk) populations.
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“The risk controls proposed by the RLWC organisers within the United Kingdom and during Phase 3 of this deployment moderately reduce risk, particularly to vaccinated individuals, but do not substantively alter the likelihood of exposure or infection of unvaccinated individuals.
“It is assessed that any participant is likely to come into contact with a Covid-19 case at some point during the proposed deployment.
“Infection is assessed as almost certain were that to occur in an unvaccinated individual contacting a carrier of a Covid Variant of Concern in the context of competition.”
International Rugby League board member and ARLC commissioner Peter Beattie spoke on Friday of the latest infection data and warnings as Britain recorded more than 200,000 cases in a week.
“Our absolute priority is keeping our players and officials safe and healthy,” Beattie said. “We make decisions on expert advice, not emotion.
“They’re still extraordinary infection rate numbers in England.
“If we commission a report that says participants or anyone who is not vaccinated was almost certain to contract the disease we have a responsibility to protect our players.”
The report was commissioned before Australia and New Zealand both withdrew from the tournament but has been updated with the more recent data.
There is now talk of NRL players forming an Indigenous team to replace the Kangaroos.
Others have indicated they will play for the Pacific nations.
However the 16 clubs will be reluctant to release any players given the latest advice.
There is even talk that biosecurity measures put in place for the tournament are insufficient.
“The report says that the risk of a breakdown in the World Cup’s biosecurity protocols is described as possible to likely and that’s too great a risk for us to take,” Beattie said.
“We’ve got grave concerns about the measures that are in place to protect the players.
“Postponing the World Cup for a year is the safest option for our players and is in their best interests.
“We all want to see a World Cup with the very best players competing in the safest possible environment. We want to see our best Kangaroos team take the field.
“This is why I voted for a postponement to 2022 when the world will be a safer place, the World Cup will be a stronger competition and every player will have the best opportunity to compete.
“That’s the best outcome for rugby league and the best outcome for the health of our players.”
NRL CLUBS PUSH FOR WORLD CUP TO BE POSTPONED
— Michael Carayannis
Clubs have stood united in their support against the World Cup going on at season’s end after indicating they don’t feel comfortable allowing their players to feature in the tournament.
The 16 NRL clubs released a joint statement indicating they could not support the tournament being held at the end of the season because of fears for player welfare.
Their decision comes as World Cup officials are considering the future of the tournament, with an announcement expected next week.
Clubs have asked for the tournament to be postponed until next year citing the support not to play is based on the high Covid-19 infection rate in the UK and onerous biosecurity and quarantine protocols that would be placed on players having just completed a lengthy period away from home during the NRL season.
South Sydney boss Blake Solly and Canberra Raiders chief executive Don Furner put their names to the statement but the other 14 chief executive’s also backed the stance.
“We all want to see a strong, safe and successful Rugby League World Cup,” Furner said. “It’s clear that cannot be achieved in 2021, but we are in strong support for the tournament to be held in 2022.
“We want the players to come home healthy. There are two massive challenges here, the UK infection rate is increasing, with the two countries being at different stages of vaccination levels and approach to dealing with the virus.
“Secondly there are several unknowns in terms of the process and protocols for players who may get exposed to Covid-19 locations and how that may disrupt the tournament, and safe passage home for players without significant risk in terms of isolation and quarantine requirements.”
While the Kangaroos and the Kiwis will not compete, the NRL is unable to stop players from representing other nations. There is also a strong push for an Australian indigenous and New Zealand Maori sides to be included to replace Australia and New Zealand.
Solly wants the tournament pushed back 12 months.
“We all support our players reaching the pinnacle of representative football, be it All Stars, state or country,” Solly said.
“We’re proud of our players representing their nation, we continue to meet our obligations to players when they are on representative duty, but we also need to be sure they will remain healthy when they do.
“The NRL and its clubs have gone to great lengths and invested heavily to ensure our players remain healthy and the competition continues. These measures have been taken with an infection rate in Australia that is minimal when compared to the rate in the UK. This rate of infection is far too high for us to be confident the players will not contract Covid-19 during the world cup. To spend another lengthy period away from home, under extremely strict protocols in a nation with a high infection rate and followed by quarantine upon their return to Australia is not a fair ask on the clubs or players.”
A hub at Sydney Olympic Park has been set-up for players to quarantine when they arrive home.
INDIGENOUS ALL STARS’ WORLD CUP ENTRY GAINING MOMENTUM
— Nick Campton
How keen are the Indigenous All Stars to replace Australia at the rugby league World Cup at the end of the year?
So keen that Dragons backrower Josh Kerr didn’t even wait to the end of the question to answer it.
“I’m there. I’m doing it. (Peter) V’landy’s, let it happen. I know where this is going. Andrew Abdo, I know I’m probably not your favourite player at the moment but please, let us go,” Kerr said.
“If he says we’re keen you’ll be watching me sprint across the ocean. I’ll be running on water like a black Jesus.
“Playing Indigenous All Stars vs Maori All Stars every year here in Australia is unreal, it’s one of the best weeks in camp imaginable – for me, at least. To do that on a world stage? It’d be the proudest thing I’ve ever done.”
Momentum continues to grow behind the push for the Indigenous and Maori sides to replace Australia and New Zealand for the end of season tournament, with Kerr the latest Indigenous player to pledge his support.
Origin stars Josh Addo-Carr, Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker have all backed the plan, which could give the tournament a shot in the arm after it was rocked by the exit of the southern hemisphere powerhouses.
The ball is well and truly rolling after Troy Grant, the chairman of the International Rugby League, indicated the World Cup committee was considering the inclusion of the two sides
While there’s still a number of hurdles to clear, not the least of which is players securing releases for their clubs – a tall order given they’ll miss a chunk of the 2021-22 pre-season, there won’t be any shortage of NRL stars to fill out the squad.
Kerr himself could barely contain his enthusiasm and passion for the idea.
“The feeling I’m getting, I’m shaking and sweating just think about it. I just want to do it, I’m so excited, it’d be a dream come true. I really hope we get the opportunity to do that,” Kerr said.
“I understand a lot of people might not understand that, they’re worried about Covid, but as soon as (Australia and New Zealand withdrew) all the boys were super keen because they know what this means to our community and our people.
“It’s not a money issue or anything thing for us. We just want to play and represent our culture, what better way to do that than on the world stage.
“We’d all have a joke about it in camp and say how it would be in the World Cup and how we’d go and have a laugh. Lo and behold Australia and New Zealand pull out of the World Cup and our group chat was on it straight away.
“Next thing it sort of caught fire, all the boys are super keen, I’m not too sure where it’s at the moment but the boys are trying to get numbers in and every man and his dog is jumping in.”
The talented trio who can save the Saints
They’re the three young Dragons, best mates since childhood, who can save St George Illawarra’s finals charge.
Talented five-eighth Jayden Sullivan will play his first NRL match of the season against the Titans on Sunday, joining childhood teammates and best friends Tyrell Sloan and Talatau Amone in the top grade this season
The three have been close mates their entire lives, played their junior representative football together and will soon form the backbone of the Dragons’ future — now, with the club reeling to manage the fallout from Paul Vaughan’s barbecue, they’ve become the present.
Sullivan, a talented half who replaced the suspended Corey Norman against the Titans on Sunday, and Amone came through the ranks at Western Suburbs Red Devils in Wollongong and later linked up with Sloan, a Dapto Canary, at Illawarra Sports High.
“I was probably the class clown, Junior and Tyrell could talk themselves out of anything and I’d cop the brunt of it. That’s probably the only story I can tell you without getting in trouble, if I’m being honest,” Sullivan said.
“In saying that, when we were growing up we never tasted a sip of alcohol or anything like that, we kept each other on the straight and narrow. That’s probably why we’re so close.
“When we were coming through we always wanted to play first grade and we put the confidence in each other to play first grade. When I debuted, Tyrell and Junior were among the first to congratulate me.”
Sullivan was the first of the trio to play first grade after he played one game against the Storm last year, and he was on hand for both Sloan and Amone’s maiden voyages.
Sloan made his NRL debut at late notice a month ago against the Raiders, and Sullivan was there in the sheds as Sloan’s grandmother Colleen presented him with his jersey.
He’s since gone on to score in both his first grade appearances and looks every inch the heir apparent to the departing Matt Dufty.
“That’s probably the most emotional I’ve been,” Sullivan said of Sloan’s jersey presentation.
“It’ll be more exciting for our families. Tyrell and Junior, we all have close families. We were all in the 21 last week and that’s the happiest I ever saw my dad — to play just one NRL game together would be as special as our debuts.
“Tyrell is just a footballer. I’ve known him all my life and I’ve known he’s had the ability to do that. He’s just learning and Duff, Hook (Anthony Griffin), Normie, they’re all teaching us.
“To see Tyrell and Junior, the performances they’ve put together, it’s really inspiring.
“I was ball boy for Junior’s debut (against Canterbury) and if he’d scored on the other side of the field I would have been jumping all over him.”
The trio form the bedrock of an outstanding crop of junior talent at the Dragons — they all played together in the club’s 2019 SG Ball premiership side alongside talented twins Max and Mat Feagai, who also played juniors with Sullivan and Amone, as well as hard-nosed prop Josh Coric, another first grader of the future.
“When Mat Feagai scored in the same game as Junior I was all over him. To see all my mates achieving their dreams and playing for the Dragons, it’s really special,” Sullivan said.
“It shows how hard they worked over the pre-season, they got the opportunity a lot earlier this year and they probably didn’t expect to play first grade as soon as they have but when Hook gave them a chance they took it with both hands.
“I just have to follow in those footsteps.”
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