‘Disappointing’: International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant savages Australia and New Zealand

IRL Chair Troy Grant has called Australia and New Zealand’s decision to withdraw from the 2021 World Cup a “disappointment”.

Australia won the most recent World Cup in 2017. Picture: Darren England / AAP

International Rugby League Chair Troy Grant says Australia and New Zealand’s decision to withdraw from the 2021 World Cup has “tarnished” international rugby league’s reputation.

In a stern statement released on Thursday (AEST), Grant said he “(found) it difficult to find the words that adequately describe (his) disappointment with that decision.”

Earlier in the day, Australia and New Zealand announced they would not travel to the United Kingdom for the competition this October, citing “player welfare and safety concerns”.

Both the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) pointed to the high risk of Covid-19 infection in the United Kingdom, as well as Australia’s worsening coronavirus situation, as grounds for their withdrawal and called for the competition to be postponed until 2022.

“Not participating in this year’s World Cup is not a decision the Commission has taken lightly, but we must put the best interests of our players and officials first. Protecting them is our absolute priority,’’ said ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys in a letter addressed to Grant.

“In the current environment, the risks to the safety, health and wellbeing of the players and officials travelling from Australia to participate in the tournament this year are insurmountable. “The majority of NRL players are currently living away from home under difficult biosecurity protocols. They would then be required to remain under protocols and away from home for the duration of the tournament, before again quarantining on return to Australia. This is too much to ask our players and officials to do.

“We have again requested the IRL and Rugby League World Cup consider postponing the event until 2022 to enable all players to participate.”

New Zealand and Australia are ranked numbers one and two in the world, respectively. Picture: Dean Lewins /AAP

NZRL CEO Greg Peters added: “The safety and wellbeing of our people is the main priority, and unfortunately, that cannot be guaranteed to our satisfaction.

“There are stark differences between how the pandemic is being managed in the UK compared to Australasia and recent developments have highlighted how quickly things can change.

“The tournament organisers have moved heaven and earth to make this work, so it is not an easy decision, but the Covid-19 situation in the UK shows no sign of improving, and it’s simply too unsafe to send teams and staff over.

“We understand how disappointing this is for fans and those involved, however player and staff safety remains paramount.”

Shortly after Australia and New Zealand’s announcement, the International Rugby League chairman Troy Grant released a statement of his own.

In it, Grant blasted the nations for their decision to drop out of the contest, which he said could “significantly compromise the tournament”.

“Every sporting organisation, every industry, government and family globally have been impacted by this pandemic,” Grant said in his statement.

“RLWC2021 and IRL only recently stated that we fully appreciated the challenges facing us to run a successful Rugby League World Cup with player and officials’ safety our priority and we have met every request regarding this issue made of us by ARLC, New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) and the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA). All designed to mitigate potential risks and satisfy the demands of ARLC and NZRL.”

Grant assumed his role as IRL Chair in May of this year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Grant questioned why players had not been given the option to decide for themselves whether or not they would participate in the tournament.

“The obvious question being asked of us is why rugby league players are not able to make the same sacrifices as players from other sports? Sadly, players are telling me they haven’t had the opportunity to make that decision for themselves,” he said.

“I have been in regular communication with the RLPA and a number of international players and coaches who have been satisfied with the world cup’s biosecurity arrangements and expressed a clear determination to travel to England and proudly represent their nations. They have expressed to me that they feel their own personal choice to participate or not in the world cup has been taken from them.”

Grant said he would consult with the RLWC2021 Board and members of the UK government to determine whether or not the World Cup could proceed without the two Antipodean nations, pointing to the next week as “critical”.

Should the World Cup go ahead, it would be the first in history without Australia or New Zealand.